Continuous sanding operation for a hydraulic fracturing system
Systems, methods, and devices for continuous sanding operations of a hydraulic fracturing system, in which one or more dedicated pumps are used to continuously pump fracturing slurry into at least one well and seamlessly switch between a plurality of wells. One or more ancillary pumps may be included to pump ancillary fluid and performed ancillary operations on other wells while the dedicated pump is pumping slurry on the at least one well.
1 . A system for continuous sanding operation in a hydraulic fracturing system, the system comprising:
a plurality of pumps fluidly coupled to a plurality of wells of the hydraulic fracturing system, the plurality of pumps including:
a first dedicated slurry pump portion including one or more pumps operable to continuously pump fracturing slurry into at least a first portion of the plurality of wells;
a first ancillary pump portion operable to pump one or more ancillary fluids into at least a first portion of the plurality of wells,
wherein the first dedicated slurry pump portion pumps the fracturing slurry into a well of the plurality of wells while the first ancillary pump portion simultaneously pumps the one or more ancillary fluids into another well of the plurality of wells;
a blending unit that is operated continuously while switching slurry operation between wells of the plurality of wells; and
a first dedicated slurry manifold structure providing a fluid path from the first dedicated slurry pump portion to the first portion of the plurality of wells.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second dedicated slurry pump portion including one or more pumps of the plurality of pumps operable to continuously pump fracturing slurry into a second portion of the plurality of wells distinct from the first portion of the plurality of wells.
3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second ancillary pump portion including one or more pumps of the plurality of pumps, the second ancillary pump portion operable to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into a second portion the plurality of wells, the second portion distinct from the first portion.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first dedicated slurry pump portion comprises a first maintenance schedule and the first ancillary pump portion comprises a second maintenance schedule distinct from the first maintenance schedule.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first ancillary manifold structure providing a fluid path from the first ancillary pump portion to the plurality of wells.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first dedicated slurry manifold structure comprises a plurality of slurry control valves operable to selectively isolate a respective well of the first portion of plurality of wells such that fracturing slurry is routed to the respective well.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first ancillary manifold structure comprises a plurality of ancillary control valves operable to selectively route the one or more ancillary fluids to one or more other wells of the plurality of wells.
8 . A method of continuous sanding operation in a hydraulic fracturing system, the hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
a plurality of wells; and
a plurality of pumps fluidly coupled to the plurality of wells of the hydraulic fracturing system, the plurality of pumps including:
a first dedicated slurry pump portion including one or more pumps operable to continuously pump fracturing slurry into at least a portion of the plurality of wells;
an ancillary pump portion operable to pump one or more ancillary fluids into the plurality of wells;
a blending unit; and
a first dedicated slurry manifold structure providing a fluid path from the first dedicated slurry pump portion to the plurality of wells;
wherein the method comprises:
priming a first well of the plurality of wells by using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the first well;
after priming of the first well, pumping fracturing slurry into the first well using the first dedicated slurry pump portion;
simultaneously, while pumping fracturing slurry into the first well, priming a second well of the plurality of wells by using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the second well; and
continuously operating the blending unit while switching slurry operation from the first well to the second well.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
after pumping fracturing slurry into the first well, performing one or more post-slurry operations using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the first well.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
simultaneously, while performing the one or more post-slurry operations on the first well, pumping fracturing slurry into the second well using the first dedicated slurry pump portion.
11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
simultaneously, while pumping fracturing slurry into the first well, pumping fracturing slurry into a third well of the plurality of wells using a second dedicated slurry pump portion of the plurality of pumps.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
simultaneously, while pumping fracturing slurry into the third well, priming a fourth well of the plurality of wells by using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the fourth well.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
selecting a first maintenance schedule for the first dedicated slurry pump portion and the second dedicated slurry pump portion of the plurality of pumps; and
selecting a second maintenance schedule for the ancillary pump portion of the plurality of pumps.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
sequentially switching the first dedicated slurry pump portion and the second dedicated slurry pump portion to fluid communication with each well of the plurality of wells without stopping slurry operation of the blending unit of the hydraulic fracturing system.
15 . A method of continuous sanding operation in a hydraulic fracturing system, the method comprising:
priming a first well of a plurality of wells of the hydraulic fracturing system by using an ancillary pump portion of a plurality of pumps of the hydraulic fracturing system to pump one or more ancillary fluids into the first well;
after priming of the first well, pumping a fracturing slurry into the first well using a dedicated slurry pump portion of the plurality of pumps;
simultaneously, while pumping fracturing slurry into the first well, priming a second well of the plurality of wells by using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the second well;
continuously operating a blending unit of the hydraulic fracturing system while switching slurry operation from the first well to the second well; and
providing, using a first dedicated slurry manifold structure of the hydraulic fracturing system, a fluid path from the dedicated slurry pump portion to the first well of the plurality of wells.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
after pumping fracturing slurry into the first well, performing one or more post-slurry operations using the ancillary pump portion to pump the one or more ancillary fluids into the first well.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
simultaneously, while performing the one or more post-slurry operations on the first well, pumping fracturing slurry into the second well using the dedicated slurry pump portion.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more post-slurry operations comprise:
a flush operation; and
a pump down operation.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
sequentially switching the dedicated slurry pump portion to fluid communication with each well of the plurality of wells without stopping slurry operation of the blending unit of the hydraulic fracturing system.
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
confirming fluid communication with the first well prior to pumping the fracturing slurry into the first well.