Fracturing Fleet Stage Script Control for Pumping Sequence Exceptions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual direction of fracturing fluid pumping sequences in hydraulic fracturing is prone to costly delays and safety hazards due to unpredictable exceptions, such as equipment failures and environmental changes, which can be challenging for inexperienced service personnel to manage.
Innovation Solution
An automated managing application controls the pumping sequence, retrieving instructions from a storage server and using scripting languages to manage frac units, detect exceptions, and implement automated exception handling to maintain process efficiency and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual direction of fracturing fluid pumping sequences is used, then service personnel can control the process, but costly delays and safety hazards occur due to unpredictable exceptions and inexperience
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through automated exception handling where the control system automatically detects, diagnoses, and resolves exceptions without human intervention. The automated pumping sequence management system monitors equipment status, identifies deviations from the pumping sequence, and executes corrective actions autonomously, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining process reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with automated electronic control systems. The automated pumping sequence management system uses computer-based control to monitor and adjust pumping parameters, replacing the mechanical/manual control process with an automated electronic system that can rapidly respond to exceptions without human reaction time delays.
2Productivity
If automated pumping sequence management is implemented, then process efficiency and safety are enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated exception handling system performs multiple functions within a single integrated control platform: monitoring pumping sequence parameters, detecting exceptions, diagnosing root causes, executing corrective actions, and logging events. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate complex systems into one unified automated management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data from pumping equipment is constantly monitored, compared against the planned pumping sequence, and used to automatically trigger corrective actions when deviations are detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism simplifies control by using real-time data to automatically adjust operations without requiring complex predictive modeling.
3Loss of time
If automated exception handling is used, then delays are reduced and safety risks are minimized, but the system requires sophisticated monitoring and response capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-programming the pumping sequence with all expected parameters and conditions before operations begin. Exception detection rules and corrective actions are pre-configured based on historical data and expert knowledge, allowing the system to rapidly respond to exceptions by matching them against pre-established patterns rather than requiring complex real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated exception handling system monitors changes in key pumping parameters such as flow rate, pressure, and pump speed. When parameters deviate from expected ranges defined in the pumping sequence, the system automatically detects the exception and triggers appropriate corrective actions. This parameter-based monitoring approach simplifies detection by focusing on critical operational variables rather than attempting to monitor all system states.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling a pumping sequence of a fracturing fleet at a wellsite. A managing application executing on a computer in the control van can retrieve the pumping sequence from a local or remote storage computer. The managing application can establish an electronic communication link to receive sensor data from a plurality of fracturing units. The managing application can control the plurality of fracturing units with a stage script with multiple sequential instructions for a pumping stage of a pumping sequence while receiving one or more periodic data sets from the plurality of fracturing units wherein the data sets are indicative of the current state of the pumping stage of the pumping sequence.