Expert system for well treatment

Abstract

A method of controlling a pumping sequence of a fracturing fleet at a wellsite while performing a fracturing job on a treatment wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. A modeling application receives sensor data from the treatment wellbore and/or a monitoring wellbore, predicts a fracture propagation within the formation, and produces a pumping sequence to obtain the fracture propagation or a real-time update to the pumping sequence. The pumping can include two or more sub-stages, wherein the modeling application employs a first pumping routine model to provide a first sub-stage of the pumping sequence and employs a second pumping routine model to provide a second sub-stage of the pumping sequence. A managing application controls the fracturing fleet in accordance with the pumping sequence to place a fracturing fluid in the treatment well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a pumping sequence of a fracturing fleet at a wellsite while performing a fracturing job on a treatment wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising:
 receiving, by a modeling application executing on a computer, one or more user inputs related to the fracturing job, one or more equipment inputs comprising sensor data from one or more frac units of the fracturing fleet, one or more wellbore inputs comprising sensor data from the wellbore, or combinations thereof;
 predicting, by the modeling application, a fracture propagation within the subterranean formation using all or a portion of the inputs; 
 producing, by the modeling application, a pumping sequence to obtain the fracture propagation, wherein the pumping sequence comprises two or more sub-stages, and wherein the modeling application employs a first pumping routine model to provide a first sub-stage of the pumping sequence and employs a second pumping routine model to provide a second sub-stage of the pumping sequence, wherein the first and second pumping routine models are different; and 
 controlling, by a managing application, the fracturing fleet in accordance with the pumping sequence to place a fracturing fluid in the treatment well. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pumping sequence corresponds to a pumping time and wherein the first sub-stage is completed within a first half, alternatively a first third, alternatively a first quarter, or alternatively a first one tenth of the pumping time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the modeling application employs a third pumping routine model to provide a last sub-stage of the pumping sequence and wherein the first, second, and third pumping routine models are different. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the last sub-stage is completed within a last half, alternatively a last third, alternatively a last quarter, or alternatively a last one tenth of the pumping time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first sub-stage corresponds to ramping up from zero a flow rate of the pumping sequence and the last sub-stage corresponds to a ramping down to zero of the flow rate of the pumping sequence. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more wellbore inputs comprise sensor data gathered from sensors located in the treatment well during the fracturing job. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more wellbore inputs comprise sensor data gathered from sensors located in one or more monitoring wellbores spaced a distance apart from the treatment wellbore. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the treatment wellbore and one or more monitoring wellbores are lateral wellbores sharing a common vertical portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the treatment wellbore and the one or more monitoring wellbores are distinct from one another and do not share any common borehole. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fracturing job comprises at least two treatment wellbores and the predicting by the modeling application predicts the fracture propagation within an area of the subterranean formation located adjacent or between the two treatment wells. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling a pumping sequence of a fracturing fleet at a wellsite while performing a fracturing job on a treatment wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising:
 receiving during the fracturing job, by a modeling application executing on a computer, one or more wellbore inputs comprising sensor data from the treatment wellbore and sensor data from one or more monitoring wellbores spaced a distance apart from the treatment wellbore;
 predicting, by the modeling application, a fracture propagation within the subterranean formation using all or a portion of the inputs; 
 producing during the fracturing job, by the modeling application, an updated pumping sequence to obtain the fracture propagation; and 
 controlling, by a managing application, the fracturing fleet in accordance with the updated pumping sequence to place a fracturing fluid in the treatment well. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the updated pumping sequence is the same or different than an initial pumping sequence used at the beginning of the fracturing job. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the updated pumping sequence comprises two or more sub-stages, and wherein the modeling application employs a first pumping routine model to provide a first sub-stage of the pumping sequence and employ a second pumping routine model to provide a second sub-stage of the pumping sequence, wherein the first and second pumping routine models are different. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the updated pumping sequence corresponds to a pumping time and wherein the first sub-stage is completed within a first half, alternatively a first third, alternatively a first quarter, or alternatively a first one tenth of the pumping time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the modeling application employs a third pumping routine model to provide a last sub-stage of the updated pumping sequence and wherein the first, second, and third pumping routine models are different. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the last sub-stage is completed within a last half, alternatively a last third, alternatively a last quarter, or alternatively a last one tenth of the pumping time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first sub-stage corresponds to ramping up from zero a flow rate of the updated pumping sequence and the last sub-stage corresponds to a ramping down to zero of the flow rate of the updated pumping sequence. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the treatment wellbore and one or more monitoring wellbores are lateral wellbores sharing a common vertical portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the treatment wellbore and the one or more monitoring wellbores are distinct from one another and do not share any common borehole. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fracturing job comprises at least two treatment wellbores and the predicting by the modeling application predicts the fracture propagation within an area of the subterranean formation located adjacent or between the two treatment wells.