Fracturing Fluid Selection Workflow for Hydraulic Wellbores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing methods face challenges in optimizing fracturing fluid systems for varying wellbore conditions, leading to inefficiencies in proppant transport, friction reduction, and equipment maintenance, with limited differentiation in friction reduction products and increased complexity in selecting optimal fluid systems.
Innovation Solution
A workflow processing system that recommends fracturing fluid systems based on pre-job planning and real-time conditions, utilizing a relative treating pressure model and proppant transport efficiency model, which includes a fracturing fluid delivery unit and a workflow processing unit to determine optimal fluid system recommendations for subterranean formations, addressing competing performance factors such as transport efficiency, friction reduction, and equipment maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple fracturing fluid systems are evaluated manually for each wellbore condition, then selection accuracy may improve, but time consumption and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual evaluation methods with an automated computer-based workflow system that uses databases and models to evaluate fracturing fluid systems. The system automatically qualifies equipment, logistic and environmental conditions, determines functional aspects of fluid systems, and generates recommendations, eliminating time-consuming manual processes while maintaining or improving selection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The workflow system enables self-service by automatically gathering wellbore conditions, evaluating fluid systems against criteria, and generating recommendations without requiring extensive manual intervention. The system serves itself by using its own databases and models to perform the evaluation and selection process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If friction reduction products are differentiated to meet various wellbore conditions, then adaptability improves, but product complexity and selection difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal workflow system that can evaluate multiple fracturing fluid systems against various wellbore conditions using a standardized set of criteria. The system handles diverse conditions (equipment constraints, logistic factors, environmental requirements) through a single multi-functional platform, simplifying the selection process while maintaining adaptability to different scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by changing parameters systematically - it qualifies equipment, logistic and environmental conditions as discrete parameters, then evaluates fluid systems against these parameters using databases and models. This structured parameter-based approach makes the selection process more manageable despite the variety of conditions.
3Productivity
If optimal proppant transport efficiency is achieved through customized fluid systems, then productivity improves, but equipment maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses this contradiction by evaluating fluid systems based on multiple parameters including both proppant transport efficiency and equipment maintenance requirements. The workflow system uses databases and models to determine functional aspects of fluid systems, balancing competing objectives to recommend optimal configurations that achieve productivity goals while managing maintenance implications.
Data Source
AI summary
A workflow for fracturing a subterranean formation includes providing fracturing databases or models for the hydrocarbon wellbore, selecting one or more fracturing fluid systems for fracturing the subterranean formation based on the fracturing databases or models and recommending at least one of the one or more selected fracturing fluid systems for fracturing the subterranean formation. Additionally, a workflow controller for fracturing a subterranean formation includes a workflow processing unit having fracturing models or databases to determine functional aspects of one or more fracturing fluid systems to provide a fracturing fluid system recommendation for the subterranean formation, and a fracturing fluid delivery unit that applies the fracturing fluid system recommendation to the subterranean formation. A hydrocarbon wellbore fracturing system for a subterranean formation is also provided.