US 11,719,085 B1
Systems and methods to autonomously operate hydraulic fracturing units
Tony Yeung, Houston, TX (US); Ricardo Rodriguez-Ramon, Houston, TX (US); and Joseph Foster, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to BJ Energy Solutions, LLC, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Filed by BJ Energy Solutions, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/124,721.
Application 18/124,721 is a continuation of application No. 18/087,181, filed on Dec. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,661,832.
Application 18/087,181 is a continuation of application No. 17/942,382, filed on Sep. 12, 2022, granted, now 11,566,505, issued on Jan. 31, 2023.
Application 17/942,382 is a continuation of application No. 17/173,320, filed on Feb. 11, 2021, granted, now 11,473,413, issued on Oct. 18, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/705,354, filed on Jun. 23, 2020.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 43/26 (2006.01); F04B 23/04 (2006.01); F04B 49/02 (2006.01); F04B 17/05 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/2607 (2020.05) [F04B 17/05 (2013.01); F04B 23/04 (2013.01); F04B 49/02 (2013.01); F04B 49/022 (2013.01); F04B 2203/0604 (2013.01); F04B 2207/047 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a plurality of hydraulic fracturing pumps to pump fracturing fluid, the method comprising:
receiving, at a controller, one or more operational signals indicative of operational parameters associated with pumping fracturing fluid;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more operational signals, an amount of required fracturing power sufficient to perform the hydraulic fracturing operation;
receiving, at the controller, one or more characteristic signals indicative of fracturing pump characteristics associated with at least one of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing pumps, at least one of the one or more characteristic signals indicative of a detrimental condition of any one of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing pumps;
determining, based at least in part on the one or more characteristic signals, an available power from one or more engines to perform the hydraulic fracturing operation;
determining a power difference between the available power and the required power; and
when the power difference occurs to perform the hydraulic fracturing operation, increasing power output of the one or more of the engines associated with the at least one of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing pumps, thereby to supply power to a respective hydraulic fracturing pump of the plurality of hydraulic fracturing pumps, the increasing power output of the one or more engines including increasing a first power output ranging from about 75% to about 95% of maximum rated power output to a second power output ranging from about 90% to about 110% of the maximum rated power output.