Using Automation While Pumping to Improve Stimulation Uniformity andConsistency: A Series of Case Studies

摘要

Within the hydraulic fracturing domain,automation has begun to play a substantial role in logistics,supplychain,and manufacturing.A review of automation opportunities generally focuses on cost reduction arisingfrom throughput improvements for service delivery.Although cost reduction efforts are important and aredelivered in many ways,the automation efforts discussed in this paper take a different approach.Automationnow plays a larger role in how stimulation operations are performed from the subsurface perspective.The automation processes reviewed in these studies focus on making more consistent decisions whilebreaking down the formation to promote an even distribution of fracture fluid placement for all stages.The metric for success is not necessarily focused on cost or time reduction; although these outcomesare occurring,the success metrics focus on the concept that more effective fracturing treatments can beconsistently delivered by removing human inconsistency through automation during stimulation operations.This is accomplished is by automatically controlling the pump rate,based on the pressure response fromthe formation in real time.This paper highlights a series of cases in North American shale basins that include wells that areinstrumented with fiber optics and downhole pressure gauges,as well as non-instrumented wells withwellhead pressure and flowrate measurements only.It reviews how automation improves placementconsistency in stimulation operations,eliminating some of the risks associated with traditional approachesthat can lead to inconsistent outcomes.All of the results communicated are based on the capability to placefracturing fluid and proppant with more uniformity and consistency across the target interval while makingreal-time automated rate adjustments during pumping operations.The studies include work conducted inall major North American plays.The major findings include a discernable capacity to treat more clusterswithin a given stage,using automated rate controls,and achieving more even distribution of proppant tothe target clusters within a given stage.