Hydraulic Fracturing Pressure Pulse System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing methods are limited in creating multiple fractures in earth formations, leading to reduced hydrocarbon production due to decreased pressure in newly opened fractures and can cause equipment damage, especially in long horizontal wells.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic fracturing system that introduces a pressure pulse by varying the flow rate of fracturing fluid into the wellbore, creating a temporary increase in pressure to open new fractures without using physical diverters like ball sealers, thereby minimizing equipment stress and enhancing hydrocarbon extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous pumping is used to deepen and widen fractures, then hydrocarbon extraction is enhanced, but pressure decreases in newly opened fractures reducing the tendency to open new fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pressure pulses superimposed on the continuous pumping process. These pulses create temporary pressure increases that overcome the pressure depletion in newly opened fractures, enabling them to propagate further and open additional fractures. The periodic action alternates between high-pressure pulse phases (opening new fractures) and lower-pressure recovery phases (allowing pressure to build), thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining pressure and enhancing productivity.
2Stress or pressure
If ball sealers are used to block newly formed fractures, then pressure returns to initial levels allowing additional fractures to be created, but equipment damage occurs and operations become uneconomical in long horizontal wells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the function of pressure maintenance from the ball sealer mechanism and implements it through pressure control at the pump. Instead of physically blocking fractures with sealers, the system uses periodic pressure pulses to temporarily increase pressure when needed, then reduces pressure to allow fracture propagation. This eliminates the need for ball sealers and their associated equipment damage and operational complexities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical ball sealer system with a pressure control system. Rather than using physical objects (ball sealers) to block fractures and mechanically restore pressure, the invention uses controlled pressure pulses delivered through the pumping system to achieve the same pressure restoration effect without mechanical intervention in the fractures.
3Productivity
If a series of pressure pulses are used to improve the fracturing process, then more fractures can be created, but piping and equipment may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic pressure control where the magnitude, duration, and frequency of pressure pulses are continuously adjusted based on real-time fracture development. The system starts with lower amplitude pulses and progressively increases them as fractures open, preventing sudden shock loads that could damage equipment. The dynamic adjustment allows the system to create multiple fractures while maintaining equipment integrity through controlled, progressive pressure application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases hydrocarbon production by effectively opening new fractures and reducing friction and wear on equipment, improving the efficiency of the fracturing process without the need for additional equipment or lengthy dissolution periods.
Implementation Method 1
The high pressure creates fractures in the earth formation, along which hydrocarbons, such as gas and petroleum, may flow to the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
introducing a pressure pulse into the wellbore for a pulse period of time causing a temporary increase of pressure leading to opening new fractures
Implementation Method 3
the fracturing fluid enters this new space and the pressure in the wellbore and fractures decreases reducing the tendency to open new fractures
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic fracturing system and method for enhancing effective permeability of earth formations to increase hydrocarbon production, enhance operation efficiency by reducing fluid entry friction due to tortuosity and perforation, and to open perforations that are either unopened or not effective using traditional techniques, by varying a pump rate and/or a flow rate to a wellbore.