Cable management of electric powered hydraulic fracturing pump unit

• US 10,036,238 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC (ProFrac Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC (ProFrac Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Oehring, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Application Number:
  US15/145,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20160273328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 1661775, 166308, 166 664
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/04 Combinations of two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/06 having motor-pump units situated at great depth

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system includes a pump, an electrically powered motor for driving the pump, a trailer on which the pump and motor are mounted, and a transformer that steps down electricity for use by the motor. Electrical output from the transformer connects to a series of receptacles mounted onto a housing around the transformer. A similar set of receptacles is provided on the trailer and which are electrically connected to the motor. Power cables equipped with plugs on their opposing ends insert into the receptacles to close an electrical circuit between the transformer and pump.

Claims

1. A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:

first and second pumps;

first and second motors for driving the first and second pumps, the first and second motors in electrical communication with a first junction box;

a transformer having a second junction box on a low voltage side of the transformer;

a first electrical circuit between the first motor and the transformer, and through which the first motor and transformer are in electrical communication; and

a second electrical circuit that is separate and isolated from the first electrical circuit, and that is between the second motor and the transformer, and through which the second motor and transformer are in electrical communication;

wherein each of the first and second electrical circuits includes a discrete cable between the first junction box and the second junction box.

2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein each cable has a transformer end plug on one end of the cable and in electrical communication with the cable, and a motor end plug on an end of the cable distal from the transformer end plug and that is in electrical communication with the cable.

3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2, further comprising a transformer receptacle that is in electrical communication with the transformer, and a motor receptacle in electrical communication with a one of the first or second motors, so that when the transformer end plug is inserted into the transformer receptacle, and the motor end plug is inserted into the motor receptacle, the transformer and a one of the first or second motors are in electrical communication, and wherein the plugs are selectively withdrawn from the receptacles.

4. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 3, further comprising a multiplicity of cables, transformer receptacles, and motor receptacles, wherein different phase electricity is transferred between the transformer and the first or second motors in different cables.

5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4, wherein the receptacles are strategically arranged so that cables that conduct electricity at the same phase are adjacent one another.

6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2, further comprising a transformer ground receptacle that is in electrical communication with a ground leg of the transformer, and a motor ground receptacle in electrical communication with a ground leg of one of the first or second pumps, so that when the transformer ground plug is inserted into the transformer ground receptacle, and the pump ground plug is inserted into the pump receptacle, the transformer ground leg and the ground leg of a one of the first or second pumps are in electrical communication, and wherein the plugs are selectively withdrawn from the receptacles.

7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, further comprising a platform on which the first and second pumps and motors are mounted, an enclosure on the platform, a variable frequency drive coupled with the motors and within the enclosure, and a removable panel on the enclosure adjacent the variable frequency drive, so that by removing the panel the variable frequency drive is accessible.

8. A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:

a source of electricity;

a first junction box housing a row of source receptacles that are in electrical communication with the source of electricity;

an electrically powered motor that is spaced apart from the source of electricity;

a second junction box housing a row of motor receptacles that are in electrical communication with the motor; and

cable assemblies that each comprise,

a source plug that is selectively insertable into a one of the source receptacles,

a motor plug that is selectively insertable into a one of the motor receptacles, and

a cable in electrical communication with both the source plug and motor plug, so that when the source plug inserts into a one of the source receptacles, and the motor plug inserts into the a one of the motor receptacles, electricity at a designated phase is transmitted from the source of electricity to the motor;

wherein electricity conducts from the source of electricity to the first motor along a first path, from the source of electricity to the second motor along a second path, and the first and second paths are separate and distinct from one another.

9. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8, wherein the source of electricity comprises a transformer having alternating current electricity at three different phases.

10. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8, wherein the motor comprises a first motor, the system further comprising a second motor, and wherein the first and second motors each drive fracturing pumps.

11. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8, wherein a first pair of the source receptacles receive electricity at a first phase, so that a corresponding first pair of cable assemblies that have source plugs inserted into the source receptacles conduct electricity at the first phase, wherein a second pair of the source receptacles receive electricity at a second phase, so that a corresponding second pair of cable assemblies that have source plugs inserted into the source receptacles conduct electricity at the second phase, and wherein a third pair of the source receptacles receive electricity at a third phase, so that a corresponding third pair of cable assemblies that have source plugs inserted into the source receptacles conduct electricity at the third phase.

12. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8, wherein some of the source receptacles receive electricity from the source of electricity at a phase that is different from a phase of electricity by other source receptacles from the source of the electricity.

13. A method of hydraulic fracturing comprising:

a. providing a first junction box in electrical communication with a source of electricity, and a second junction box in electrical communication with a fracturing pump motor, each of the first and second junctions boxes having receptacles;

b. electrically connecting a fracturing pump motor with a source of electricity by inserting a source end of a cable assembly into a source receptacle of the first junction box and inserting a motor end of the cable assembly, which is in electrical communication with the source end of the cable assembly, into a motor receptacle of the second junction box, wherein the fracturing pump motor comprises a first fracturing pump motor and the cable assembly comprises a first cable assembly;

c. directing fracturing fluid to a suction end of a fracturing pump that is coupled with the fracturing pump motor;

d. causing the source of electricity to transmit electricity to the source receptacle, so that electricity conducts from the source receptacle, to the source and motor ends, to the motor receptacle, and to the motor; and

e. pressurizing the fracturing fluid with the fracturing pump to form pressurized fracturing fluid, and directing the pressurized fracturing fluid to a wellbore;

f. repeating steps (b)-(d) using a second fracturing pump motor and a second cable assembly;

wherein a path of electricity between the source of electricity and the first fracturing pump motor is separate and distinct from a path of electricity between the source of electricity and the second fracturing pump motor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the source of electricity is a transformer that transmits 3-phase electricity.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the ends of the cable assembly from the receptacles, moving the source of electricity and fracturing pump motor to a different location, and repeating steps (b)-(d).

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising repeating step (a) so that multiple cable assemblies are connected between multiple source receptacles and multiple motor receptacles, so that electricity at different phases is conducted through the different cable assemblies to the fracturing pump motor.