Abstract:
An elongate apparatus is disclosed and comprises a material passage and one or more fluid passages. The material passage receives material therethrough. The one or more fluid passages are in fluid communication with the material passage. The material passage and the one or more fluid passages extend substantially parallel throughout the apparatus. A method comprises transferring material in a material passage and further comprises injecting a fluid into the material passage via one or more injection points located along a length of the material passage.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/886345, filed on Oct. 3, 2013, entitled “Hose For Bulk Transfer Operations,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure contemplates that many applications involve transferring materials such as fluids and/or solids from one location to another location. Some examples of this include water treatment applications, hazardous material handling applications, and drilling applications, among others. 
         [0003]    In oil drilling environments, for example, materials include fluid and cuttings from drilling activities. These materials are transferred from a drilling location (e.g., an offshore oil rig) to a transportation vehicle (e.g., supply vessel). Similarly, a transportation vehicle also transfers materials from the transportation vehicle to an onshore facility. Failure to maintain a steady and fast flow of materials could mean increased non-productive time, equipment damage, and higher costs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings. 
           [0005]    In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an example elongate apparatus; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a close-up perspective view of the example elongate apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a close-up perspective view of another example elongate apparatus; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts an example environment utilizing an example elongate apparatus in which all arranged in accordance with at least some of the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure. 
         [0011]    This disclosure is generally drawn to systems, devices, apparatus, and/or methods related to bulk transfer of materials. Specifically, the disclosed systems, devices, apparatus, and/or methods relate to transfer of oilfield materials from one location to another location using an elongate apparatus. 
         [0012]    The present disclosure contemplates that some conventional bulk transfer mechanisms utilize air injection lines to push and/or urge materials through a plurality of hoses between a source (e.g., shaker(s) on an offshore oil rig) and a destination (e.g., supply vessel). In this manner, air may be injected through the hoses to break up any potential blockages and to maintain a steady material flow. External fittings are used to combine multiple hoses and also as means to introduce the air injection into the hoses. These external fittings make the conventional bulk transfer mechanisms bulky, heavy, and difficult to handle. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts an example elongate apparatus  100 , in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Some example elongate apparatuses may have a length (e.g., from one end to another end) that is substantially longer than its width. For example, the elongate apparatus  100  may be a hose such as a transfer hose. Elongate apparatus  100  may include a material passage  110 , and fluid passage(s)  120 . The elongate apparatus  100  may include an exterior covering  140  encompassing, surrounding, and/or covering the material passage  110  and fluid passage(s)  120 . A fluid, such as a gas (e.g., air) and/or a liquid (e.g., oils, chemicals), may be injected or otherwise provided into material passage  110  via injection point(s)  130 . The material passage  110  may be substantially larger than the fluid passage(s)  120 . 
         [0014]    In some examples, the material passage  110  may be defined or formed with a hollow tube, pipe, or other conduit in which material may pass through. The material passage  110  may have a length defined between two ends, an inlet end and an outlet end. Material may pass through the material passage  110  from the inlet end to the outlet end. In some examples, the material passage  110  may be formed with a hose such as a material hose. 
         [0015]    The material hose forming the material passage  110  may be flexible, semiflexible, and/or rigid. In some examples, the material hose may be made of plastic, rubber, composites, polymers, and/or metals. For example, the material hose may be made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, stainless steel, and/or other known substances. 
         [0016]    In some examples, the material passage  110  may have a diameter of approximately 5 inches. In some examples, the material passage  110  may have a diameter in a range of 2 inches to 8 inches. In some examples, the material passage  110  may have a diameter in a range of 4 inches to 6 inches. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that different dimensions of the material passage  110  may be used depending upon the material to be moved from the inlet end to the outlet end of the material passage  110  as well as the application of use. 
         [0017]    The fluid passage(s)  120  may be adjacent to the material passage  110 . In this manner, two fluid passages  120  may each be substantially parallel with material passage  110  along the entire length of the elongate apparatus  100 . In some examples, the length of the fluid passage(s)  120  may be less than the length of the elongate apparatus  100 . In some examples, the fluid passage(s)  120  may be formed with hoses such as fluid hoses. 
         [0018]    In some examples, the fluid passage(s)  120  may be relatively smaller in diameter than material passage  110 .  FIG. 1 , for example, depicts an example elongate apparatus  100  having a material passage  110  and two fluid passages  120 , where the two fluid passages  120  each have a relatively smaller diameter than the material passage  110 . 
         [0019]    In some examples, the fluid passage(s)  120  may receive fluid from a fluid source. If the fluid is air, the fluid source may be an air pump, air blower, or other air supply device known in the art. Other fluid sources may introduce oil, drilling fluids, and/or chemicals for lubrication, among other fluids, into the fluid passage(s)  120 . Fluid introduced into the fluid passage(s)  120  may be compressed or non-compressed. For example, air may be introduced into the fluid passage(s)  120  at one or more locations of the elongate apparatus  100 , including at an inlet, outlet, and/or intermediate location(s) along the length of the elongate apparatus  100 . 
         [0020]    The fluid hoses forming the fluid passage(s)  120  may be flexible, semi-flexible, and/or rigid. In some examples, the fluid hoses may be made of plastic, rubber, composites, polymers, and/or metals. For example, the fluid hoses may be made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber, nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, stainless steel, and/or other known substances. In some examples, the fluid hoses may be constructed of the same substance as the material hose, while in some examples the fluid hoses and the material hose may be constructed of a different substance. 
         [0021]    In some examples, the fluid passage(s)  120  may have a diameter of approximately 2 inches. In some examples, the fluid passage(s)  120  may have a diameter in a range of 0.5 inches to 5 inches. 
         [0022]    The fluid passage(s)  120  may provide fluid into material passage  110  at the injection point(s)  130 . The injection point(s)  130  may allow fluid to be injected or otherwise provided from the fluid passage(s)  120  to the material passage  110 . In some examples, the injection point(s)  130  may be a non-return valve, a check valve, a clack valve, a one-way valve, and/or a nozzle that may transfer fluid from the fluid passage(s)  120  into the material passage  110 . 
         [0023]    In some examples, the injection point(s)  130  may be substantially perpendicular to material passage  110  and the fluid passage(s)  120 . The injection point(s) may direct the fluid perpendicular to the flow  150  of material through the material passage  110  or with respect to the length of the material passage  110 . In some examples, the injection point(s) may provide the fluid at an angle with respect to the flow  150  of material through the material passage  110 , such as thirty degrees, forty-five degrees, sixty degrees, or other angle between zero and ninety degrees to move the material. 
         [0024]    In some examples, the elongate apparatus  100  may be operative in a pressure range of between 0 bar and 136 bar. In such examples, the fluid passages  120 , the injection points  130 , and/or the material passage  110  may be operable in pressure ranges of 0 bar to 136 bar. In some examples, the elongate apparatus  100  may operate in a pressure range between 34 bar and 136 bar. Each component may be tested to withstand interior pressures in these ranges. 
         [0025]    In some examples, the elongate apparatus  100  may have structural properties that is sufficient to support the weight of the elongate apparatus  100  itself and the material and fluid contained therein and passing therethrough. For example, the fluid passages  120  may have a compressive strength or tensile strength that is sufficient to support the weight of the fluid passages  120  themselves and the fluid contained therein and passing therethrough. Similarly, the material passages  110  may have structural properties that are sufficient to support the weight of the material passages  110  themselves and the material and fluid contained therein and passing therethrough. The structural properties should be sufficient enough to avoid a failure or rupture of the elongate apparatus  100 . The sufficiency of structural properties may vary depending on application, as the parameters of use, materials, and fluids may differ on a per application basis. 
         [0026]    In some examples, the fluid may be injected into the material passage  110  in a continuous manner, a selective manner, a periodic manner, and/or a patterned manner. In this manner, any blockage or stoppage due to material in the material passage  110  may be broken up or dislodged due to the fluid injection into material passage  110 . The fluid may be injected at varying injection rates. Such injection rate may be controlled manually or automatically using a control system. The injection rate may vary depending on application. 
         [0027]    For example, the fluid may be injected into the material passage  110  in a pulsed and/or toggled manner. The fluid may be pulsed, toggled, or switched between a first pressure (e.g., relative high pressure) and a second pressure (e.g., relative low pressure). The high pressure may be active for a period of time and then become inactive. When the high pressure becomes inactive, the low pressure mode become active for a period of time. Such change in pressure may be controlled at and/or by the fluid source. This process may be repeated periodically and/or randomly to create a pulsing effect. In this manner, the fluid being injected into the material passage  110  from the fluid passage(s)  120  may be pulsed to increase fluid flow through the material passage  110  and/or to more effectively break up any blockages in the material passage  110 . 
         [0028]    The elongate apparatus  100  may have an exterior covering  140  encompassing, surrounding, and/or covering the material hose and/or thematerial passage  110 , the fluid hose and/or the fluid passage(s)  120 , and the injection points  130 . The exterior covering  140  may extend along the length (or a substantial portion thereof) of the elongate apparatus  100 . In this manner, the material passage  110  and the fluid passage(s)  120  may be effectively integrated into a single unit—the elongate apparatus  100 . In other words, the fluid passage(s)  120  may be integrated with the material passage  110 . Compared to conventional bulk transfer mechanisms, this may allow easier handling and storage (e.g., hose reels) of elongate apparatus  100  because bulky external air hose/line fittings are not necessary. Additionally, elongate apparatus  100  may have integral flotation attributes due to fluid present in the fluid passage(s)  120 , other fluid retaining mechanisms, and/or flotation additives (e.g., foam) in or around the elongate apparatus  100 . This may be particularly useful in aquatic work environments. 
         [0029]    The exterior covering  140  may be flexible, semi-flexible, and/or rigid. In some examples, the exterior covering  140  may be made of plastic, rubber, composites, polymers, and/or metals. For example, the exterior covering  140  may be made synthetic rubber, natural rubber, nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, stainless steel, and/or other known substances. In some examples, the exterior covering  140  may be constructed of the same substance as the material passage  110  and/or the fluid passage(s)  120 , while in some examples the exterior covering  140 , the fluid passage(s)  120  and the material passage  110  may be constructed of different substances. 
         [0030]    Some example elongate apparatuses  100  may be manufactured via a curing process. For example, the fluid hoses and/or the fluid passages  120  may be wrapped together by the exterior covering  140  with the material hose and/or the material passage  110  with injection points  130  therebetween. Together, these components may be cured to become a single or integrated elongate apparatus  100 . In another example, the exterior covering  140  may surround the material hose and/or material passage  110 , the fluid hose and/or fluid passages  120 , and the injection points  130  along the length of the elongate apparatus  100 , and then all components may be cured to form an integrated elongate apparatus  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a close-up, transparent perspective view of the example elongate apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . The transparent view of  FIG. 2  depicts the elongate apparatus  100  of  FIG. 1  with greater clarity. Like elements in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are represented by like numbers. For example, elongate apparatus  200  corresponds to elongate apparatus  100 . Similarly, material passage  210  corresponds to material passage  110 , fluid passages  220  corresponds to fluid passages  120 , and injection points  230  corresponds to injection points  130 . Exterior covering  240  is transparent for clarity, and corresponds to exterior covering  140 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  depicts a close-up transparent perspective view of another example elongate apparatus  300 .  FIG. 3  depicts a material passage  310  in fluid communication with fluid passages  320  via injection points  330 . Exterior covering  340  surrounds these components. The injections points  340  are depicted as being angled toward the material flow direction  350 . As described previously, the injection points  340  may be at an angle with respect to the flow  350  of material through the material passage  310 . An example angle ranges may be between zero and ninety degrees relative to the material flow direction  350 . 
         [0033]    While  FIGS. 1-3  depict the flow of material in a specific direction  150 ,  250 ,  350 , elongate apparatus  100 ,  200 ,  300 , respectively, may allow for bi-directional material flow and/or material flow in a direction different than shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  depicts an example environment utilizing an example transfer hose  400 , in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Drilling materials such as drilling fluid and cuttings may be separated at shaker(s)  450 . Cuttings discharged from shaker(s)  450  may be transferred to blower  455  to be batch discharged. Blower  455  may batch discharge cuttings, which may be transferred via transfer hose  400  to storage units  460 , to loading stations  465 , and/or buffer storage  470 . Transfer hose  400  may also transfer cuttings among and/or between storage units  460 , loading stations  465 , and/or buffer storage  470 , as conducted by applications. In some examples, transfer hose  400  may transfer cuttings to storage units  475  on a transportation vessel. 
         [0035]    In some examples, transfer hose  400  may include multiple hoses coupled together via fittings. For example,  FIG. 4  depicts transfer hose  400  having multiple hoses combined together such as between shakers  450  and storage units  460 , between shakers  450  and loading stations  465 , between storage units  460  and buffer storage  470 , between storage units  460  and storage units  475  on the vessel. Unlike conventional large external fittings coupling multiple hoses, transfer hose  400  may have a reduced form factor due, at least in part, to fluid hoses integrated into the transfer hose  400 . In this manner, conventional external fittings to inject fluid into the transfer hose  400  are unnecessary. In some examples, fluid may be injected at several points along a transfer hose  400  that includes multiple transfer hoses  400  coupled together via fittings. In such examples, the fluid source may inject fluid into the transfer hose  400  via one or more fittings coupling the multiple transfer hoses  400  together. 
         [0036]    In use, one example material that may be conveyed through the transfer hose  400  is drill cuttings. Drill cuttings may be discharged from shaker(s)  450 . A drilling operator may desire to remove the drill cuttings from the onsite shaker(s)  450  to an offsite location. In some examples, the drilling operator may wish to transfer the drill cuttings from an offshore oil rig to an onshore processing facility. To do this, a transportation vessel (e.g., a ship) may transport the drill cuttings from the offshore oil rig to an onshore processing facility. To effectuate this transfer, the transfer hose  400  may be used to first transfer drill cuttings from the offshore oil rig to the transportation vessel, which may transport the cuttings to the onshore processing facility. 
         [0037]    In some examples, the transfer hose  400  may be coupled to the shaker(s)  450  to receive the drill cuttings from a discharge end of the shaker(s)  450 . The inlet end of the transfer hose  400  may be directly or indirectly coupled to the discharge end of the shaker(s)  450  to receive the drill cuttings. The outlet end of the transfer hose  400  may be directly or indirectly coupled to storage unit(s)  460  or storage unit(s)  475  on the vessel. In some examples, the transfer hose  400  may be decoupled from storage units(s), such as when the storage unit(s) are full of drill cuttings. In some examples, the storage unit(s) may be located on the offshore oil rig (e.g., storage unit(s)  460 ) and then physically moved to a transportation vessel. In some examples, the storage unit(s) may already be located on the transportation vessel (e.g., storage unit(s)  475 ). 
         [0038]    The drill cuttings may move within the transfer hose  400  via gravity and/or assistance from the fluid hose(s) integrated in the transfer hose  400 . To encourage movement through the transfer hose  400  from the shaker(s)  450  to a destination (e.g., storage unit(s)), fluid such as air may be injected into the transfer hose  400  from the fluid hose(s) to continue flow of drill cuttings toward the destination. Similarly, to break up blockages of excess drill cuttings in the transfer hose  400 , fluid such as air may be injected into transfer hose  400  to break up such blockages. Fluid may be injected into the transfer hose  400  in a continuous manner, a selective manner, a periodic manner, and/or a patterned manner. Fluid injection may be controlled manually by an operator and/or occur automatically via a controller (e.g., computer controlled system). 
         [0039]    While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting.