Method of handling proppant at a well site using a plurality of modular proppant containers in which first and second modular proppant container in a filled state are removed from delivery transport vehicles and transferred to first and second cradle positions on a support structure using one or more heavy-duty handlers. Proppant is discharged by gravity feed from the outlet of the first and second modular proppant containers and directed to a hopper until the modular proppant containers are in an empty state.

A method and system for trans-loading solid particulates from a hopper to a storage container, by clamping a trough to a discharge gate of the hopper, the trough having an open top, sides, and a bottom, a vacuum pipe extending into the trough, and at least one aerator located on the trough, to which is provided an aerating gas. The method further comprises at least partially evacuating the storage container to cause at least a partial vacuum therein and drawing a vacuum through a conveyor hose connected to the trough.

In a method or apparatus for transporting bulk goods by rail cars on a rail network to a rail car handling terminal where the handling terminal includes a loading and/or unloading system with a metering device for measuring an amount of the bulk goods loaded or unloaded. At the terminal there is a center control data hub connecting to a plurality of portable hand held field computers and a communication system for communication with the rail network to obtain a Car Location Message (CLM), a way bill and mechanical data for each of the rail cars. The center control hub generates data indicating a current stage of each of the railcars and a signal indicative that a rail car can be transferred from one stage to another stage to the portable computers to control transfer of the rail car from one stage to the next stage.

A system that can be assembled at a well drilling or other site for storing bulk material such as sand includes a plurality of storage bins configured as trailers, a skid that includes a lower conveyor, a bucket elevator and a top conveyor system. At the site, the bins and the elevator are vertically oriented and stood on the skid, resulting in discharge outlets on the bins becoming positioned over the lower conveyor. The top conveyor is installed on top of the bins. In operation, the elevator lifts the material and discharges it onto the top conveyor system. The top conveyor system discharges the material into the bins for storage. The stored material is controllably discharged from the discharge outlets of the bins onto the lower conveyor from which the material is conveyed to one end of the skid for transport to a new location or directly into a blender.

An apparatus for the transport and storage of proppant has a container with a top wall, a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls. The pair of side walls extend between the pair of end walls. The container has a bottom discharge opening. The container includes a funnel extending from the pair of side walls and from the pair of and walls toward the bottom discharge opening. The funnel has sides extending in an angle of greater than 25° with respect to horizontal. The funnel includes a pair of side plates extending respectively from the pair of side walls toward the bottom discharge opening and a pair of end plates extending respectively from the pair of end walls toward the bottom discharge opening. Each of the side plates and the end plates is formed of a stainless steel material.

A material conveyor apparatus is described comprising a conveyer device having a material receiving end suitable for receiving material such as overburden or mineral at a working site, a material discharge end distal of the material receiving end, and a material transport system disposed between the material receiving end and the discharge end so as in use to cause material received at the material receiving end to be conveyed to the material discharge end; an scanning system comprising a scanning device disposed to scan the material being conveyed to the material discharge end and obtain a response from the material from which the material may be classified at least into two classes comprising at least a waste class and a useable ore class based on the response; a chassis supporting the conveyor device and the scanning device; a transport carriage supporting the chassis and adapted to cause the chassis to be movable across a surface for deployment in use.

A method and system for trans-loading solid particulates from a hopper to a storage container, by clamping a trough to a discharge gate of the hopper, the trough having an open top, sides, and a bottom, a vacuum pipe extending into the trough, and at least one aerator located on the trough, to which is provided an aerating gas. The method further comprises at least partially evacuating the storage container to cause at least a partial vacuum therein and drawing a vacuum through a conveyor hose connected to the trough.

A method and system for trans-loading solid particulates from a hopper to a storage container, by clamping a trough (110) to a discharge gate of the hopper, the trough having an open top, sides, and a bottom, a vacuum pipe (140) extending into the trough, and at least one aerator (150) located on the trough, to which is provided an aerating gas. The method further comprises at least partially evacuating the storage container to cause at least a partial vacuum therein and drawing a vacuum through a conveyor hose connected to the trough.

A bulk material discharging system includes a transmission station including a transmitting vessel having a transmitting vessel inlet configured to receive bulk material from an outlet of a bulk material transporter, and a transmitting vessel outlet to transmit bulk material therefrom. The system also includes a transporter handling station located operatively upstream of the transmission station and including at least a portion of a transporter handler including at least one carriage with transporter couplings configured to engage corresponding carriage couplings of the bulk material transporter and configured to convey the bulk material transporter over the transmitting vessel.

The present invention describes a bulk fluid (wet or dry) cargo distribution terminal (10). The distribution terminal has a silo storage area (10A), a compartmentalized area (10B) which has designated inspecting, refilling and delivering/stacking stations (10C-10E). These storage and compartment areas are protected by fortified walls (11a-11e). Adjacent to the inspecting, refilling and delivering stations is a driveway (14). Trailers and prime movers carry IMO tanks and/or freight containers (22) for refilling or delivering. Located at entry and exit points of the driveway are guard-houses (72a,72b) to ensure safe operation at the distribution terminal. Overhead cranes (41a-41c) serve mechanical handling at the various stations and driveway.