Systems and methods for determination of perforation efficiency

Abstract

A machine-readable storage medium has stored thereon a computer program for evaluating a perforation efficiency. The computer program includes a routine of set instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of receiving a plurality of flow variables for a perforation design, normalizing the plurality of flow variables into a stimulation treatment deliverability index, assessing a perforation efficiency for the perforation design using the stimulation treatment deliverability index, generating instructions for hydraulic fracturing operations based upon the perforation efficiency for the perforation design, and incorporating the instructions generated into a recommendation of one or more perforation designs for ongoing or future hydraulic operations.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for evaluating a perforation efficiency, the computer program comprising a routine of set instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
 receiving a plurality of flow variables for a perforation design;   normalizing the plurality of flow variables into a stimulation treatment deliverability index;   assessing a perforation efficiency for the perforation design using the stimulation treatment deliverability index;   generating instructions for hydraulic fracturing operations based upon the perforation efficiency for the perforation design; and   incorporating the instructions generated into a recommendation of one or more perforation designs for ongoing or future hydraulic operations.   
     
     
         2 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , further comprising performing one or more hydraulic fracturing operations using the one or more perforation designs of the recommendation, and wherein the one or more hydraulic fracturing operations comprise initiating a fracturing operation, modifying a planned fracturing operation, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow variables comprises a treatment pressure, a pump rate, a friction reducer concentration, a pressure derivative, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 3 , the set of instructions further causing the machine to perform the steps of:
 calculating a normalized pressure derivative via the plurality of flow variables,   wherein the normalized pressure derivative is used in visualizing pressure change trends between a plurality of perforation designs.   
     
     
         5 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow variables are received from one or more hydraulic fracturing models, from previously defined default values, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , the set of instructions further causing the machine to perform the steps of:
 assessing a viability of the perforation design from the one or more hydraulic fracturing models; and   recommending the perforation design within a planned well.   
     
     
         7 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the perforation efficiency is a first perforation efficiency, and the set of instructions further cause the machine to perform the steps of:
 receiving a second plurality of flow variables for a second perforation design;   normalizing the second plurality of flow variables into a second stimulation treatment deliverability index;   assessing a second perforation efficiency for the second perforation design; and   comparing the first perforation efficiency to the second perforation efficiency.   
     
     
         8 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , the set of instructions further causing the machine to perform the steps of:
 determining an optimal perforation design of the first perforation design and the second perforation design; and   displaying to an operator the optimal perforation design, the first perforation efficiency, the second perforation efficiency, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing machine readable instructions executable by the processor, the machine readable instructions comprising:   an efficiency determination tool comprising:
 a data receiver to receive or retrieve one or more flow variables of a perforation design; 
 a variable normalizer to calculate a stimulation treatment deliverability index, a normalized pressure derivative, or any combination thereof using the one or more flow variables; and 
 an efficiency evaluator to determine a perforation efficiency of the perforation design using the stimulation treatment deliverability index, the normalized pressure derivative, or any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a hydraulic fracturing operations controller to receive and implement instructions for hydraulic fracturing operations,   wherein the efficiency evaluator generates the instructions for hydraulic fracturing operations from the perforation efficiency of the perforation design.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic fracturing operations controller is part of a hydraulic fracturing operations system communicably coupled to the efficiency determination tool. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a modeling tool to generate one or more hydraulic fracturing perforation efficiency estimates of one or more simulated perforation designs,   wherein the efficiency determination tool determines one or more perforation efficiencies of the one or more simulated perforation designs.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the efficiency evaluator determines an optimal perforation design of the one or more simulated perforation designs. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a display communicatively coupled to the efficiency determination tool,   wherein the efficiency determination tool generates a visual of the perforation efficiency, the stimulation treatment deliverability index, the normalized pressure derivative, or any combination thereof, and wherein the display presents the visual to an operator.   
     
     
         15 . A system for controlling operating equipment comprising:
 an efficiency determination tool comprising:
 a data receiver, 
 a variable normalizer for determining a stimulation treatment deliverability index (STDI) from sensor data received by the receiver, and 
   a hydraulic fracturing operations system comprising:
 one or more sensors for providing the sensor data to the data receiver, and 
 a hydraulic fracturing operations controller for operating the operating equipment based on the STDI.