Electric blender system, apparatus and method for use in fracturing underground formations using liquid petroleum gas

• US 10,107,085 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Typhon Technology Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Evolution Well Services, LLC
• Inventors: Coli, Todd, Schelske, Eldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sayre, James G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEMBO, AARON LLOYD
• Application Number:
  US15/332,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/49 Mixing drilled material or ingredients for well-drilling, earth-drilling or deep-drilling compositions with liquids to obtain slurries
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/43 using driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/05 Stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/3204 Motor driven, i.e. by means of an electric or IC motor
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71731 using a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/718 using vacuum, under pressure in a closed receptacle or circuit system
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/75465 using suction, vacuum, e.g. with a pipette
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 1/16 having two or more sets of cylinders or pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/24 for turbines

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for providing on-site electrical power to a fracturing operation, and an electrically powered fracturing system. Natural gas can be used to drive a turbine generator in the production of electrical power. A scalable, electrically powered fracturing fleet is provided to pump fluids for the fracturing operation, obviating the need for a constant supply of diesel fuel to the site and reducing the site footprint and infrastructure required for the fracturing operation, when compared with conventional systems. The treatment fluid can comprise a water-based fracturing fluid or a waterless liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fracturing fluid.

Claims

1. An electric blender apparatus for fracturing operations, the electric blender comprising:

a first inlet manifold and a second inlet manifold;

a first crossing inlet operatively coupled between and connecting the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold;

a second crossing inlet operatively coupled between and connecting the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold;

a first outlet manifold and a second outlet manifold;

a first crossing outlet that is operatively coupled to the first outlet manifold;

a second crossing outlet that is operatively coupled to the second outlet manifold;

a first electrically powered blender unit operatively coupled between and connecting the first inlet manifold and the first outlet manifold and capable of producing a first fracturing fluid stream;

a second electrically powered blender unit operatively coupled between and connecting the second inlet manifold and the second outlet manifold and capable of producing a second fracturing fluid stream;

a first inlet electric motor operatively coupled to the first inlet manifold, wherein the first inlet electric motor is capable of pumping a first fluid entering the first inlet manifold to the first electrically powered blender unit and the second electrically powered blender unit; and

a second inlet electric motor operatively coupled to the second inlet manifold, wherein the second inlet electric motor is capable of pumping the first fluid entering the first inlet manifold to the first electrically powered blender unit and the second electrically powered blender unit.

2. The electric blender apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises one or more fluids from the group of linear gelled water, gelled water, gelled oil, slick water, slick oil, poly emulsion, foam/emulsion, liquid CO₂, N₂, binary fluid and acid.

3. The electric blender apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first electric discharge motor operatively coupled to the first electrically powered blender unit; and

a second electric discharge motor operatively coupled to the second electrically powered blender unit.

4. The electric blender apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first additive electric motor operatively coupled to a first auger; and

a second additive electric motor operatively coupled to a second auger.

5. The electric blender apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first crossing inlet and the second crossing inlet are operatively coupled between the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold such that a fluid received from the first inlet manifold, the second inlet manifold, or both is capable of being routed to both the first electrically powered blender unit and the second electrically powered blender unit.

6. The electric blender apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third outlet manifold and a fourth outlet manifold.

7. A method for hydraulic fracturing, comprising:

providing at least one dedicated source of electric power for fracturing operations on a well site that comprises a wellbore to be fractured, wherein the dedicated source of electrical power is a turbine generator that converts a source of hydrocarbon fuel to electricity;

pressurizing a fracturing fluid using at least one pump driven by at least one electric motor at the well site, wherein the dedicated source of electric power provides electric power to the at least one electric motor that is operatively controlled with a variable frequency drive;

operating the at least one pump and the at least one electric motor using electric power from the at least one dedicated source of electric power to pump the fracturing fluid into the wellbore;

blending, using at least one electric blender, a fluid received from a first fluid source manifold of the at least one electric blender and a second fluid source manifold of the at least one electric blender with a fluid additive from at least one fluid additive source to produce the fracturing fluid, wherein the at least one dedicated source of electric power provides electric power to the at least one electric blender;

discharging, using a first discharge motor of the at least one electric blender, the fracturing fluid from a first electrically powered blending tub of the at least one electric blender to both a first outlet manifold of the at least one electric blender and a second outlet manifold of the at least one electric blender; and

discharging, using a second discharge motor of the at least one electric blender, the fracturing fluid from a second electrically powered blending tub of the at least one electric blender to the first outlet manifold of the at least one electric blender and to the second outlet manifold of the at least one electric blender.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises one or more fluids from the group of linear gelled water, gelled water, gelled oil, slick water, slick oil, poly emulsion, foam/emulsion, liquid CO₂, N₂, binary fluid and acid.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising blending, using the electric blender, a fluid received from a first fluid source manifold of the electric blender and a second fluid source manifold of the electric blender with a fluid additive from at least one fluid additive source to produce the fracturing fluid, wherein the at least one dedicated source of electric power provides the electric power to the electric blender.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein blending, using the at least one electric blender, the fluid received from the first fluid source manifold of the at least one electric blender and the second fluid source manifold of the at least one electric blender with the fluid additive from the at least one fluid additive source to produce the fracturing fluid comprises driving the fluid received from the first fluid source manifold and the second fluid source manifold into a first blending tub of the at least one electric blender and a second blending tub of the at least one electric blender using a first inlet electric motor of the at least one electric blender and a second inlet electric motor of the at least one electric blender.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

controlling, using a first variable frequency drive, the at least one of the electric motors powered by electricity to drive the at least one pump; and

controlling, using a second variable frequency drive, at least one electric blender motor of the at least one electric blender, wherein the at least one electric blender motor is powered by electricity to produce the fracturing fluid from the at least one electric blender.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

syncing the at least one pump with the electric blender; and

automatically compensating the change in flow rate of the electric blender based upon the change in flow rate of the at least one pump instructed by a single command from a central control for fracturing operations.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the dedicated source of electric power provides electric power to the electric motor by generating electricity for fracturing operations, and wherein the source of hydrocarbon fuel comprises natural gas.