US 12,332,399 B2
Systems and methods for hybrid model hydraulic fracture pressure forecasting
Leen Weijers, Denver, CO (US); Andrew Bonnell, Calgary (CA); Ely Lolon, Denver, CO (US); Zhijun Liu, Littleton, CO (US); Karn Agarwal, Denver, CO (US); Robert Henderson, Denver, CO (US); and Michael Mayerhofer, Denver, CO (US)
Assigned to Liberty Energy Services LLC, Denver, CO (US)
Filed by Liberty Energy Services LLC, Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/462,866.
Application 18/462,866 is a continuation of application No. 17/812,658, filed on Jul. 14, 2022, granted, now 11,754,747.
Application 17/812,658 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/072263, filed on May 11, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/187,212, filed on May 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417950 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01V 20/00 (2024.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01); E21B 47/06 (2012.01)
CPC G01V 20/00 (2024.01) [E21B 43/26 (2013.01); E21B 47/06 (2013.01); E21B 2200/20 (2020.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for forecasting pressures in a hydraulic fracturing system for a well, the system comprising:
a processing module executing code and configured to:
receive specifications for performing a hydraulic fracturing operation on a well, the specifications forecasting an array of flow rate information for frac fluid over time;
submit the array of flow rate information to a model incorporating a statistically based multivariate relationship operating on the flowrate information to forecast pressure results including at least one of a bottomhole pressure time-based array and a surface pressure time based array,
each of the pressure results being separable into pressure loss subcomponents,
determine a system of multipliers for statistical normalization of the pressure loss subcomponents,
calculate normalized pressure loss subcomponents obtained by multiplying the pressure loss subcomponents by selected multipliers obtained from the system of multipliers, and
provide normalized pressure forecast data on a basis of the normalized pressure loss subcomponents;
monitor observed pressure from the well as the hydraulic fracturing operation is underway by comparing the normalized pressure forecast data over time to the observed pressure from the well; and
wherein the processing module is further configured to take responsive action when monitoring of the observed pressure indicates an impending screen-out, wherein such responsive action is selected from (1) adding a friction reducer to the frac fluid to increase flowrates while maintaining an operational pressure that does not exceed downhole pressure safety limits, (2) increasing flow rate by increasing pumping pressure while maintaining an operational pressure that does not exceed downhole pressure safety limits; or (3) reducing a bottomhole proppant concentration by mixing less proppant into the frac fluid.