FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD
A fuel delivery system and method for reducing the likelihood that a fuel tank of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well will run out of fuel. A fuel source has plural fuel outlets, a hose on each fuel outlet of the plural fuel outlets, each hose being connected to a fuel cap on a respective one of the fuel tanks for delivery of fuel to the fuel tank. At least a manually controlled valve at each fuel outlet controls fluid flow through the hose at the respective fuel outlet.
1 - 35 . (canceled)
36 . A fuel delivery system for delivery of fuel to fuel tanks of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, the fuel delivery system comprising:
a fuel source having plural fuel outlets;
a hose on each fuel outlet of the plural fuel outlets, each hose being connected to a fuel cap on a respective one of the fuel tanks for delivery of fuel to the respective one of the fuel tanks, wherein each fuel cap comprises a fuel level sensor; and
a valve arrangement at each fuel outlet controlling fluid flow through the hose at the respective fuel outlet.
37 . A fuel delivery system for delivery of fuel to fuel tanks of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, the fuel delivery system mounted on a trailer at a well site during fracturing of a well, the fuel delivery system comprising:
a fuel source having plural fuel outlets;
a hose on each fuel outlet of the plural fuel outlets, each hose being connected to a fuel cap on a respective one of the fuel tanks for delivery of fuel to the respective one of the fuel tanks; and
a valve arrangement at each fuel outlet controlling fluid flow through the hose at the respective fuel outlet.
38 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 in which the fuel source comprises at least a fuel source tank and a manifold connected via a line to the fuel source tank, a pump on the line, and some or all of the fuel outlets being located on the manifold.
39 . The fuel delivery system of claim 38 in which each valve arrangement comprises a manually operable valve.
40 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 in which the fuel source comprises at least a fuel source tank and at least two manifolds, each manifold being connected via a respective line to the fuel source tank, a pump on each line, and plural fuel outlets being located on each manifold.
41 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 provided with automatic fuel delivery by:
the valve arrangement comprising an automatically operable valve on each fuel outlet; and
a controller responsive to signals supplied from each fuel level sensor through respective communication channels to provide control signals to the respective automatically operable valves.
42 . The fuel delivery system of claim 41 in which the controller is responsive to a low fuel level signal from each fuel tank to start fuel flow to the fuel tank independently of flow to other fuel tanks and to a high level signal from each fuel tank to stop fuel flow to the fuel tank independently of flow to other fuel tanks.
43 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 in which each hose is connected to a fuel outlet by a dry connection and to a cap by a dry connection.
44 . A fuel delivery system for automatic fuel delivery to multiple fuel tanks at a work site and set up for delivery of fuel at a well site during fracturing of a well, comprising:
a fuel source comprising one or more manifolds connectable to one or more fuel source tanks by at least a respective one of one or more fuel lines, and a pump on each fuel line for pumping fuel from the one or more fuel source tanks to the one or more manifolds;
each manifold of the one or more manifolds having multiple fuel outlets, each fuel outlet of the multiple fuel outlets having a hose connection;
plural hoses, each hose of the plural hoses having a first end and a second end and being connected at the first end of the hose to a corresponding one of the multiple fuel outlets and having a fuel delivery connection at the second end of the hose for securing the second end of the hose to a fuel tank to which fuel is to be delivered;
an automatic valve responsive to electronic control signals on each fuel outlet;
a fuel level sensor associated with each fuel delivery connection; and
a controller responsive to signals supplied from each fuel level sensor through respective communication channels to provide control signals to the respective automatic valves.
45 . The fuel delivery system of claim 44 in which each fuel delivery connection comprises a cap for a respective one of the fuel tanks to which fuel is to be delivered.
46 . The fuel delivery system of claim 44 further comprising a valve on each fuel outlet for controlling flow from the fuel outlet that is manually operable.
47 . A fuel delivery system for delivery of fuel to a fuel tank and mounted on a trailer at a well site during fracturing of a well, the fuel delivery system comprising a controller and a fuel source, the fuel source having one or more fuel outlets and for each fuel outlet:
a hose on the fuel outlet, the hose being connected to a fuel cap on a fuel tank for delivery of fuel to the fuel tank, a valve arrangement at the fuel outlet for controlling fluid flow through the hose at the fuel outlet, the valve arrangement comprising an automatically operable valve on the fuel outlet;
the fuel cap including a fuel level sensor; and
the controller being responsive to signals supplied from the fuel level sensor through a communication channel to provide control signals to the automatically operable valve.
48 . The fuel delivery system of claim 47 in which the fuel source comprises at least a fuel source tank and a manifold connected via a line to the fuel source tank, a pump on the line, and some or all of the fuel outlets being located on the manifold.
49 . The fuel delivery system of claim 47 in which each valve arrangement comprises a manually operable valve.
50 . The fuel delivery system of claim 47 in which the fuel source comprises at least a fuel source tank and at least two manifolds, each manifold being connected via a respective line to the fuel source tank, a pump on each line, and plural fuel outlets being located on each manifold.
51 . The fuel delivery system of claim 47 in which the controller is responsive to a low fuel level signal from each fuel tank to start fuel flow to the fuel tank independently of flow to other fuel tanks and to a high level signal from each fuel tank to stop fuel flow to the fuel tank independently of flow to other fuel tanks.
52 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 in which the fuel source comprises multiple fuel source tanks.
53 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 further comprising a display receiving information from the fuel level sensors to show a fuel level of each fuel tank being filled.
54 . The fuel delivery system of claim 36 further comprising a first pressure gauge at each fuel outlet upstream of the valve arrangement and a second pressure gauge at each fuel outlet downstream of the valve arrangement.
55 . A fuel delivery system for automatic fuel delivery to multiple pieces of equipment at a work site and set up for delivery of fuel at a well site during fracturing of a well, comprising:
a fuel source comprising one or more manifolds, the one or more manifolds being connectable to a fuel supply;
each manifold of the one or more manifolds having multiple fuel outlets, each fuel outlet of the multiple fuel outlets having a hose connection;
plural hoses, each hose having a first end and a second end and being connected at the first end of the hose to a corresponding one of the multiple fuel outlets and having a fuel delivery connection at the second end of the hose for securing the second end of the hose to a corresponding one of the multiple pieces of equipment to which fuel is to be delivered;
an automatic valve responsive to electronic control signals on each fuel outlet;
a sensor associated with each combination of fuel outlet, hose and fuel delivery connection; and
a controller responsive to signals supplied from each sensor through respective communication channels to provide control signals to the respective automatic valves.
56 . The fuel delivery system of claim 55 in which the one or more manifolds comprises more than one manifold.
57 . The fuel delivery system of claim 55 further comprising at least a first pressure gauge associated with each fuel outlet.
58 . The fuel delivery system of claim 55 in which the at least a first pressure gauge at each fuel outlet is located upstream of the automatic valve and a second pressure gauge at each fuel outlet is located downstream of the automatic valve.
59 . The fuel delivery system of claim 55 further comprising a valve on each fuel outlet for controlling flow from the fuel outlet that is manually operable.