American Oil and Gas Reporter - August 2022 - 81

a particular pad, but because we only
recommend chemistries when they are
needed, the relationship is strengthened.
Our business model is built on long-term
partnerships, and we believe this is the
best way to create value for our suppliers,
customers and shareholders. "
Unlocking Efficiency
There are tremendous opportunities to
improve hydraulic fracturing operations'
safety and efficiency, says Jeff Beach, vice
president of technology and technical services
for Universal Pressure Pumping. " One
of the ways we can do that is to leverage
automation to enable remote operations, "
he details. " This reduces the headcount at
the well site, but the big value is consistency
and repeatability. An automated system
can deliver above-average performance
stage after stage, well after well. "
For operational safety, Beach says,
most fracturing automation needs to be
performed on site in the data van rather
than at a remote facility. " Should the
telecommunications link become disrupted,
the automation and control equipment
needs to be self-sufficient to spot
potential operational issues and take action
immediately, " he explains.
A control center in Houston may
send the operating parameters through a
data link to the fleet (saying, for example,
that a stage requires 100 barrels a
minute at 10,000 psi), at which point the
well site's automation system takes over.
The system divides the work among
pumps, optimizing each pump's parameters
according to the job's requirements,
Beach describes. On dual-fuel
fleets, the optimization routines usually
focus on maximizing natural gas substitution
to minimize fuel costs and emissions,
he illustrates.
The automation systems also try to
limit equipment wear and tear, Beach
continues. However, he says, it is sometimes
worthwhile to push equipment to
meet time constraints or other goals.
" Optimizing the pumps' RPM and
transmission gear takes some proprietary
expertise, " he comments. " The history of
the engine and how it has performed in
the past, and even more specifically on
the previous stage, influence the right
starting point for both parameters. "
If a pump needs to be taken off line for
maintenance or repairs, the automation
system can determine whether it makes
more sense to bring an idle pump on line
or distribute the load among the remaining
active pumps, Beach says. " These evaluations
and decisions are being made continuously
behind the scenes, " he emphasizes.
" The automation system can monitor far
more than a human and never gets tired, so
it can intervene more frequently and consistently,
which helps prevent wild swings
in performance from stage to stage, well to
well and pad to pad. "
Friction Reducers
Friction reducers can have a huge impact
on pump efficiency, Beach reports.
" As water and proppant flow through the
piping and other iron on location, the
friction effects compound, resulting in
higher treating pressures and therefore
higher horsepower requirements to get
the job done, " he says. " Introducing the
right friction reducer can minimize pressure
needs and lessen horsepower requirements,
fuel consumption and wear
and tear on equipment. "
On larger jobs, optimizing friction reducers
can result in eliminating one or
more active pumping units, Beach says.
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