CA-3190714-C - HYBRID LPG FRAC

Abstract

A fracturing method comprises: pumping a first stream of liquefied petroleum gas and gelling agent with a first frac pressure pump; pumping a second stream of lubricated proppant with a second frac pressure pump; combining the first stream and the second stream within a wellhead into a combined stream; pumping the combined stream into a hydrocarbon reservoir; and subjecting the combined stream in the hydrocarbon reservoir to fracturing pressures. A fracturing apparatus comprises: a first frac pressure pump connected to a first port of a wellhead; a second frac pressure pump connected to a second port of the wellhead; a frac fluid source connected to supply a stream of frac fluid comprising liquefied petroleum gas to the first frac pressure pump; a gel source connected to supply a gelling agent into the frac fluid; and a proppant supply source connected to supply lubricated proppant to the second frac pressure pump.

Inventors

• Victor Fordyce
• Eric Tudor

Assignees

• STEP ENERGY SERVICES LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20130508

Priority Date

20120514

Claims (1)

1. WSLEGAL\072153\00087\39201853v1 THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: 1. A fracturing apparatus comprising: a frac pressure pump connected to a wellhead; a fluid source connected to supply a stream of a fluid comprising liquefied petroleum gas to the first frac pressure pump; a proppant supply source connected to supply proppant to the wellhead; and a proppant intensifier between the proppant supply source and the wellhead.

Description

CA 02816025 2013-05-08 HYBRID LPG FRAC TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This document relates to fracturing methods and apparatuses. BACKGROUND [0002] Split stream fracturing methods are disclosed in US patent nos. 3,842,910 (Zingg), 2,876,839 (Fast), 7,845,413 (Shampine), 7,341,103 (Taylor), and 5,899,272 (Loree) and US publication no. 20090301719 (Bull). Such methods combine a proppant stream and a fracturing fluid stream after pumping both streams with frac pressure pumps but before the streams enter the wellhead, including at or near the wellhead, and it is known from these and other references to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fracturing fluid. SUMMARY [0003] A fracturing method is disclosed comprising: pumping a first stream of liquefied petroleum gas and gelling agent with a first frac pressure pump; pumping a second stream of lubricated proppant with a second frac pressure pump; combining the first stream and the second stream within a wellhead into a combined stream; pumping the combined stream into a hydrocarbon reservoir; and subjecting the combined stream in the hydrocarbon reservoir to fracturing pressures. [0004] A fracturing apparatus is disclosed comprising: a first frac pressure pump connected to a first port of a wellhead; a second frac pressure pump connected to a second port of the wellhead; a frac fluid source connected to supply a stream of frac fluid comprising liquefied petroleum gas to the first frac pressure pump; a gel source connected to supply a gelling agent into the frac fluid; and a proppant supply source connected to supply lubricated proppant to the second frac pressure pump. [0005] A fracturing apparatus is disclosed comprising: a frac pressure pump connected to a wellhead; one or more storage tanks connected to supply a stream of frac fluid comprising liquefied petroleum gas to the frac pressure pump; and four or more safety valves on each of the one or more storage tanks. Date Rei;:ue/Date Received 2023-02-22 CA 02816025 2013-05-08 [0006] A fracturing apparatus is disclosed comprising: a frac pressure pump connected to a wellhead; a frac fluid source connected to supply a stream of frac fluid comprising liquefied petroleum gas to the first frac pressure pump; a proppant supply source connected to supply proppant to the wellhead; and a proppant intensifier between the proppant supply source and the wellhead. [0007) A fracturing method is disclosed comprising: determining a surface tension of reservoir hydrocarbons under reservoir conditions within a hydrocarbon reservoir; pumping a first stream of gelled liquefied petroleum gas with a first frac pressure pump; pumping a second stream of proppant and liquid hydrocarbons, which have seven or more carbons per hydrocarbon molecule, with a second frac pressure pump; combining the first stream and the second stream in a ratio selected to yield a combined stream that, under reservoir conditions, has a surface tension that matches or is less than, the surface tension of the reservoir hydrocarbons; pumping the combined stream into the hydrocarbon reservoir; and subjecting the combined stream in the hydrocarbon reservoir to fracturing pressures. (0008) A well treatment method is disclosed comprising: providing a well treatment fluid made from at least a first starting material and a second starting material, the first starting material having liquefied petroleum gas with a purity of at least 0.95 mole fraction of the first starting material, and the second starting material having alkanes, with seven or more carbons per molecule, with a purity of at least 0.95 mole fraction of the second starting material; and pumping a stream of the treatment fluid into a hydrocarbon reservoir. [0009) In various embodiments, there may be included any one or more of the following features: The first stream is pumped into a first port of the wellhead and the second stream is pumped into a second port of the wellhead. The lubricated proppant is lubricated with liquid. The liquid is ungelled. The liquid is gelled. The liquid is free of liquefied petroleum gas. The liquid comprises liquid hydrocarbons. The liquid hydrocarbons comprise seven or more carbons per hydrocarbon molecule. The liquid hydrocarbons comprise eighteen or less carbons per hydrocarbon molecule. The method comprises before, after, or before and after the second stream is pumped, pumping a treatment fluid with the second :frac pressure pump to the wellhead. The treatment fluid comprises an acid spearhead. The treatment fluid has a higher density than the first stream, and the treatment fluid is 2 Date Rei;:ue/Date Received 2023-02-22 CA 02816025 2013-05-08 pumped to provide a fluid cap over the combined stream in the hydrocarbon reservoir. The liquefied petroleum comprises hydrocarbons with four or more carbons per molecule in an amount of more than 50% by volume of the liquefied petroleum gas. The hydrocarbon reservoir comprises oil, injected fluids are flowed back from the hydrocarbon