Hydraulic fracturing plan and execution of same
A hydraulic fracturing plan executable by a hydraulic fracturing system to hydraulically fracture a plurality of oil and gas wells is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the execution of the hydraulic fracturing plan by the hydraulic fracturing system includes: queuing, using a controller, a first well in a first hydraulic fracturing queue, which first hydraulic fracturing queue is associated with a first plurality of wells standing by for hydraulic fracturing, including at least the first well and a second well; dequeuing, using the controller, the second well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue; permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well; dequeuing, using the controller, the first well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue; and swapping from permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well to permitting hydraulic fracturing of the first well.
1 . A method, comprising:
(a) queuing, using a controller, a first well in a first hydraulic fracturing queue, which first hydraulic fracturing queue is associated with a first plurality of wells standing by for hydraulic fracturing, including at least the first well and a second well;
wherein the first hydraulic fracturing queue comprises a first list of one or more items stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium so that the one or more items are retrievable by one or more processors in a first definite order; and
wherein step (a) comprises storing, in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a first item corresponding to the first well;
(b) dequeuing, using the controller, the second well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (b) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a second item corresponding to the second well;
(c) permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well;
wherein step (c) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the executing at step (c) comprises opening a second valve associated with the second well to permit pumping of fluid into the second well via the second valve; and
wherein step (c) further comprises measuring one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well;
(d) dequeuing, using the controller, the first well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (d) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the first item corresponding to the first well and stored at step (a) in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
and
(e) swapping from permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well to permitting hydraulic fracturing of the first well;
wherein step (e) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well retrieved at step (d) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the executing at step (e) comprises opening a first valve associated with the first well to permit pumping of fluid into the first well via the first valve; and
wherein step (e) further comprises closing the second valve associated with the second well;
wherein the swapping at step (e) conforms to the first definite order in that the first item corresponding to the first well and stored at step (a) in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved after the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved, and thus the one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well and retrieved at step (d) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed after the one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed;
and
wherein:
in response to determining that at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is below a threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) before the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e);
or
in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is above the threshold, or another threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) after the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e).
2 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the measuring at step (c) comprises measuring a flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
3 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein, in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is below the threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) before the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e); and
wherein the at least one of the one or more conditions comprises the flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
4 . The method of claim 2 ,
wherein, in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is above the threshold, or the another threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) after the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e); and
wherein the at least one of the one or more conditions comprises the flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(f) queuing, using the controller, a third well in a second hydraulic fracturing queue, which second hydraulic fracturing queue is associated with a second plurality of wells standing by for hydraulic fracturing, including at least the third well and a fourth well;
wherein the second hydraulic fracturing queue comprises a second list of one or more items stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium so that the one or more items are retrievable by the one or more processors in a second definite order; and
wherein step (f) comprises storing, in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a third item corresponding to the third well;
(g) dequeuing, using the controller, the fourth well from the second hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (g) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a fourth item corresponding to the fourth well;
(h) permitting hydraulic fracturing of the fourth well;
wherein step (h) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
(i) dequeuing, using the controller, the third well from the second hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (i) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the third item corresponding to the third well and stored at step (f) in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
and
(j) swapping from permitting hydraulic fracturing of the fourth well to permitting hydraulic fracturing of the third well;
wherein step (j) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the third item corresponding to the third well and retrieved at step (i) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the swapping at step (j) conforms to the second definite order in that the third item corresponding to the third well and stored at the step (f) in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved after the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved, and thus the one or more commands associated with the third term corresponding to the third well and retrieved at the step (i) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed after the one or more commands associated with the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at the step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed.
6 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the first list includes the second list and thus the second list is part of the first list; and
wherein the first definite order includes the second definite order and thus the second definite order is part of the first definite order.
7 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein steps (c) and (h) are executed simultaneously using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold; and
wherein steps (e) and (j) are executed simultaneously using hydraulic fracturing fluid from the hydraulic manifold.
8 . The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the executing at step (c) comprises opening a second valve associated with the second well to permit pumping of fluid into the second well via the second valve;
wherein the executing at step (e) comprises opening a first valve associated with the first well to permit pumping of fluid into the first well via the first valve;
wherein step (e) further comprises closing the second valve associated with the second well;
wherein the executing at step (h) comprises opening a fourth valve associated with the fourth well to permit pumping of fluid into the fourth well via the fourth valve;
wherein the executing at step (j) comprises opening a third valve associated with the third well to permit pumping of fluid into the third well via the third valve; and
wherein step (j) further comprises closing the fourth valve associated with the fourth well.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises the one or more processors.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first item corresponding to the first well comprises the one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well and retrieved at the step (d) from the list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second item corresponding to the second well comprises the one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at the step (b) from the list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
hydraulically fracturing the first well using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold; and
hydraulically fracturing the second well using hydraulic fracturing fluid from the hydraulic manifold.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (c) and (e) are executed using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first valve is a first zipper valve operably coupled to a hydraulic manifold; and
the second valve is a second zipper valve operably coupled to the hydraulic manifold.
15 . An apparatus, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium; and
a plurality of instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by one or more processors, wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the following steps are executed:
(a) queuing a first well in a first hydraulic fracturing queue, which first hydraulic fracturing queue includes a first plurality of wells standing by for hydraulic fracturing, including at least the first well and a second well;
wherein the first hydraulic fracturing queue comprises a first list of one or more items stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium so that the one or more items are retrievable by one or more processors in a first definite order; and
wherein step (a) comprises storing, in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a first item corresponding to the first well;
(b) dequeuing the second well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (b) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a second item corresponding to the second well;
(c) permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well;
wherein step (c) comprises executing, by a controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the executing at step (c) comprises opening a second valve associated with the second well to permit pumping of fluid into the second well via the second valve; and
wherein step (c) further comprises measuring one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well;
(d) dequeuing the first well from the first hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (d) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the first item corresponding to the first well and stored at step (a) in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
and
(e) swapping from permitting hydraulic fracturing of the second well to permitting hydraulic fracturing the first well;
wherein step (e) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well retrieved at step (d) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the executing at step (e) comprises opening a first valve associated with the first well to permit pumping of fluid into the first well via the first valve; and
wherein step (e) further comprises closing the second valve associated with the second well;
wherein the swapping at step (e) conforms to the first definite order in that the first item corresponding to the first well and stored at step (a) in the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved after the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved, and thus the one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well and retrieved at step (d) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed after the one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at step (b) from the first list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed;
and
wherein:
in response to determining that at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is below a threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) before the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e);
or
in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is above the threshold, or another threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) after the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e).
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 ,
wherein the measuring at step (c) comprises measuring a flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 ,
wherein, in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is below the threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) before the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e); and
wherein the at least one of the one or more conditions comprises the flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 ,
wherein, in response to determining that the at least one of the one or more conditions of the fluid being pumped into the second well is above the threshold, or the another threshold, the first valve associated with the first well is opened at step (e) after the second valve associated with the second well is closed at step (e); and
wherein the at least one of the one or more conditions comprises the flow rate of the fluid being pumped into the second well.
19 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the following steps are also executed:
(f) queuing a third well in a second hydraulic fracturing queue, which second hydraulic fracturing queue includes a second plurality of wells standing by for hydraulic fracturing, including at least the third well and a fourth well;
wherein the second hydraulic fracturing queue comprises a second list of one or more items stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium so that the one or more items are retrievable by the one or more processors in a second definite order; and
wherein step (f) comprises storing, in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a third item corresponding to the third well;
(g) dequeuing the fourth well from the second hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (g) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, a fourth item corresponding to the fourth well;
(h) permitting hydraulic fracturing of the fourth well;
wherein step (h) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
(i) dequeuing the third well from the second hydraulic fracturing queue;
wherein step (i) comprises retrieving, by the one or more processors and from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium, the third item corresponding to the third well and stored at step (f) in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
and
(j) swapping from permitting hydraulic fracturing of the fourth well to permitting hydraulic fracturing of the third well;
wherein step (j) comprises executing, by the controller and/or the one or more processors, one or more commands associated with the third item corresponding to the third well and retrieved at step (i) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium;
wherein the swapping at step (j) conforms to the second definite order in that the third item corresponding to the third well and stored at the step (f) in the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved after the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium is retrieved, and thus the one or more commands associated with the third term corresponding to the third well and retrieved at the step (i) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed after the one or more commands associated with the fourth item corresponding to the fourth well and retrieved at the step (g) from the second list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium are executed.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 ,
wherein steps (c) and (h) are executed simultaneously using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold; and
wherein steps (e) and (j) are executed simultaneously using hydraulic fracturing fluid from the hydraulic manifold.
21 . The apparatus of claim 19 ,
wherein the executing at step (c) comprises opening a second valve associated with the second well to permit pumping of fluid into the second well via the second valve;
wherein the executing at step (e) comprises opening a first valve associated with the first well to permit pumping of fluid into the first well via the first valve;
wherein step (e) further comprises closing the second valve associated with the second well;
wherein the executing at step (h) comprises opening a fourth valve associated with the fourth well to permit pumping of fluid into the fourth well via the fourth valve;
wherein the executing at step (j) comprises opening a third valve associated with the third well to permit pumping of fluid into the third well via the third valve; and
wherein step (j) further comprises closing the fourth valve associated with the fourth well.
22 . The apparatus of claim 19 ,
wherein the first list includes the second list and thus the second list is part of the first list; and
wherein the first definite order includes the second definite order and thus the second definite order is part of the first definite order.
23 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the controller comprises the one or more processors.
24 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first item corresponding to the first well comprises the one or more commands associated with the first item corresponding to the first well and retrieved at the step (d) from the list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium.
25 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second item corresponding to the second well comprises the one or more commands associated with the second item corresponding to the second well and retrieved at the step (b) from the list stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium.
26 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the following steps are also executed:
hydraulically fracturing the first well using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold; and
hydraulically fracturing the second well using hydraulic fracturing fluid from the hydraulic manifold.
27 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the steps (c) and (e) are executed using hydraulic fracturing fluid from a hydraulic manifold.
28 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the first valve is a first zipper valve operably coupled to a hydraulic manifold; and
the second valve is a second zipper valve operably coupled to the hydraulic manifold.