Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for expandable storage and metering are disclosed. In some embodiments, the expandable storage and metering device comprises a body with a storage cavity therein, a chassis upon which the body is mounted, and at least one port in communication with the storage cavity, wherein the body is expandable and collapsible to change the internal volume of the storage cavity. Some method embodiments for operating the expandable storage and metering device comprise expanding the device and collapsing the device, wherein said expanding and said collapsing comprises utilizing actuators to raise/lower or extend/retract the walls of the device. In other method embodiments for operating the device, said expanding comprises removing the roof of the device and positioning at least one stackable module on top of the device and said collapsing comprises removing the at least one stackable module and replacing the roof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The subject matter of the present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ [Docket No. 2006-IP-021747U2 (1391-70001)] filed concurrently herewith and entitled “Methods for Expandable Storage and Metering,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for expandable storage and metering. More particularly, the present invention relates to various embodiments of an expandable storage and metering device that is transported in an empty, collapsed state to a site where it is expanded to increase its internal storage volume. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and method of storing and metering materials for well services such as fracturing, cementing, and drilling operations. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0005]    Hydraulic fracturing is a means of stimulating flow from a subterranean formation into a drilled wellbore. After a well is drilled into reservoir rock containing oil, natural gas, or water, a fracturing fluid is injected at high pressure down the wellbore and against the formation, causing it to crack and the cracks to propagate. The fracturing fluid contains a propping agent, usually sand, which prevents the cracks or fractures from closing when pumping of the fracturing fluid into the wellbore is discontinued. The cracks, propped open by the propping agent, provide a path for recoverable fluid, such as oil, natural gas, or water, from the formation into the wellbore, thereby increasing the rate of well production. 
         [0006]    Typically hydraulic fracturing fluids are prepared at the surface before being pumped into the wellbore and comprise a thickened or gelled aqueous solution formed by metering and combining large volumes of fluids in a large mixing apparatus and then blending them with a proppant. One common method of preparing a fracturing fluid involves combining a fracture fluid and liquid additives in a mixing device and then blending into that mixture a proppant (e.g., dry sand) transferred from a storage device, such as a truck, by a conveyor belt. The mixing device discharges the mixture of proppant, fracture fluid, and liquid additives to one or more pumps that transfer this fracturing fluid down the wellbore. 
         [0007]    Although effective, this method of producing a fracturing fluid can be very resource intensive, and therefore costly. At the well site, the proppant, fracture fluid, and liquid additives require their own storage and metering devices. Depending on the size of the fracturing job, multiple storage and metering devices for each component may be necessary. For example, multiple truckloads of sand, a typical proppant, may be required. Additionally, all such devices must be transported to the well site, which may be at a remote location or even offshore. Equipment, transportation, and labor costs alone suggest utilizing the largest storage and metering devices possible. However, legal road height and width restrictions impose limitations on the size of those devices and costly permits and/or escort vehicles for devices exceeding those restrictions may be financially prohibitive. Moreover, the well site footprint may be too small to permit maneuverability of large devices. 
         [0008]    Thus, there is a need for an expandable storage and metering device which is transportable in a collapsed condition, thereby meeting standard size restrictions, but expandable to increase its internal storage volume at a well site so that fewer devices are needed for a given wellbore servicing job and associated equipment, transportation, and labor costs are reduced. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Apparatus and methods for expandable storage and metering are disclosed. In some embodiments, the expandable storage and metering device comprises a body with a storage cavity therein, a chassis upon which the body is mounted, and a plurality of ports in communication with the storage cavity, wherein the body is expandable and collapsible to change the internal volume of the storage cavity. 
         [0010]    Some method embodiments for operating the expandable storage and metering device comprise expanding the device, wherein said expanding comprises actuating one or more hydraulic struts to raise the roof of the device and raising the walls of the device by means of their attachment to the roof, and collapsing the device, wherein said collapsing comprises actuating the one or more hydraulic struts to retract the roof and lowering the walls by means of their attachment to the roof. 
         [0011]    Other method embodiments for operating the expandable storage and metering device comprise expanding the device, wherein said expanding comprises disconnecting the roof of the device, removing the roof, positioning at least one stackable module on top of the device, and securing the at least one stackable module to the device, and collapsing the device, wherein said collapsing comprises disconnecting the at least one stackable module from the device, removing the at least one stackable module from the device, replacing the roof, and securing the roof to the device. 
         [0012]    Some method embodiments for operating an expandable storage and metering device in wellbore servicing comprise positioning an expandable storage and metering device at a well site, expanding the device, storing one or more materials in the device, and metering the one or materials from the device, wherein said metering is performed at a rate that can be changed during wellbore service. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    For a more detailed description of the present invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective side view of one representative expandable storage and metering device, referred to herein as the “pop-up” concept, in an expanded configuration; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  depicts the “pop-up” concept illustrated by  FIG. 1  in a collapsed configuration; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict a side view and an end view, respectively, of another representative expandable storage and metering device referred to herein as the “stackable modular” concept; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  depict a side view and an end view, respectively, of the “slide-out” concept; 
           [0018]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  depict a side view and an end view, respectively, of the “combination” concept; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a typical well fracturing operation wherein one representative expandable storage and metering device is utilized. 
       
    
    
     NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
       [0020]    Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular assembly components. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ”. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Various embodiments of an expandable storage and metering device transportable in a collapsed state, but operable to expand at a job site, thereby increasing its internal storage volume, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used for like features throughout the several views. There are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device with the understanding that this disclosure is representative only and is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments illustrated and described herein. The embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device and methods disclosed herein may be used in any type of application, operation, or process, on land or on water, including well fracturing, cementing, and drilling operations, for which it is desired to provide material at a specific rate. Such material may include solid bulk material such as sand, cement, proppant, clay, etc.; liquid material such as water or other liquid additives; pumpable slurries such as cement, drilling fluids, or fracturing fluids; or any other material for use in servicing a wellbore that requires large volumes typically stored in a non-pressurized or near atmospheric container. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments disclosed herein may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective side view of one representative expandable storage and metering device  100 , referred to herein as the “pop-up” concept, comprising a rectangular-shaped body  105  attached to a conventional chassis  110 , landing legs  115  connected to and extending downward from the base  120  of the rectangular body  105 , a primary conveyor  125  suspended beneath the body base  120  by vertical supports  130 , an elevating conveyor  135  connected to one end of the primary conveyor  125 , and a hydraulic power pack  140  supported by a frame  145  attached to the body base  120 . The chassis  110  includes support structure  153  and two pairs of wheels  150 . The rectangular-shaped body  105  further comprises a front end wall  155 , a back end wall  160 , two side walls  165 ,  170 , and a roof  175 , which is extendable and retractable by one or more actuators  180  located along the side walls  165 ,  170 . The actuators  180  may be hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, electrical, or a combination thereof. The rectangular body  105  may be compartmentalized by dividers  195  positioned along the length of the body  105  to create multiple bins  200 , as illustrated by  FIG. 1 . In the absence of dividers  195 , a single bin  200  is created by the front end wall  155 , back end wall  160 , two side walls  165 ,  170 , base  120 , and roof  175 . 
         [0023]    The side walls  165 ,  170 , front end wall  155 , and back end wall  160  each comprise a lower wall portion  185  attached to the body base  120  and an upper wall portion  190  attached to the roof  175 . The upper wall portion  190  retracts and extends with the roof  175  by virtue of its attachment to the roof  175 . The lower wall portion  185  and the upper wall portion  190  are connected such that when the roof  175  is retracted, the upper wall portion  190  slides downward relative to the lower wall portion  185 , which does not move. In some embodiments, the upper wall portion  190  slides downward along the outer surface of the lower wall portion  185  to be stored externally adjacent to the lower wall portion  185  during transport of the storage and metering device  100  in a collapsed state. In other embodiments, the upper wall portion  190  slides downward along the inner surface of the lower wall portion  185  to be stored internally adjacent to the lower wall portion  185  during transport. 
         [0024]    The dividers  195 , if present, each share the same construction as the side walls  165 ,  170 , front end wall  155 , and back end wall  160 . The dividers  195  comprise a lower divider portion  205  attached to the body base  120  and an upper divider portion  210  attached to the roof  175 . The upper divider portion  210  retracts and extends with the roof  175  by virtue of its attachment to the roof  175 . The lower divider portion  205  and the upper divider portion  210  are connected such that when the roof  175  is retracted, the upper divider portion  210  slides downward relative to the lower divider portion  205 , which does not move. In some embodiments, the upper divider portion  210  slides downward along surface  212  of the lower divider portion  205  to be stored adjacent to surface  212  during transport of the storage and metering device  100 . In other embodiments, the upper divider portion  210  slides downward along surface  214  of the lower divider portion  205  to be stored adjacent to surface  214  during transport, wherein surfaces  212  and  214  are opposite sides of the lower divider portion  205 . 
         [0025]    The bins  200  are one or more sealed storage compartments for materials, both solid and liquid, including but not limited to proppants, such as sand and sintered bauxite, and water for well fracturing, cementing, and drilling operations. These bins  200  are be designed to have internal storage volumes which increase from their minimum capacities when the roof  175  and upper wall portion  190  and the upper divider portion  210  are fully retracted to their maximum capacities when the roof  175  and upper wall portion  190  and the upper divider portion  210  are fully extended, where the maximum capacity of each bin  200  may be as much as double its minimum capacity. Dividers  195 , if present, provide multiple independent bins  200  which allow for the storage and use of multiple grades or types of materials within the same storage and metering device  100  while preventing any cross-contamination of one grade or type of material to another. 
         [0026]    The lower wall portion  185 , lower divider portion  205 , upper wall portion  190 , and upper divider portion  210  may be constructed or formed out of any suitable material that may be flexible, elastic, inflexible, inelastic, or a combination thereof. To withstand the forces resulting from the weight of materials stored in the bins  200 , the lower wall portion  185  and lower divider portion  205  are constructed of any suitable strength material known in the art, such as but not limited to, carbon steel, plastics, composites, aluminum, and thermosets. In some embodiments, these components  185 ,  205  may be constructed of 3/16″ thick carbon steel. Due to the distribution of materials contained within the bins  200 , the upper wall portion  190  and upper divider portion  210  experience lower loads than the lower wall portion  185  and lower divider portion  205  and therefore need not be constructed of similar strength material. At the same time, it is desirable that these components  190 ,  210  be as light as possible to minimize the burden on the actuators  180  and transportation costs. Given these considerations, the upper wall portion  190  and upper divider portion  210  are constructed of any suitable material known in the art, such as but not limited to plastics, composites, material weaves such as metal weaves, fiberglass weaves, teflon-coated fiberglass weaves, thermoset weaves, polyester weaves, and PVC-coated polyester weaves. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  illustrates the expandable storage and metering device  100  with the roof  175  extended by virtue of the actuators  180 , while  FIG. 2  illustrates the same device  100  but with the roof  175  retracted. When the roof  175  is extended, the upper wall portion  190  and upper divider portion  210  also extend by virtue of their attachment to the roof  175 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In this configuration, the internal storage volume of the bins  200  is maximized. To provide stability for the expandable storage and metering device  100  in this condition, the landing legs  115  are extended downward from the body base  120  to contact the ground or other rigid surface. When the roof  175  is retracted, the upper wall portion  190  and upper divider portion  210  typically also retract and may be stored within the body  105  of the device  100 , as illustrated by  FIG. 2 . In this configuration, the internal storage volume of the bins  200  is minimized. This is the configuration assumed by the expandable storage and metering device  100  during transportation. As such, additional support provided by the landing legs  115  is not needed and the legs  115  are retracted. 
         [0028]    The ability to transport the storage and metering device  100  in a collapsed condition, as illustrated by  FIG. 2 , to a job site where the device  100  is expanded to increase its internal storage volume, as illustrated by  FIG. 1 , allows the device  100  to be maneuvered into and out of job sites it may not have been able to ingress and egress if the device  100  were a non-collapsible structure. Moreover, by expanding the storage capacity of the devices  100  after positioning them at a job site, fewer devices  100  are required for a job. The ability to increase the internal storage volume of the device  100  may also permit the device  100  to store all materials required for the job prior to initiation of, for example, a fracturing process or cementing operation. In the event that more materials are required, the devices  100  have the ability to be refilled during the course of a fracturing or cementing job, again for example only. For instance, the expandable well servicing storage and metering device may be configured with one or more openings to accept the insertion or delivery of well servicing materials for storage and metering. This opening may be located or positioned on any portion of the structure whereby loading or delivery of well servicing materials into the expandable storage and metering device may be performed. Preferably, this opening will be located on an upper portion of the expandable storage and metering device, i.e., the roof, or upper wall portion. The opening may be configured with a structure or component to facilitate the separation of the external space surrounding the storage and metering device from the internal space configured to house the well servicing materials. This structure or component can be fashioned in the form of a door, lid, plate, or other configuration and fixably connected to the storage and metering device by any commonly recognized securing mechanism or component such as a bolt, screw, locking pin, or combinations thereof. 
         [0029]    Materials stored within the bins  200  are released through dispersal ports  108  located in the body base  105  and dumped onto the primary conveyor  125  positioned directly beneath the ports  108 . The volumetric rate at which the material stored within the bins  200  is released is a function of the speed of the primary conveyor  125 . Sensors  109  may be associated with the expandable storage and metering device, such as proximate to the load path between the support structure  153  and the landing legs  115 , to monitor real time material inventory. These sensors  109  may be configured to provide various types of information relating to the mass of materials stored in the bins  200 . Using the sensors  109 , the amount of materials metered out as well as the rate at which the materials are supplied to a job process can be determined and monitored. The ability to monitor and vary the rate at which materials are supplied to a fracturing process, for example, is advantageous because the volumetric requirements for materials often change during the course of a fracturing job. 
         [0030]    The hydraulic power pack  140  provides power to operate the primary conveyor  125  and the elevating conveyor  135 . When both are operational, the materials are transported by the primary conveyor  125  to the elevating conveyor  135  and from the elevating conveyor  135  to equipment attached or proximately located to the expandable storage and metering device  100 , for example, a gathering conveyor in a well fracturing operation. The hydraulic power pack  140  may also provide power to extend and retract the landing legs  115  and the roof  175  if the actuators  180  employed are hydraulic in nature. 
         [0031]    In the embodiments illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the actuators  180  extend and retract the roof  175 . Hence, these embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100  are referred to herein as the “pop-up” concept. Another embodiment of the “pop-up” concept, drawing on the previous description, includes the expandable storage and metering device&#39;s walls having the ability to concentrically collapse so that the profile of the unexpanded state of the device would be significantly less than that of the expanded profile due to the walls ability to expand from a concentrically stored position, in a manner similar to the extension of a Chinese paper yo-yo. In other embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100 , the roof  175  is not extended or retracted but rather it is removed on site using a crane or other similar means and replaced with one or more stackable modules  220 . Although similar in many respects to the previously described embodiments, the “stackable modular” concept differs in the way the expandable storage and metering device  100  expands to maximize its internal storage volume and collapses to a transportable configuration. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate embodiments of the “stackable modular” concept wherein the roof  175  is removed and replaced by a single stackable module  220 , comprising a roof  225  and four walls  230 , using a crane or other similar means. The module  220 , which extends the full length of the expandable storage and metering device  100 , is stacked directly on top of the lower rigid walls  185  to create a single bin  200 . The module  220  may be subdivided by one or more dividers  235  secured to its roof  225  and walls  230 . If present, the dividers  235  are aligned with dividers  195 , which subdivide the volume created by the rigid lower walls  185  and base  120 , to create two or more bins  200 . By way of example only, five bins  200  are depicted in  FIG. 3A . Once positioned, the stackable module  220  is secured to the lower wall portion  185  using any suitable fasteners known in the art, such as but not limited to screws, bolts and locking pins. Dividers  235 , if present, are similarly secured to dividers  195 . 
         [0033]    Due to the distribution of materials contained within the bins  200 , the walls  230  and dividers  235  may experience lower loads than the lower wall portion  185  and dividers  195 . Therefore, the walls  230  and dividers  235  need not be constructed of the same or similar strength material used in the lower wall portion  185  and dividers  185 . At the same time, it is desirable that the walls  230  and dividers  235  be as light as possible to minimize transportation costs. Given these considerations, the walls  230 , dividers  235 , and roof  220  are constructed of any suitable material known in the art, such as but not limited to, fiberglass. 
         [0034]    In other embodiments of the “stackable modular” concept, the roof  175  may be removed and replaced by multiple modules  220 , each comprising a roof  225  and four walls  230 , using a crane or other similar means. The stackable modules  220  are stacked directly on top of the lower wall portion  185  and positioned such that the walls  230  of each module  220  are aligned with the lower wall portion  185  and dividers  195  to create one or more bins  200 . In these embodiments, multiple bins  200  may be created to span the full length of the expandable storage and metering device  100 . Alternatively, one or more bins  200  may be created which span less than the full length of the device  100 . For example, a single bin  200  may be created which is similar in length to the bin  237  shown in  FIG. 3A . Once positioned, the walls  230  of the one or more stackable modules  220  are secured to the lower wall portion  185  and dividers  195  using any suitable fasteners known in the art, such as but not limited to screws, bolts, and locking pins. 
         [0035]    To collapse embodiments of the “stackable modular” concept, the walls  230  and dividers  235 , if present, of the one or more stackable modules  220  are disconnected from the lower wall portion  185  and dividers  195  of the body  105 . The modules  220  are then removed and the roof  175  replaced, again using a crane or similar means. After the roof  175  is secured, the expandable storage and metering device  100  is in a collapsed condition ready for transport. 
         [0036]    The “pop-up” and “stackable modular” concepts are embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100  that expand vertically to increase the internal storage volume of the device  100 . In other embodiments, the storage and metering device  100  may expand in a horizontal direction.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100 , referred to herein as the “slide-out” concept, wherein in the side walls  240 , front end wall  245 , and back end wall  250  slide out in a horizontal direction to increase the internal storage volume of the device  100 . Actuators slide the walls  240 ,  245 ,  250  outward to expand the device  100  and retract the walls  240 ,  245 ,  250  to collapse the device  100 . Due to the weight distribution of material when the device  100  assumes its expanded configuration, the support substructure  153  of the device  100  is designed to provide additional stability for the device  100  in this configuration beyond that provided the landing legs  115 . Another embodiment of the “slide-out” concept, drawing on the previous description, includes the expandable storage and metering device&#39;s walls having the ability to concentrically collapse so that the profile of the unexpanded state of the device would be significantly less than that of the expanded profile due to the walls ability to expand from a concentrically stored position, in a manner similar to the extension of a Chinese paper yo-yo. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100  wherein the device  100  expands both horizontally and vertically. Hence, they are referred to herein as the “combination” concept. In some embodiments, the side walls  240 , the front end wall  245 , and the back end wall  245  first slide outward in a horizontal direction and then upward in a vertical direction to increase the internal storage volume of the device  100 . Alternatively, the walls  240 , front end wall  245 , and back end wall  250  may first slide upward in a vertical direction and then outward in a horizontal direction to increase the internal storage volume of the device  100 . Actuators slide the walls  240 ,  245 ,  250  outward and upward, or vice versa, to expand the device  100  and retract the walls  240 ,  245 ,  250  to collapse the device  100 . Due to the weight distribution of material when the device  100  assumes its expanded configuration, the support substructure  153  of the device  100  is designed to provide additional stability for the device  100  in this configuration beyond that provided the landing legs  115 . 
         [0038]    The embodiments of the expandable storage and metering device  100  disclosed herein may be used in any type of application, operation, or process, including well fracturing, cementing, and drilling operations, for which it is desired to provide material at a specific rate. As one illustrative example,  FIG. 6  schematically depicts a well fracturing operation  600  wherein one representative expandable storage and metering device  100  is used to provide sand  605  at a desired rate to produce a fracture fluid  630 . The device  100 , which may be any one of the previously described embodiments, is positioned at a well fracturing job site, expanded to maximize its internal volume, and then loaded with enough sand  605  to complete the fracturing job or to capacity if the amount of sand  605  required for the job exceeds the storage capacity of the device  100 . In the latter scenario, the device  100  may be refilled one or more times during the fracturing process until the process is completed. 
         [0039]    At the well site, the expandable storage and metering device  100  is attached to or positioned proximately to a gathering conveyor  610 . Sand  605 , stored in bins  200  of the device  100 , is metered out at a desired rate onto the primary conveyor  125 . The sand  605  is then transported first by the primary conveyor  125  and then by the elevating conveyor  135  to the gathering conveyor  610 . The gathering conveyor  610  transports the sand  605  to the blending system  615 . Sand  605  is dumped from the gathering conveyor  610  into the blending system  615  where it is combined with frac fluid  620  and liquid additives  625  provided to the blending system  615  by pumps  635  and  640 , respectively. Although not shown in  FIG. 6 , the frac fluid  620  and liquid additives  625 , like the sand  605 , may also be stored and metered out by one or more expandable storage and metering devices  100 . The blending system  615  combines the sand  605 , frac fluid  620 , and liquid additives  625  to produce a fracture fluid  630  which is then injected into a wellbore  650  by pump  645  for use in the well fracturing process. 
         [0040]    The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of expandable storage and metering devices and their methods of use have been presented for purposes of illustration and description and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many other modifications and variations of these embodiments are possible. In some embodiments, the expandable storage and metering device may be an E-Mover manufactured and sold by Halliburton. Also, methods of operation may vary. For example, an expandable storage and metering device may be used to store a single type or grade of material or multiple such materials, each within its own independent bin. Although a method of using an expandable storage and metering device to provide sand to a well fracturing process was disclosed and described herein, multiple such devices may be used to provide sand to the process. Alternatively or additionally, multiple such devices may store and meter out other materials or fluids needed for the well fracturing process. Moreover, similar expandable storage and metering devices may be used in other types of applications, processes, and operations, including cementing and drilling operations. These applications, processes, and operations may be land-based or offshore. 
         [0041]    While various embodiments of an expandable storage and metering device and methods of utilizing those devices have been shown and described herein, modifications may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the teachings of the invention. The embodiments described are representative only, and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations, and modifications of the applications disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above, but is defined by the claims which follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.