Preventing power blackout while fracturing

Abstract

A method for preventing a power blackout of a fracturing spread configured to hydraulically fracture a subsurface formation. The method comprises determining an available capacity of one or more power units that supply power to one or more electric pumps of the fracturing spread. The method comprises determining an actual power usage of the one or more electric pumps. The method comprises determining if the fracturing spread is at risk of the power blackout based on the available capacity and the actual power usage. The method comprises determining one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout; and executing the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout.

1 . A method for preventing a power blackout of a fracturing spread configured to hydraulically fracture a subsurface formation comprising:
 determining an available capacity of one or more power units that supply power to one or more electric pumps of the fracturing spread;   determining an actual power usage of the one or more electric pumps;   determining if the fracturing spread is at risk of the power blackout based on the available capacity and the actual power usage;   determining one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout; and   executing the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power units include one or more generators and an electric grid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 comparing the available capacity to the actual power usage to generate a power condition; 
 determining if the power condition indicates the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout; and 
 determining the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the power condition includes a ratio of the available capacity and the actual power usage, a difference between the available capacity and the actual power usage, and function of the available capacity and the actual power usage, and wherein the power condition is compared against a threshold to determine if the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions include sending a warning message to users, suggesting fracturing parameters to the users, or communicating the fracturing parameters to a control system to implement into hydraulic fracturing operations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the fracturing parameters include a suggested rate setpoint and a suggested chemical setpoint. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the suggested fracturing parameters are determined based on the available capacity and expected treating pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 determining an estimated available capacity of the one or more power units prior to the hydraulic fracturing operations; 
 determining an estimated power usage of the one or more electric pumps prior to the hydraulic fracturing operations; 
 determining if the one or more electric pumps will be at risk of the power blackout during hydraulic fracturing operations based on the estimated available capacity and the estimated power usage; and 
 adjusting operation parameters to mitigate the power blackout. 
 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining an available capacity of one or more power units that supply power to one or more electric pumps of a fracturing spread, wherein the fracturing spread is configured to hydraulically fracture a subsurface formation;   determining an actual power usage of the one or more electric pumps;   determining if the fracturing spread is at risk of a power blackout based on the available capacity and the actual power usage;   determining one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout; and   executing the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the power units include one or more generators and an electric grid. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 9  further comprising:
 comparing the available capacity to the actual power usage to generate a power condition; 
 determining if the power condition indicates the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout; and 
 determining the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout. 
 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the power condition includes a ratio of the available capacity and the actual power usage, a difference between the available capacity and the actual power usage, and function of the available capacity and the actual power usage, and wherein the power condition is compared against a threshold to determine if the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more actions include sending a warning message to users, suggesting fracturing parameters to the users, or communicating the fracturing parameters to a control system to implement into hydraulic fracturing operations. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the fracturing parameters include a suggested rate setpoint and a suggested chemical setpoint. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the fracturing parameters are determined prior to the hydraulic fracturing operations or during the hydraulic fracturing operations. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 one or more electric pumps of a fracturing spread, wherein the fracturing spread is configured to hydraulically fracture a subsurface formation;   one or more power units configured to supply power to the one or more electric pumps;   a processor; and   a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to,
 determine an available capacity of the one or more power units; 
 determine an actual power usage of the one or more electric pumps; 
 determine if the fracturing spread is at risk of a power blackout based on the available capacity and the actual power usage; 
 determine one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout; and 
 execute the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the power units include one or more generators and an electric grid. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising:
 comparing the available capacity to the actual power usage to generate a power condition; 
 determining if the power condition indicates the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout; and 
 determining the one or more actions to mitigate the power blackout. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the power condition includes a ratio of the available capacity and the actual power usage, a difference between the available capacity and the actual power usage, and function of the available capacity and the actual power usage, and wherein the power condition is compared against a threshold to determine if the one or more electric pumps is at risk of the power blackout. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more actions include sending a warning message to users, suggesting fracturing parameters to the users, or communicating the fracturing parameters to a control system to implement into hydraulic fracturing operations.