Instrumented fracturing slurry flow system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019107466-A1
Application number	US-201816152695-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 5, 2018
Priority date	Oct 5, 2017
Publication date	Apr 11, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments include a method for monitoring a fracturing operation that includes positioning a pump at a well site where fracturing operations are being conducted. The method also includes arranging one or more sensors at at least one of a pump inlet or a pump outlet, the one or more sensors monitoring a flow rate of a slurry. The method includes receiving flow data from the one or more sensors. The method also includes determining a pump efficiency, based at least in part on the flow data, is below a threshold. The method further includes adjusting one or more operating parameters of the pump.

First claim

1 . A method for monitoring a fracturing operation, comprising:
positioning a pump at a well site where fracturing operations are being conducted; arranging one or more sensors at at least one of a pump inlet or a pump outlet, the one or more sensors monitoring a flow rate of a slurry; receiving flow data from the one or more sensors; determining a pump efficiency, based at least in part on the flow data, is below a threshold; and adjusting one or more operating parameters of the pump.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving operating data indicative of one or more operating parameters from a second sensor; wherein adjusting one or more operating parameters of the pump is based at least in part on the operating data.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving second flow data from the one or more sensors, after the one or more operating parameters are adjusted; and determining a second pump efficiency.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining the second pump efficiency is above the threshold; and storing the one or more operating parameters of the pump.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are non-contact sensors arranged exterior of a tubular transporting the slurry.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the non-contact sensors are a Doppler effect flow meters, electromagnetic flow meters, radar flow meters, mass flow meters, laser flow meters, or a combination thereof.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating parameters of the pump include a speed, a suction pressure, a discharge pressure, or a combination thereof.

8 . A system for monitoring a hydraulic fracturing operation, comprising:
a pump arranged a well site where hydraulic fracturing is to be performed, the pump being fluidly coupled to a slurry supply at a suction end and to discharge piping at a discharge end; a first sensor arranged at at least one of the suction end or the discharge end, the first sensor determining a flow rate of the slurry; a second sensor arranged proximate the pump to measure one or more operating parameters of the pump; and a controller communicatively coupled to the pump, the first sensor, and the second sensor, wherein the controller adjusts the one or more operating parameters based at least in part on information received from the first sensor.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a third sensor arranged on the other one of the suction send or the discharge end, the third sensor determining a flow rate of the slurry, wherein a pump efficiency is calculated, at least in part, based on the flow rates from first sensor and the third sensor.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is a non-contact sensor including a Doppler effect flow meters, electromagnetic flow meters, radar flow meters, mass flow meters, laser flow meters, or a combination thereof.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more operating parameters of the pump include a speed, a suction pressure, a discharge pressure, or a combination thereof.

12 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a data store communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the data store comprises at least one of previous flow data from prior pumping operations or previous operating parameters from prior pumping operations.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller adjusts the one or more operating parameters based at least in part on at least one of the previous flow data or the previous operating parameters.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the adjustments to the controller are based, at least in part, on a calculated efficiency of the pump.

15 . A method for adjusting a pump during a fracturing operation, comprising:
receiving first data from a first sensor arranged at a suction side of the pump; receiving second data from a second sensor arranged a discharge side of the pump; determining a pump efficiency, based at least in part on the first data and the second data; comparing the pump efficiency to a threshold, the threshold being a pre-determined value indicative of an operational condition of the pump; determining the pump efficiency is below the threshold; and performing an action associated with the pump.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises adjusting one or more operating parameters of the pump.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the action comprises taking the pump offline.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving third data from a third sensor measuring one or more operating parameters of the pump; determining the one or more operating parameters associated with the third data are outside of a pre-determined range; and adjusting the one or more operating parameters.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
associating the first data with a damage threshold; associating the second data with a second damage threshold; and determining at least one of the first data or the second data exceeds the respective first or second damage thresholds; and adjusting one or more operating parameters of the pump.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged proximate the pump such that no intermediate equipment is positioned between the first sensor and a pump inlet and no intermediate equipment is positioned between the second sensor and a pump outlet.

Assignees

• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Oehring Jared
• Christinzio Alexander James
• Hinderliter Brandon N

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• G01M99/005 Primary

  Testing of complete machines, e.g. washing-machines or mobile phones (testing of machine parts G01M13/00; testing of electric apparatus or components G01R31/50) · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title