System and method for an automated and intelligent frac pad

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12312929-B2
Application number	US-202418619603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2024
Priority date	May 17, 2019
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A system may include a built hydraulic fracturing system with a plurality of devices connected together and a simulation of the built hydraulic fracturing system on a software application. Additionally, a fracturing plan may be provided on the software application to include pre-made instructions to perform multiple processes in a hydraulic fracturing operation such as a sequence of valve operations to direct fluid flow through a selected path. Further, the fracturing plan may be modified to create a customized fracturing plan including the pre-made instructions and at least one modified instruction. Furthermore, the customized fracturing plan may be executed to perform at least one of the processes in the built hydraulic fracturing system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a frac tree having at least one valve and being associated with a red zone surrounding the frac tree;
a manifold in fluid communication with the at least one valve and positioned within the red zone;
a control panel positioned outside the red zone,
wherein the control panel provides pre-made instructions operable to automatically control the at least one valve according to a valve sequencing plan to thereby direct fluids in a selected path to the frac tree;
one or more sensors coupled to the at least one valve, the one or more sensors operable to communicate information indicative of a state of the at least one valve to the control panel; and
an automation box positioned within the red zone, the automation box electrically connected to the control panel and to the manifold,
wherein the automation box receives electrical power from the control panel at a first level and outputs the electrical power to the manifold at a second level, lower than the first level,
wherein the control panel modifies the valve sequencing plan based at least in part on the information indicative of the state of the at least one valve from the one or more sensors.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a grease source positioned outside the red zone and fluidly connected to the manifold.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the manifold comprises one or more control valves configured to cause grease from the grease source to be injected into the at least one valve; and wherein the automation box transmits corresponding control signals to the one or more control valves in response to control signals received from the control panel.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising one or more sensors coupled to the at least one valve and in communication with the control panel.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control panel automatically identifies when to grease the at least one valve based, at least in part, on the one or more sensors.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the grease source is an automatic greasing unit comprising a grease tank and a compressor operationally coupled to a grease pump.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the compressor is configured to provide compressed air to the grease pump to pump grease from the grease tank.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the red zone represents an area proximate the frac tree that is unsafe for workers to approach when pressure is applied in the frac tree.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control panel is configured to generate visual cues relating to system functions.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control panel automatically identifies when to grease the at least one valve based on valve utilization as measured by the one or more sensors.

11. A method for operating a system, the method comprising:
designating a red zone around a frac tree that includes at least one valve;
connecting a manifold to the at least one valve such that the manifold and the at least one valve are in fluid communication,
wherein the manifold is positioned within the red zone;
electrically connecting a control panel outside the red zone to an automation box within the red zone,
wherein the control panel provides pre-made instructions operable to automatically control the at least one valve according to a valve sequencing plan to thereby direct fluids in a selected path to the frac tree;
coupling one or more sensors to the at least one valve, the one or more sensors operable to communicate information indicative of a state of the at least one valve to the control panel;
electrically connecting the automation box to the manifold, wherein the automation box receives electrical power from the control panel at a first level and outputs the electrical power to the manifold at a second level, lower than the first level; and
modifying the valve sequencing plan based at least in part on the information indicative of the state of the at least one valve from the one or more sensors.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising fluidly connecting a grease source positioned outside the red zone to the manifold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising injecting grease to the at least one valve using one or more control valves in the manifold and inputting control signals to the control panel causing the automation box to transmit corresponding control signals to the one or more control valves.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coupling one or more sensors to the at least one valve and placing the one or more sensors in communication with the control panel.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising identifying when to grease the at least one valve based, at least in part, on the one or more sensors.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising identifying when to grease the at least one valve based on valve utilization as measured by the one or more sensors.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising assembling the grease source as an automatic greasing unit by operationally coupling a grease tank, a compressor, and a grease pump.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing compressed air to the grease pump using the compressor to pump grease from the grease tank.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein designating the red zone further comprises determining an area proximate the frac tree that is unsafe for workers to approach when pressure is applied in the frac tree.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising creating visual cues on the control panel based on system functions.

Assignees

• Fmc Tech Inc

Inventors

• Curry Zachary
• Cappello Andrew
• Machado Thiago
• Cook James
• Gunatilleke Sobitha
• Pillai Rajeev
• Anzola Hernan
• Ramsey Nathanial
• Dixon Clay
• Tiviroli-Melchert Gabriel

Classifications

• E21B2200/20

  Computer models or simulations, e.g. for reservoirs under production, drill bits · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• E21B41/0035

  Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches · CPC title

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title