System and method for an automated and intelligent frac pumping
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Krupa, Corey Massey, James Cook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system may have a built hydraulic fracturing system with a plurality of devices connected together and in fluid communication with one or more wells. The system may also include at least one continuous pumping operations for one or more wells and a fracturing pumping plan provided on a software application. The fracturing plan may include instructions to perform at least one continuous pumping operations for the one or more wells. The instructions may include a sequence of valve operations to direct fluid flow through a selected path into the one or more wells.
Claims20
A hydraulic fracturing system for continuous pumping of fluids, the hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
- at least one pump manifold in fluid communication with a plurality of wells;
- a first set of valves in fluid communication with a first well of the plurality of wells;
- a second set of valves in fluid communication with a second well of the plurality of wells;
- at least one processor;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method of continuous pumping, the method comprising:
- pumping fluids into the first well via the at least one pump manifold by opening the first set of valves;
- stabilizing a pressure in the first well by reducing a pump rate of the fluids to a reduced pump rate;
- and
- once the pressure in the first well is stabilized at the reduced pump rate, pumping the fluids into the second well via the at least one pump manifold while continuously pumping the fluids into the first well by opening the second set of valves.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method of continuous pumping with a hydraulic fracturing system, the method comprising:
- pumping fluids into a first well of a plurality of wells via at least one pump manifold by opening a first set of valves;
- stabilizing a pressure in the first well by reducing a pump rate of the fluids to a reduced pump rate;
- once the pressure in the first well is stabilized at the reduced pump rate, pumping the fluids into a second well of the plurality of wells via the at least one pump manifold while continuously pumping the fluids into the first well by opening a second set of valves;
- closing the first set of valves to stop pumping the fluids into the first well;
- and
- isolating and continuously pumping the fluids into the second well.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of wells including a first well and a second well;
- at least one pump manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of wells;
- a first set of valves in fluid communication with the first well of the plurality of wells;
- a second set of valves in fluid communication with the second well of the plurality of wells;
- at least one processor;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method of continuous pumping of fluids, the method comprising:
- pumping fluids into the first well via the at least one pump manifold by opening the first set of valves;
- stabilizing a pressure in the first well by reducing a pump rate of the fluids to a reduced pump rate;
- and
- once the pressure in the first well is stabilized at the reduced pump rate, pumping the fluids into the second well via the at least one pump manifold while continuously pumping the fluids into the first well by opening the second set of valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.