Real-time field friction reduction meter and method of use

Abstract

A method of servicing a subterranean formation comprising communicating a servicing fluid comprising a hydratable friction reducer and a base fluid to the subterranean formation via a route of fluid communication, determining an actual percent by which the friction reducer reduces a pipe friction pressure, comparing the actual percent by which the friction reducer reduces the pipe friction pressure to an ideal percent by which the friction reducer should reduce pipe friction pressure to determine an effectiveness of the friction reducer, and determining if the effectiveness of the friction reducer is within an acceptable range. A method of servicing a subterranean formation comprising communicating a servicing fluid comprising a hydratable friction reducer and a base fluid to the subterranean formation via a route of fluid communication, measuring a wellhead pressure, determining a pipe friction pressure independent from the wellhead pressure, calculating a formation response pressure, and monitoring the formation response pressure.

1 . A method of servicing a subterranean formation comprising:
 communicating a servicing fluid comprising a hydratable friction reducer and a base fluid to the subterranean formation via a route of fluid communication;   determining an actual percent by which the friction reducer reduces a pipe friction pressure;   comparing the actual percent by which the friction reducer reduces the pipe friction pressure to an ideal percent by which the friction reducer should reduce pipe friction pressure to determine an effectiveness of the friction reducer; and   determining if the effectiveness of the friction reducer is within an acceptable range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the ideal percent by which the friction reducer should reduce pipe friction pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ideal percent by which the friction reducer should reduce pipe friction comprises a previously determined value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the actual percent by which the friction reducer reduces the pipe friction comprises:
 diverting at least a portion of the servicing fluid from the route of fluid communication through a friction reducer meter;   measuring a pressure at a first point within the friction reducer meter and a pressure at a second point within the friction reducer meter; and   calculating the difference between the pressure at the first point and the pressure at the second point.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the flow of the portion of the servicing fluid diverted through the friction reducer meter comprises a turbulent fluid flow. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of the effectiveness of the friction reducer is determined at the instant of measuring the pressure at the first point within the friction reducer meter and the pressure at the second point within the friction reducer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the composition of the servicing fluid, the route of fluid communication, or both in response to the effectiveness of the friction reducer where the effectiveness of the friction reducer is not within the desirable range. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein adjusting the composition of the servicing fluid comprises altering the amount of friction reducer, altering the type of friction reducer, adding second friction reducer, adding a component to the base fluid, subtracting a component from the base fluid, altering the composition of the base fluid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein adjusting the route of fluid communication comprises altering the amount of time for hydration of the friction reducer, altering the amount of time prior to communicating the servicing fluid to the subterranean formation, altering the amount of time the servicing fluid is mixed, altering the pressure at which the servicing fluid is communicated to the subterranean formation, altering the volume of servicing fluid communicated to the subterranean formation, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the servicing fluid increases the hydration of the friction reducer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the servicing fluid increases the effectiveness of the friction reducer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the route of fluid communication comprises one or more storage vessels, one or more supply lines, a blending pump, a low-pressure-side conduit, one or more pressurizing pumps, a manifold, a high-pressure-side conduit, a wellhead, the pipe string, one or more pathways between the pipe string and the subterranean formation, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous base fluid comprises water produced from the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the servicing fluid comprises a fracturing fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a proppant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the servicing fluid comprises a perforating fluid, a hydrajetting fluid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the friction reducer comprises a polyacrylamide, a copolymer of polyacrylamide and acrylic acid, a copolymer of polyacrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the servicing fluid further comprises a proppant, an acid, an abrasive, a scale inhibitor, a rheology modifying agent, a resin, a viscosifying agent, a suspending agent, a dispersing agent, a salt, an accelerant, a surfactant, a retardant, a defoamer, a settling prevention agent, a weighting material, a vitrified shale, a formation conditioning agent, a pH-adjusting agent, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A method of servicing a subterranean formation comprising:
 communicating a servicing fluid comprising a hydratable friction reducer and a base fluid to the subterranean formation via a route of fluid communication;   measuring a wellhead pressure;   determining a pipe friction pressure independent from the wellhead pressure;   calculating a formation response pressure; and   monitoring the formation response pressure.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein determining the pipe friction pressure comprises:
 diverting at least a portion of the servicing fluid from the route of fluid communication through a friction reducer meter;   measuring a pressure at a first point within the friction reducer meter and a pressure at a second point within the friction reducer meter; and   calculating the difference between the pressure at the first point and the pressure at the second point.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the flow of the portion of the servicing fluid diverted through the friction reducer meter comprises a turbulent fluid flow. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising adjusting the composition of the servicing fluid, adjusting the route of fluid communication, or both in response to the formation response pressure. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein adjusting the composition of the servicing fluid comprises altering the amount of friction reducer, altering the type of friction reducer, adding second friction reducer, adding a component to the base fluid, subtracting a component from the base fluid, altering the composition of the base fluid, altering the type of servicing fluid communicated, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein adjusting the route of fluid communication comprises altering the amount of time prior for hydration of the friction reducer, altering the amount of time prior to communicating the servicing fluid to the subterranean formation, altering the amount of time the servicing fluid is mixed, altering the pressure at which the servicing fluid is communicated to the subterranean formation, altering the volume of servicing fluid communicated to the subterranean formation, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein adjusting the communication of the servicing fluid comprises altering the pressure at which fluid is communicated, altering the rate at which fluid is communicated, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the servicing fluid comprises a fracturing fluid, a perforating fluid, a hydrajetting fluid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the servicing fluid further comprises a proppant, an acid, an abrasive, a scale inhibitor, a rheology modifying agent, a resin, a viscosifying agent, a suspending agent, a dispersing agent, a salt, an accelerant, a surfactant, a retardant, a defoamer, a settling prevention agent, a weighting material, a vitrified shale, a formation conditioning agent, a pH-adjusting agent, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the route of fluid communication comprises one or more storage vessels, one or more supply lines, a blending pump, a low-pressure-side conduit, one or more pressurizing pumps, a manifold, a high-pressure-side conduit, a wellhead, the pipe string, one or more pathways between the pipe string and the subterranean formation, or combinations thereof.