US 12,467,354 B2
Detection and prediction of screen outs during downhole fracturing operations
William Ruhle, Houston, TX (US); Dinesh Ananda Shetty, Houston, TX (US); and Srividhya Sridhar, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/371,497.
Prior Publication US 2023/0009947 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 7/48 (2006.01); E21B 43/267 (2006.01); E21B 47/06 (2012.01)
CPC E21B 47/06 (2013.01) [E21B 43/267 (2013.01); E21B 2200/20 (2020.05)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method to detect or predict a screen out during downhole fracturing operations, the method comprising:
detecting a pressure response generated by a well during a fracture operation, the pressure response comprising one or more factors contributing to the pressure response;
removing, from the pressure response, effects of non-screen out related factors, wherein the non-screen out related factors comprise one or more of a density or friction factor;
applying a mathematical model to the pressure response to detect or predict a screen out; and
in response to the screen out detection or prediction, controlling an injection system with a computer generated response to the injection system to change at least one of a flow rate, a pressure, a proppant concentration, a chemical concentration, a diverter concentration, and a parameter during the fracture operation.