Marcellus Shale Fracking – Transloading Bulk Materials for Marcellus Shale Drilling

Posts Tagged ‘wellbore’

The use of propane fracturing as the choice method of fracturing the rock bed in the Marcellus Shale region is growing. This is because of the growing concern by local residents about the process they know little to nothing about.

Because of this concern, the use of LPG in the form of a gel is growing in popularity. The difference between fracturing with propane versus water is only on the medium that is used. The same amount of frac sand is used in both process, 0.5%. Both forms of medium are non-toxic and non-hazardous to use.

The process consists of the medium being pumped into the wellbore until the pressure in the well reaches approximately 15,000 psi. This will cause the brittle shale to crack or fracture. The frac sand that accompanies the medium is used to keep these small fissures open so the gas and oil that has been trapped can escape.

The medium is then released back out the wellbore and collected. When hydrofracking is used, the water is collected in a pond near the well. When propane fracking is used, the LPG is collected in a tank as a gas.

For the groups of people that want to know more about this process, the need to become informed is important. This fracturing process is the same one used all across the nation to revitalize a water well also. This has been going on with drinking water wells for over 60 years, with no adverse effects.

The two main differences between the propane fracturing and hydro fracturing are the recovery of the medium, taking less than 48 hours with the LPG on average compared to a week with hydrofracking and the absences of a non-toxic, non-hazardous pond.

Click this link to read more about propane fracking

and here: http://transloading.org/propane-fracking/

and here: http://transloading.org/more-about-propane-fracking/

Today there are hydrofracking services available for not only the natural gas and oil explorers across the country, but also for those looking to revitalize their water wells.

The process of hydrofracking into the wells across America has given rise to some concerned. What most do not realize is that the main ingredients of this process are just water and frac sand that are pumped into a well under high pressure. This high pressure causes a fracturing of the bedrock.

The fracture size is minuscule by comparison to any other process like blasting that causes fissures to be developed. This is why frac sand is used in the slurry. It is about the only component that can fit into these fractures because they are so small.

Since the size of the fracture is so small, there is no danger of setting off an earthquake or even a land slide. This just releases the liquid and gases from the subsurface so they can be collected at the wellbore.

There has been some concern on the effect of hydrofracking on the subsurface aquifers. What most of the people who complain about this have not realized is that the same process that is used in the oil and natural gas industry is also the same method used to bore drinking-water wells.

When used on a drinking-water well, the water that is found in the revitalized wells is consumed by people and animals alike. There is no ill effect from this process because the components are natural and found in the subsurface already. This includes water, frac sand and pressure.

The hydrofracking services that are available to all well operators have a history of the process that stretches back over 60 years. Since this technology was first used, it has become and always will be the safest and most economical way to revitalize a well, so more of the subsurface material can be extracted for human consumption.

When it comes to shale fracking, there are some important components that make this procedure a success. One of them is the horizontal drilling approach to the wellbore. This allows for a great amount of surface area of the shale rock bed to be exposed to the pressure and fracking medium.

The greater the area exposed, the more the fracking of the rock bed will occur with less effort by the crew. Less effort can be equated as less time for the process to be a success. Like all businesses, natural gas and oil exploration is done to increase the revenue stream of those sponsoring the well. The faster it is completed, the sooner the crew can move onto the next well.

One factor in the extraction process of the energy reserve that is trapped in the shale rock bed is the ease at which the shale is fractured and the size of these fractures. To deal with the different size fractures in the wellbore, there are a 3 different mediums that are added to the slurry to keep these fractures open.

The most common is crystalline silica (sand) or quartz. This material is insoluble in water and has a specific gravity of 2.65. The melting point of this material is 1710 C which is how it withstands the pressure that is exerted in the wellbore without changing form.

This frac sand is also coated with a polymer resin when the fracture openings in the wellbore are needed to be slightly larger. This medium has a higher crush level and makes the sand particles rounder for more penetration than the irregular shapes sand particles.

The last type is the ceramics or polycrystalline alumina mixed with glass ceramics. The ceramics have the highest melting points which reach up to 4000 C. This medium is the roundest of all the fracking material, which allows for maximum penetration.

Immaterial of which one is used for shale fracking, they all serve the same purpose. To hold open the cracks to allow the natural gas or oil to permeate through the fissure so it can be collected at the surface of the wellbore.

The purpose of a sand transload facility is to provide a safe and effective manner in which to transfer the bulk commodity of frac sand from rail cars to over the road tractor trailers. This is so the frac sand can be delivered to the natural gas and oil wells where they will be used in the hydrofracking procedure.

Since all rail cars have a demurrage associated with them once they reach their destination. A fast and efficient means of offloading the bulk commodities that are transported by railcars is needed. This is done at a facility that has the proper equipment to do the job.

This equipment has to include several portable conveyers that can take to frac sand from the railcars and move it in a safe and efficient manner to an awaiting tractor trailer. By having designated equipment just for this purpose, the chances of accidental contamination is also greater reduced.

To have a facility like this, there must be access to the rail lines and major roads in areas where the material that is being transported will be used. These facilities are purpose built for just this reason. They are also manned 24 hours a day 7 days a week because the need to offload the railcars could occur at any time.

In a facility like what has been described, the offloading of a rail car can occur within less than 1 hour. The more conveyers they have on site, the less time it will take to offload the shipment of frac sand so it can continue its journey to its final destination.

If you are in need of the services a frac sand transload facility has to offer, then look in the vicinity of your wellbore. There is a third party provider of this service in most areas where exploration of natural gas and oil is being conducted.

For more information click on the link to Tran-Z