A polymer dispersion system for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation is disclosed. The system comprises (a) a tank assembly comprising an ingress, an egress, and an interior volume for collecting mother solution; (b) a first transfer pump coupled with the egress of the tank assembly: and (c) a second transfer pump coupled with the egress of the tank assembly. The first transfer pump is configured for coupling to a missile unit and a blender unit downstream thereof, but in fluid communication with only one of such units at any given time when coupled. A method of operating said polymer dispersion system is also disclosed.

A substantially continuous stream of aqueous fluid and a substantially continuous stream of gel having a first concentration are combined to form a substantially continuous stream of gel having a second concentration. The second concentration is substantially lower than the first concentration. The gel having the second concentration may thereafter be utilized in conjunction with a well fracturing operation.

Providing electric power distribution for fracturing operations comprising receiving, at a transport, electric power from a mobile source of electricity at a first voltage level and supplying, from the transport, the electric power to a fracturing pump transport at the first voltage level using only a first, single cable connection. The first voltage level falls within a range of 1,000 V to 35 kilovolts. The transport also supplies electric power to a second transport at the first voltage level using only a second, single cable connection.

A very light weight, noncompressible drilling fluid including a very light weight hydrocarbon base liquid, and a styrenic butadiene diblock copolymer is heated to achieve excellent rheology including thixotropicity, making an effective drilling fluid with a density of 8 pounds per gallon or less. Densities as low as 4 pounds per gallon are achieved with the addition of glass bubbles. The glass bubbles may, but normally will not, exceed 50% by volume. A method of making the drilling fluid includes passing the light weight liquid and the copolymer through a cavitation device. The invention includes drilling and with and recirculating the fluid to maintain the desired density, viscosity and rheology by adjusting the ingredients accordingly. A method of managed pressure drilling employs the novel fluid, enabling control of drill pressure and physical properties of the fluid including equivalent circulating density.

A proppant container facilitates the transportation of wet sand for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation. The container is mounted in a cradle that tips downward in arcuate motion for discharge or proppant through a top opening The tipping mechanism may be driven by a system of gears or a hydraulic ram.

A modified drilling mud includes a drilling mud selected from a group consisting of water-based mud (WBM), oil-based mud (OBM) and synthetic-based mud (SBM), and a liquid treatment composition including water and collectively 35-55 weight percent of one or more hydroxide compounds, wherein a ratio of the liquid treatment composition to the drilling mud in the modified drilling mud is in a range of 10 gallons of the liquid treatment composition per 42,000 gallons of drilling mud to 100 gallons of the liquid treatment composition per 42,000 gallons of drilling mud.

Methods and systems for integral storage and blending of the materials used in oilfield operations are disclosed. A modular integrated material blending and storage system includes a first module comprising a storage unit, a second module comprising a liquid additive storage unit and a pump for maintaining pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage unit. The system further includes a third module comprising a pre-gel blender. An output of each of the first module, the second module and the third module is located above a blender and gravity directs the contents of the first module, the second module and the third module to the blender. The system also includes a pump that directs the output of the blender to a desired down hole location. The pump may be powered by natural gas or electricity.

An automated drilling-fluid additive system and method for on-site real-time analysis and additive treatment of drilling fluid to be injected into a well. The drilling fluid includes returned drilling fluid intended to be re-used, which has a variety of viscosity and other qualities resulting from its various preceding use. The target drilling fluid will have a variety of viscosity and other qualities depending upon and changing with various phases of drilling operations and various conditions encountered. The drilling fluid is analyzed in real time as it flows into the automated drilling-fluid additive system, and various additives are added to and thoroughly blended with the drilling fluid as needed to achieve the desired result. The blended drilling fluid is discharged from the automated drilling-fluid additive system in the proper condition for injection into a well.

A system and method for independent control of simultaneous fracturing for multiple wellbores is disclosed. In certain embodiments, a first clean pumping unit and a first dirty pumping unit are fluidically coupled to a first wellbore, wherein the first clean pumping unit pumps a first fluid to the first wellbore and the second clean pumping unit pumps a second fluid to the first wellbore. In certain embodiments, a second clean pumping unit and a second dirty pumping unit are fluidically coupled to a second wellbore, wherein the second clean pumping unit pumps the first fluid to the second wellbore and the second dirty pumping unit pumps. In certain embodiments, a controller controls a pumping rate of at least one of the first clean pumping unit and the first dirty pumping unit based on a desired parameter of a combined fluid pumped to the first wellbore.

A monitoring system operable to monitor an oilfield additive system having multiple components. The oilfield additive system is operable to transfer an additive-containing substance for injection into a wellbore. The monitoring system includes sensors each associated with, and operable to generate information related to an operational parameter of, a corresponding one of the oilfield additive system components. The monitoring system also includes a monitoring device in communication with the sensors and operable to record the information generated by the sensors to generate a database. The database includes information indicative of maintenance aspects of the oilfield additive system and/or the oilfield additive system components.