Hydraulic fracturing system and method

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system and method are disclosed. The system includes a pulse-inducing system configured to deliver pulses of fluid to a fluid stream upstream of the wellbore. The pulse-inducing system can include at least one supplemental pump, at least one pulsation valve, and at least one pressure storage vessel. A hydraulic fracturing method can comprise generating a fluid stream via a primary pumping system, generating a pulsed output via a pulse-inducing system, and directing the pulsed output into the fluid stream upstream of a wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydraulic fracturing system for introducing fracturing fluid into a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a pumping system configured to generate a fluid stream; and   a pulse-inducing system positioned downstream of the pumping system, wherein the pulse-inducing system comprises a supplemental pump.   
     
     
         2 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pressure storage vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 2 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pulsation valve. 
     
     
         4 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 3 , wherein the pressure storage vessel is positioned intermediate the supplemental pump and the pulsation valve. 
     
     
         5 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the fluid stream is diverted to the pulse-inducing system. 
     
     
         6 . A hydraulic fracturing system for introducing fracturing fluid into a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a manifold, comprising:
 a first fluid outlet; and 
 a second fluid outlet, 
   a pumping system fluidically coupled to the manifold, wherein the pumping system is configured to deliver a first fluid stream to the first fluid outlet and a second fluid stream to the second fluid outlet; and   a pulse-inducing system positioned downstream of the second fluid outlet.   
     
     
         7 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the pulse-inducing system is configured to generate a pulsed output from the second fluid stream. 
     
     
         8 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 7 , wherein the pulsed output is delivered upstream of the wellbore. 
     
     
         9 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the pulse-inducing system comprises a pump. 
     
     
         10 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 9 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pressure storage vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 10 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pulsation valve. 
     
     
         12 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure storage vessel is positioned intermediate the pump and the pulsation valve. 
     
     
         13 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 6 , wherein the manifold further comprises a plurality of inlets, wherein the pumping system further comprises a plurality of pumps, and wherein each of the pumps is fluidically coupled to one of the inlets. 
     
     
         14 . A hydraulic fracturing system for introducing fracturing fluid into a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a pumping system configured to generate a fluid stream which is directed toward the wellbore; and   a pulse-inducing system, wherein a portion of the fluid stream is diverted through the pulse-inducing system, wherein the pulse-inducing system is configured to generate a pulsed output, and wherein the pulsed output is delivered to the fluid stream upstream of the wellbore.   
     
     
         15 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein the pulse-inducing system comprises a pump. 
     
     
         16 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 15 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pressure storage vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 16 , wherein the pulse-inducing system further comprises a pulsation valve. 
     
     
         18 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 17 , wherein the pressure storage vessel is positioned intermediate the pump and the pulsation valve. 
     
     
         19 . A method for introducing fracturing fluid into a wellbore, wherein the method comprises:
 generating a fluid stream via a primary pumping system;   diverting a portion of the fluid stream to a pulse-inducing system;   generating a pulsed output via the pulse-inducing system; and   directing the pulsed output into the fluid stream upstream of the wellbore.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein generating the pulsed output comprises at least one of controlling a pump of the pulse-inducing system.