Hydraulic Fracturing Pressure Pulses for Perforation Diversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing methods are inefficient in creating a maximum number of fractures in low permeability earth formations, leading to suboptimal hydrocarbon production due to reduced pressure in newly opened fractures and damage to equipment, and existing solutions like ball sealers are not practical for long horizontal wells.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic fracturing system that introduces pressure pulses by varying the flow rate of fracturing fluid into the wellbore, creating a temporary increase in pressure to open new fractures without using physical flow diverters, thus minimizing equipment stress and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If continuous pumping is used to deepen and widen fractures, then fracture size increases, but pressure decreases reducing the tendency to open new fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pressure pulses superimposed on the continuous pumping background. These pulses create temporary pressure increases that overcome the pressure depletion effect, enabling the system to open additional fractures and perforations that would otherwise remain closed due to sustained pressure decrease during continuous injection.
2Stress or pressure
If ball sealers are used to block newly formed fractures, then pressure returns to initial level allowing additional fractures, but the method is not practical for long horizontal wells with 100 or more perforation clusters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flow diversion function from physical ball sealers and implements it through pressure-controlled fluid routing. By using pressure pulses to selectively direct flow to unstimulated perforation clusters, the system achieves the same effect as ball sealers without requiring physical diverters to be placed and retrieved, greatly simplifying operations in long horizontal wells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulic pressure pulses to control flow distribution among multiple perforation clusters. By modulating the pressure signal, the system dynamically redirects fracturing fluid to different clusters along the horizontal well, replacing the mechanical ball sealer approach with a purely hydraulic control mechanism.
3Productivity
If hammer effect pressure pulses are used to create fractures, then fracture creation improves, but piping and equipment may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies cushioning by superimposing relatively low amplitude pressure pulses on a continuous pumping background. This approach builds pressure gradually and maintains equipment within safe operating limits while still achieving the desired fracture creation effect, preventing the equipment damage that would result from direct high-intensity hammer pulses.
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
The system effectively increases hydrocarbon production by opening additional perforations and fractures, reducing friction and equipment damage, and is economically viable for long horizontal wells without the need for degradable ball sealers.
Implementation Method 1
A hydraulic fracturing system and method introduce a pressure pulse by varying a flow rate of a fracturing fluid into a wellbore
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.