Patent ID: 8739875

Claim:
A method of fracturing a formation producing at least one of oil and gas, comprising the steps of: a) providing a heating apparatus for heating water to a temperature of at least about 40 degrees F. (4.4 degrees C.); b) transmitting a water stream of cool or cold water to a mixer, the cool or cold water stream being at a temperature of less than a predetermined target temperature; c) the mixer having a first inlet that receives cool or cold water from the stream of step “b” and a first outlet that enables discharge of a substantially continuous stream which is a mix of cool or cold and heated water; d) the mixer having a second inlet that enables heated water to enter the mixer; e) adding heated water from the heating apparatus of step “a” to the mixer via the second inlet; f) wherein the volume of cool or cold water of step “b” is much greater than the volume of heated water of step “e”; g) adding a selected proppant to the mix of cool or cold and heated water discharged from the mixer after step “f”; and h) transmitting the mix of cool or cold and heated water and the proppant into a formation producing at least one of oil and gas, wherein water flows substantially continuously from the first inlet to the first outlet during the fracturing process.