Methods and systems for performing hydraulic fracturing operations

A method for performing automated hydraulic fracturing operation(s) to a subsurface formation, the method comprising:

• (I) providing one or more wells in the subsurface formation, each well comprising a plurality of sleeves;
• (II) providing a hydraulic fracturing system (“HFS”) comprising a first processor;
• (III) after step (II), causing, by the first processor, a first pressure barrier device associated with a designated well among the one or more wells to open to allow loading of an isolation device into a pressure equalization chamber associated with the designated well;
• (III.2) after step (III), detecting, by a sensor associated with the pressure equalization chamber, the presence of the isolation device;
• and
• (IV) after step (III.2), causing, by the first processor, a second pressure barrier device associated with the designated well to open to launch the isolation device into the designated well.

A method for performing automated hydraulic fracturing operation(s) to a subsurface formation, the method comprising:

• (I) providing one or more wells in the subsurface formation, each well comprising a plurality of sleeves;
• (II) providing a hydraulic fracturing system (“HFS”) comprising a first processor;
• (III) providing an isolation device designated for a target sleeve among the plurality of sleeves in a designated well among the one or more wells to a launch location in proximity to a wellhead of the designated well;
• (IV) after step (III), causing, by the first processor, a first pressure barrier device associated with the designated well to open to allow loading of the isolation device into a pressure equalization chamber associated with the designated well;
• (IV.1) after step (IV), causing, by the first processor, the first pressure barrier device associated with the designated well to close, while maintaining a second pressure barrier device downhole of the pressure equalization chamber in closed position;
• (IV.2) equalizing a pressure in the pressure equalization chamber with a pressure in the wellhead below the second pressure barrier device;
• (V) after step (IV.2), causing, by the first processor, the second pressure barrier device in the wellhead associated with the designated well to open to launch the isolation device into the designated well.

A method for performing hydraulic fracturing operation(s) to a subsurface formation via a well comprising a vertical segment, a heel downhole of the vertical segment, and a lateral segment downhole of the heel, the lateral segment comprising a plurality of sleeves, the method comprising:

• (A) launching an isolation device into a wellhead of the well;
• (B) after step (A), pumping a fluid into the wellhead at a first flow rate (“Rf-1”), thereby carrying the isolation device downhole through the vertical segment;
• (C) after the isolation device passes the heel, pumping the fluid into the wellhead at a second flow rate (“Rf-2”);
• (D) when the isolation device approaches a target sleeve among the plurality of sleeves, pumping the fluid into the wellhead at a third flow rate (“Rf-3”), wherein Rf-3≤Rf-2;
• and
• (E) engaging the isolation device with the target sleeve.

A method for autonomously hydraulically fracturing a subsurface formation, comprising:

• causing, by one or more processors, an isolation device to be retrieved and to be configured for a designated sleeve;
• causing, by the one or more processors, the isolation device to be launched into a well;
• receiving, by the one or more processors, real-time data from one or more sensors;
• dynamically determining, by the one or more processors, whether the real-time data fall outside of one or more thresholds;
• and
• responsive to determining that the real-time data fall outside of the one or more thresholds, dynamically changing, by the one or more processors, a ramp-rate of one or more pumps.