Wellsite Pump Hot Swapping for Continuous High-Pressure Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the oil and gas industry, maintaining high-pressure pumps at well sites is challenging due to the need for frequent downtime, which increases operational costs and reduces hydrocarbon production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for hot swapping pumps at well sites, allowing maintenance to be performed while operations continue, using isolation devices, pump swap tools, and automated systems to decouple pump maintenance from system downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pump maintenance is performed, then pump reliability is improved, but system downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is segmented into modular components with independent isolation devices, allowing individual pump maintenance without shutting down the entire system. Each pump can be isolated and maintained separately while others continue operating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous pumping operations by using multiple pumps in parallel and enabling hot-swapping capabilities. When one pump requires maintenance, others continue providing the necessary fluid flow, ensuring uninterrupted useful action.
2Reliability
If pump maintenance frequency is increased, then pump reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pump system into independently maintainable modules with isolation devices, the system can perform frequent maintenance on individual pumps without impacting overall productivity. Other pumps continue operating during maintenance activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by having standby replacement pumps ready and pre-positioned. When a pump requires maintenance, a replacement pump is already prepared and can be quickly swapped in, minimizing downtime and maintaining productivity.
3Loss of time
If hot swap capability is implemented, then system downtime is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into modular pump units with standardized isolation devices and connection interfaces. This segmentation enables hot-swapping capability while managing complexity through modularity and standardization of components.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure presents systems and methods for hot swapping pumps at a wellsite while minimizing the impact to the pumping operations. As one pump is swapped out, such as for maintenance, the remaining pumps in the set of pumps at the wellsite can continue pumping operations. In some aspects, the swapping of pumps can be performed by a user using a protection barrier to isolate the pump location where the pumps will be swapped. In some aspects, one or more of the steps to swap pumps can be performed through automation thereby minimizing danger to a user. In some aspects, the pump being located at the pump system can be primed and pressure tested prior to be located to improve the time to enable the pump for pumping operations.