Patent Publication Number: US-10758845-B2

Title: Separation and monitoring apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. Application having U.S. Ser. No. 15/481,287, filed Apr. 6, 2017, which is a conversion of U.S. Provisional Application having U.S. Ser. No. 62/319,969, filed Apr. 8, 2016, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a single, transportable separation and monitoring apparatus for efficiently separating spent materials recovered from oil and gas wells. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Spent materials are generated at essentially all oil and gas well sites. Spent materials are typically comprised of solids, liquids and gases. In typical oil and gas operations many separate pieces of equipment are brought in to be able to separate spent materials into the various solid, liquid and gaseous components. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a single and transportable apparatus that can separate spent materials into the separate solid, liquid and gaseous components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to a transportable separation apparatus for separating spent materials from oil and gas operations into a primarily solid component, a primarily liquid component and a primarily gas component. The transportable separation apparatus includes a first separation unit disposed on the transportable separation apparatus for receiving spent materials and beginning separation of the spent materials. The transportable separation apparatus is connectable to a vehicle to be pulled on commercial roadways when the transportable separation apparatus is in a transportation configuration. The transportable separation apparatus further includes a second separation unit in fluid communication with the first separation unit for further separation of the spent materials. 
     The present disclosure is further directed toward a method for separating spent materials recovered from oil and gas wells. The method includes introducing spent materials recovered from an oil and gas well to the transportable separation apparatus. The method also includes the step of separating the spent materials into a primarily gas component, a primarily liquid component and a primarily solid component. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of a separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the separation and monitoring apparatus constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the separation and monitoring apparatus in a secondary position and constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the separation and monitoring apparatus in the secondary position and constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is another perspective view of the separation and monitoring apparatus in the secondary position and constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a single, transportable separation and monitoring apparatus  10  for efficiently separating spent materials recovered from oil and gas wells. The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can have an operational configuration shown in  FIGS. 1-6  and a transportable configuration shown in  FIGS. 7-9 . The spent materials recovered from oil and gas wells can be comprised of a solid component, a liquid component and a gaseous component. The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  described herein in its transportable configuration can be supported and incorporated into a single transportable apparatus, such as a trailer with wheels and an attachment apparatus for connecting to a vehicle to be pulled or towed on commercial roadways. In another embodiment, the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can be mounted on a skid that can be loaded and unloaded from a trailer with wheels. 
     The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  includes a first separation unit  12  for receiving and beginning separation of the spent materials and a second separation unit  14  for further separation of the spent materials. The first separation unit  12  receives the spent materials via a materials inlet  16  (which is typically piping  17  connected to the first separation unit). The first separation unit  12  also includes a gas outlet  18  for allowing a first primarily gaseous component to be removed from the first separation unit  12 , a liquid outlet  20  for allowing a primarily liquid component to be removed from the first separation unit  12 , and a solids outlet  22  for allowing a first primarily solids component to be removed from the first separation unit  12 . The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can also include a liquid jet inlet  24  to assist in circulating the spent materials in the first separation unit  12 , which permits more efficient separation of the spent materials. 
     In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the first separation unit  12  includes a mist extractor  25  to assist in the separation of gases from liquids in the first separation unit  12 . The mist extractor  25  can be placed anywhere in the first separation unit  12  such that it will come into contact with mist or foam and allow for the gaseous component of the mist or foam to be separated from the liquid component of the mist or foam. In one embodiment, the mist extractor  25  is positioned in an upper part of the first separation unit  12 . 
     The liquid component is transported to the second separation unit  14  via a conduit  26  capable of handling the operational conditions of the liquid components. The first solids component is transported to the second separation unit  12  via a solids conduit  28 . In one embodiment, the solids conduit  28  can be provided with a screen device  30  to prevent certain size solid particles from entering the second separation unit  14 . The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can also include a collection device  32  attached to the solids conduit  28  and disposed adjacent to the screen device  30  such that solids too large to pass through the screen device  30  will be collected in the collection device  32  for inspection. 
     In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the first separation unit  12  includes weir elements  34  to assist in separating the spent materials. The first solids component can be removed from the first separation unit  12  prior to encountering the weir elements  34  and the first gaseous component and the liquid component can be removed from the first separation unit  12  after passing by the weir elements  34 . 
     The second separation unit  14  includes a solids inlet  36  for receiving the first solids component from the first separation unit  12  and a liquid inlet  38  for receiving the liquid component from the first separation unit  12 . The second separation unit  14  also includes a solids slurry outlet  40  for allowing a solids slurry to be removed from the second separation unit  14 , a gas outlet  42  for removing an additional gaseous component from the spent materials, a water outlet  44  for removing a water component from the second separation unit  14  and an oil outlet  46  for removing an oil component from the second separation unit  14 . The solids slurry will be transported to a third separation unit  48  (such as a shale shaker) to further refine the solid particles in the solids slurry. 
     In yet another embodiment, the second separation unit  14  includes weir elements  50  to assist in separating the spent materials. The solids slurry component can be removed from the second separation unit  14  prior to encountering the weir elements  50 . The water component can be removed from the second separation unit  14  after the solids slurry outlet  40  and prior to the oil component. The water component can be removed between weir elements  50  in the second separation unit  14  and the oil component can be removed from the second separation unit  14  after passing by the weir elements  50  in the second separation unit  14 . The water component is an aqueous component and not limited to water only. Similarly, the oil component is not comprised of only oil. The oil component can be primarily oil and other liquid hydrocarbons. 
     In a further embodiment, the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  includes a monitoring apparatus  52  (may be made up of multiple separate devices) to measure the first gaseous component escaping from the first separation unit  12  and the second gaseous component escaping from the second separation unit  14 . Weights or volumes of gaseous components, the flowrates of the gaseous components, composition of the gaseous components can all be monitored and measured by the monitoring apparatus  52 . The monitoring apparatus  52  can also measure the quantity of sand (primary solid component of the solid slurry component) in the solid slurry component. 
     When the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  is in the operational configuration, the first separation unit  12  is in a raised position above one end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  and the third separation unit  48  is in a raised position above the opposite end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . Similarly, when the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  is in the transportation configuration, the first separation unit  12  is in a lowered position above one end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  and the third separation unit  48  is in a lowered position above the opposite end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . It should be understood that certain conduits are disconnected or separated when the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  is in the transportation configuration. For example, the conduit that connects the liquid outlet  20  from the first separation unit  12  to the liquid inlet  38  of the second separation unit  14  is disconnected or separated when the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  is in the transportation configuration. 
     One end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can be a wheeled end  54  and the other end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  is a hitch end  56 . The wheel end  54  includes a plurality of wheels  55  to facilitate transportation of the apparatus  10  on roadways. The hitch end  56  is the end of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  that is attachable to a vehicle for transporting the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . In one embodiment, the first separation unit  12  is positioned above the wheeled end  54  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10  the third separation unit  48  is positioned above the hitch end  56  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . 
     The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can include a platform portion  58  disposed between the wheel end  54  and the hitch end  56 . The second separation unit  14  can be disposed on the platform portion  58 . In one embodiment, the platform portion  58  can be positioned lower than wheel end  54  and the hitch end  56  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . The lower platform portion  58  allows the first separation unit  12  and the third separation unit  48  to be positioned higher than the second separation unit  14  to make separation of the spent drilling materials more efficient. In one embodiment, the first separation unit  12  is raised to a sufficient height such that the first separation unit  12  is positioned entirely above (higher height) the second separation unit  14 . It should be understood and appreciated that the first separation unit  12  can be offset from the second separation unit  14  and still be above/higher than the second separation unit  14 . 
     The first separation unit  12  can be secured to a support structure  60  that can be selectively raised and lowered adjacent to the wheel end  54  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 , which selectively raises and lowers the first separation unit  12 . The support structure  60  can raised and lowered over the wheel end  54  via any manner known in the art, such as via jacks, hydraulic lifts, pneumatic lifts, scissor lifts, and the like. In one embodiment, the support structure  60  can include a plurality of guide openings  62  disposed therein to receive guide posts  64  disposed vertically from the wheel end  54  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . The support structure  60  can be secured to the guide posts  64  at varying heights. 
     The third separation unit  48  can be secured to a support structure  66  that can be selectively raised and lowered adjacent to the hitch end  56  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 , which selectively raises and lowers the third separation unit  48 . The support structure  66  can raised and lowered over the hitch end  56  via any manner known in the art, such as via jacks, hydraulic lifts, pneumatic lifts, scissor lifts, and the like.  FIG. 6  shows hydraulic lifts  67  employed to raise the support structure  66 . In one embodiment, the support structure  66  can include a plurality of guide openings  68  disposed therein to receive guide posts  70  disposed vertically from the hitch end  56  of the separation and monitoring apparatus  10 . The support structure  66  can be secured to the guide posts  70  at varying heights. 
     The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can further include walking platforms  72   a ,  72   b , and  72   c  positioned adjacent to the first separation unit  12 , the second separation unit  14  and the third separation unit  48 , respectively. The walking platforms  72   a  and  72   b  can be disposed around and adjacent to lower portions of the first separation unit  12  and the third separation unit  48 . The walking platform  72   b  can be disposed around and adjacent to an upper portion of the second separation unit  14 . The separation and monitoring apparatus  10  can include hand rails  74  disposed around the platforms  72   a ,  72   b  and  72   c  for each separation unit  12 ,  14  and  48 . 
     From the above description, it is clear that the present disclosure is well adapted to carry out the objectives and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the disclosure. While presently preferred embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the disclosure and claims.