Modular Pump Manifold Isolation for Continuous Well Fracturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing operations face challenges with nonproductive time due to pump malfunctions, proppant/sand accumulation, and the inability to isolate and maintain pumps during active fracturing stages, leading to reduced productivity and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular manifold system with flushing, isolation, and bleed-off/prime-up functionalities allows simultaneous maintenance and repair of pumps during fracturing operations by isolating individual pump manifolds, enabling flushing with clean water, bleeding off pressure, and repriming independently of other manifolds in the active stage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a pump is isolated for maintenance during active fracing stage, then pump maintenance can be performed, but the high pressure in the fracing system prevents isolation and repriming
Solution Approach 1:
The fracing system is divided into multiple independent manifolds (first manifold, second manifold, third manifold, fourth manifold) that can be isolated individually. Each manifold can be taken offline for maintenance while the others continue operating, allowing pump maintenance without shutting down the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
A fifth manifold is introduced as an intermediary component that enables isolation and repriming operations. The fifth manifold provides a pathway to bleed off pressure and prime pumps independently from the main high-pressure system, resolving the contradiction between maintaining pressure and performing maintenance.
2Productivity
If fracing operations continue without interruption, then productivity is maximized, but pump malfunctions and proppant accumulation cause nonproduction time
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables preliminary flushing of proppant from pumps using clean water through the isolation manifold before malfunctions occur. This preventive maintenance action removes accumulated proppant that would otherwise cause pump failures, maintaining reliability while continuous operations continue.
Solution Approach 2:
While one manifold is isolated for maintenance or flushing, the other manifolds continue operating without interruption. This ensures continuous productive action across the system, maximizing overall pump uptime while allowing individual components to be maintained.
3Ease of repair
If the entire system is shut down for pump maintenance, then complete maintenance can be performed, but nonproduction time increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into independent manifolds allowing selective isolation of only the specific manifold requiring maintenance. This prevents system-wide shutdowns and allows maintenance to be performed on individual pumps while other manifolds continue producing, significantly reducing nonproduction time.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of shutting down the entire system for maintenance, only the necessary portion (specific manifold with malfunctioning pump) is isolated. This partial action approach maintains overall system productivity while enabling required maintenance activities.
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
Enhances productive pump uptime by allowing maintenance during active fracturing, reducing nonproductive time, and maintaining continuous operations, thus increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a low-pressure header that selectively distributes fracturing fluid and/or water to the modular pump manifolds and to low pressure inlets of the one or more pumps
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of pumps configured to increase a pressure of the fracturing fluid to supply a high pressure fracturing fluid
Implementation Method 3
a high-pressure manifold that receives a discharge of the one or more pumps and is configured to supply the high pressure fracturing fluid to a main high-pressure manifold
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative modular manifold system includes, among other things, two or more modular pump manifolds, a low-pressure header, and a main high-pressure manifold. Modular pump manifolds may include a low-pressure manifold for supplying fracturing fluid or water to pumps, a high-pressure manifold for supplying fracturing fluid or water to one or more wells and a bleed-off/prime-up manifold. Each modular pump manifold of the modular manifold system is configured to be fluidly isolatable from the other modular pump manifolds. Each isolated modular pump manifold is configured to be flushed with water, bled off and primed up independently of the other modular pump manifolds. After the bleed off, maintenance procedures may be performed on pumps associated with the isolated modular pump manifold. The modular pump manifolds that are not isolated may continue in active fracing stage operations while a modular pump manifold is isolated.