Up until the summer of 2014, a New Mexico based Frac Contractor was providing Frac stacks for their customers and filling the valves with a red bentone type valve grease. Typical Frac jobs with this customer are at 8-9.5kpsi, with a max treat of 9800psi, and flow rate of 40-60 bbl per minute. It is a slick water frac with up to 40 stages per job, and typically 4 valve operations per stage. The operators try to minimise flow/ pressure differentials for valve operations. Valves are typically 2″ and 4″ and of the WKM type design rated to 10kpsi.
ClareTech HFL helps protect valve and push out re-greasing intervals for New Mexico Frac Contactor
The Problem
During jobs the valves were being re-greased every 2-3 stages, and the associated with repairing the equipment were thought of as a necessary cost of doing business. When the valves were returned to the shop, every valve was stripped down and not only were they worn and empty of grease, but significant quantities of sand would be found left in the valve cavity.
“In conclusion I am thoroughly impressed with Clare grease and would prefer to not use any other product. It immensely aids in continuing to provide a superb product for our customers. Whether it be facility or field usage, I would recommend continuing using the product”
Field Tech Engineer
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The Solution
In the summer of 2014 the contractor started to use Valve Lubricant 601 to lubricate their frac stack valves. At first, the valves were still regreased during the job, but less frequently as it is retained in the valve cavity much better. Upon returning to the workshop the valves were in much better shape, still full of grease, and instead of a cavity packed full of sand, the only sign of the sand was a minute amount mixed in with the grease. The contractor has now performed more than 100 Frac jobs using Valve Lubricant 601™.
In the spring of 2017 RS Clare released the next generation in frac valve grease; ClareTech HFL designed specifically with extreme fracking service conditions in mind. Since then approximately 30 wells have been fracked with stages ranging from 30-90 per job. After iterative performance evaluation, the valves are now sent off on the job full of ClareTech HFL with re greasing intervals pushed out to every few days or every 6-9 stages. The valves are returning to the workshop full of grease, and any part replacements which are required are not due to unlubricated operation, but other causes unconnected with lubrication. The performance of ClareTech HFL is so high that valves can be sent out again without being stripped down.
The value to the contractor of not re-greasing during the job, and of the big reduction in workshop time maintaining valves, is significant. The reduction in costs of valve parts is 60-65%. The Contractor has also reported much lower usage of grease. The economic benefits from the Contractor’s use of Valve Lubricant 601 and now ClareTech HFL provides a competitive advantage. The chemical composition of the Frac fluid varies from job to job, and the 100+ Frac jobs performed include a variety of formations, customers, and Frac service providers.
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ClareTech HFL
RS Clare’s hydraulic fracturing lubricant ClareTech HFL is a cutting-edge new technology valve lubricant redefining how we think about valve lubrication during frac applications.
