Sequence of continuous excitations for generating pressure pulse signal in a well system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025369347-A1
Application number	US-202418920381-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2024
Priority date	May 29, 2024
Publication date	Dec 4, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for generating pressure signals in a wellbore of a well system. A target amplitude may be determined for a target pressure signal to be generated in the wellbore of the well system. A rate drop step size may be determined for each rate drop of a plurality of rate drops. During fracturing operations in the well system, the plurality of rate drops may be performed in sequence for a system operational rate to generate the target pressure signal. Each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops may have the rate drop step size. One or more fracturing operation metrics may be determined for the well system from the target pressure signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for generating pressure signals in a wellbore of a well system, comprising:
determining a target amplitude for a target pressure signal to be generated in the wellbore of the well system; determining a rate drop step size for each rate drop of a plurality of rate drops; performing, during fracturing operations in the well system, the plurality of rate drops in sequence for a system operational rate to generate the target pressure signal, each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops having the rate drop step size; and determining one or more fracturing operation metrics for the well system from the target pressure signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to determining the target amplitude for the target pressure signal,
determining whether a current pressure signal includes signal imprints associated with prior system operations;
determining signal characteristics of the signal imprints; and
removing the signal imprints from the current pressure signal based on the signal characteristics.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the target amplitude for the target pressure signal includes:
determining one or more of a system instrument sensitivity, a system operational noise, a rate drop limit, and a system pressure amplitude limit; and determining the target amplitude for the target pressure signal based, at least in part, on the one or more of the system instrument sensitivity, the system operational noise, the rate drop limit, and the system pressure amplitude limit.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the determined target amplitude for the target pressure signal is selected from a range of amplitude values that are greater than the system instrument sensitivity and the system operational noise, and less than the rate drop limit and the system pressure amplitude limit.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the rate drop step size for each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops includes:
determining a first pressure relation between rate drops in the system operational rate and changes in pressure due to the rate drops; determining a second pressure relation between the rate drops in the system operational rate and friction-based pressure loss due to the rate drops; determining a minimum rate drop step size for the well system based on the first pressure relation and the second pressure relation; and determining the rate drop step size includes selecting the rate drop step size for each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops that is greater than the minimum rate drop step size.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of determining the target amplitude for the target pressure signal, determining the rate drop step size for each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops, performing the plurality of rate drops in sequence during fracturing operations in the well system to generate the target pressure signal, and determining fracturing operation metrics for the well system from the target pressure signal are performed using a learning machine of the well system.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the rate drops from the plurality of rate drops that are performed in sequence during the fracturing operations are superimposed with one another to generate the target pressure signal having the target amplitude.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the rate drops from the plurality of rate drops that are performed in sequence during the fracturing operations include reducing a pumping rate performed by a pump of the well system during the fracturing operations.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more fracturing operation metrics for the well system from the target pressure signal includes at least determining a stage efficiency metric associated with the fracturing operations.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target pressure signal includes one or more water hammer pressure pulses arising from hydraulic fracturing operations.

11 . A well system, comprising:
one or more processors; and a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the well system to:
determine a target amplitude for a target pressure signal to be generated in a wellbore of the well system;
determine a rate drop step size for each rate drop of a plurality of rate drops;
perform, during fracturing operations in the well system, the plurality of rate drops in sequence for a system operational rate to generate the target pressure signal, each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops having the rate drop step size; and
determine one or more fracturing operation metrics for the well system from the target pressure signal.

12 . The well system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the well system to:
prior to a determination of the target amplitude for the target pressure signal, determine whether a current pressure signal includes signal imprints associated with prior system operations; determine signal characteristics of the signal imprints; and remove the signal imprints from the current pressure signal based on the signal characteristics.

13 . The well system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that cause the well system to determine the target amplitude for the target pressure signal include instructions that cause the well system to:
determine one or more of a system instrument sensitivity, a system operational noise, a rate drop limit, and a system pressure amplitude limit; and determine the target amplitude for the target pressure signal based, at least in part, on the one or more of the system instrument sensitivity, the system operational noise, the rate drop limit, and the system pressure amplitude limit.

14 . The well system of claim 13 , wherein the determined target amplitude for the target pressure signal is selected from a range of amplitude values that are greater than the system instrument sensitivity and the system operational noise, and less than the rate drop limit and the system pressure amplitude limit.

15 . The well system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that cause the well system to determine the rate drop step size for each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops include instructions that cause the well system to:
determine a first pressure relation between rate drops in the system operational rate and changes in pressure due to the rate drops; determine a second pressure relation between the rate drops in the system operational rate and friction-based pressure loss due to the rate drops; determine a minimum rate drop step size for the well system based on the first pressure relation and the second pressure relation; and determine the rate drop step size includes selecting the rate drop step size for each rate drop of the plurality of rate drops that is greater than the minimum rate drop step size.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by one or more processors of a well system, the instructions comprising:
instructions for determining a target amplitude for a target pressure signal to be generated in a wellbore of the well system; instructions for determining a rate drop step size for each rate drop of a plurality of rate drops; instructions for performing, during fracturing operations in the well system, the plurality of rate drops in sequence for a system operational rate to generate th

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Shetty Dinesh Ananda
• Lee Erik
• Satti Rajani Prakash

Classifications

• E21B2200/22

  Fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence, neural networks or the like · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• E21B47/12 Primary

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title