Halliburton introduces automation to hydraulic fracturing
Halliburton unveiled Prodigi AB Service, a first-of-its-kind offering that introduces automation to hydraulic fracturing. By automating the breakdown process of a fracturing treatment, Prodigi AB Service helps deliver better well performance. The service uses algorithmic controls and is supported by a Halliburton completion advisor who will tune the system to optimize the performance.
Prodigi AB service helps improve overall efficiency, maximize the performance of perforation clusters and mitigate the risk of screen-out. Prodigi AB Service provides consistent design execution, better distribution of fluid across the perforated interval, and improved treatment pressures and rates. The service delivers improved precision to achieve a lower cost per BOE.
“Prodigi AB Service offers a significant change in the way we are able to optimize our hydraulic fracturing operations in real-time, accelerate the learning curve to optimize well design and improve the overall consistency of our performance at the wellsite,” Michael Segura, Vice President of the Production Enhancement business line said.
Halliburton has used Prodigi AB Service in the Permian basin with outstanding results for Primexx Energy Partners. The service reduced overall treating pressures, increased consistency of the formation breakdown process and resulted in an immediate improvement in cluster efficiency.
“Prodigi AB Service is helping Primexx achieve our execution and production goals. The reduction in treating pressure and operational consistency is allowing us to execute treatments more efficiently and the improved cluster distribution is helping us make better wells,” Sam Blatt, VP of Operations for Primexx underlined.
Automated breakdown controls
In unconventional fracturing design, there are many parameters used to optimize stimulation treatment outcomes. For example, to achieve ideal fracture spacing and efficient stimulation of long laterals, the number and density of perforation clusters per stage can be adjusted. The impact of execution process parameters on the success of a stimulation treatment is often underestimated. In particular, the breakdown process can greatly impact stage treatment results. Prodigi AB service utilizes intelligent fracturing control to optimize this process.
Automation drives consistency
Flow rate during the perforation cluster breakdown process often varies from stage-to-stage and well-to-well. Common industry practice is to achieve designed rate as fast as the maximum pressure limitations allow. Often, this approach is not ideal for the formation limiting connectivity of fractures, cluster accessibility, and in some cases, events that result in screen-outs.
Prodigi AB service provides an engineered approach to breakdown operations.
Utilizing real-time measurements and proprietary rate control algorithms, pump rates are adjusted accordingly during the breakdown process. This engineered approach drives consistent stage-to-stage performance. Adaptive rate control can support a more efficient breakdown at the perforation clusters leading to improved connectivity of fractures.
Implementing the Prodigi AB process has resulted in lower surface treating pressures and an overall reduced risk of screen-outs. Improved cluster efficiency and dynamic fluid distribution control have also been observed, resulting in better overall stimulation treatment performance. With Prodigi AB service, your breakdown process is automatically optimized on every stage of every well.
