Automated hydraulic fracturing operation

• Main Authors: Olsen, Erik L, Zhang, Yanchai, Otten, Casey Alan, Converse, Perry Dwain, Cai, Zhijun
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.07.2023
• Subjects: BLASTING; CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PHYSICS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

An automated hydraulic fracturing system and method for controlling various aspects of a fracking operation is disclosed. A master controller receives various operating parameters, such as desired operating conditions, information about a fracking site, information about trailers and/or other equipment at the fracking site, and/or sensor signals. The master controller may access one or more trailer model(s) that model various parameters of equipment (e.g., engines, transmissions, pumps, trailers, etc.) at the fracking site as a function of controlled operating conditions. The master controller uses the trailer models in conjunction with operating parameters to generate control signals that automatically control the various equipment at the fracking site to optimize various desired outcomes, such as reduced operating costs, reduced emissions, reduced idle time, increased efficiency, etc. The control signals are sent to controllers of the individual equipment to control the operations of those equipment and achieve an overall optimized fracking operation.