Hydraulic fracturing equipment with non-hydraulic power

• US 10,280,724 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC (ProFrac Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: U.S. Well Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Hinderliter, Brandon N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Application Number:
  US15/644,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20190010793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/047 V/F converter, wherein the voltage is controlled proportionally with the frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/74 controlling two or more ac dynamo-electric motors H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation. In an embodiment, the system can include an electric pump fluidly connected to a well associated with the formation, and configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the formation and fractures the formation. The system can further include one or more ancillary units associated with the fluid pumped into the wellbore. The system can further include a first motor electrically coupled to the electric pump to operate the electric pump, and one or more second motors, each of the second motors electrically coupled to each of the ancillary units to operate the one or more ancillary units.

Claims

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

an electric pump fluidly connected to a well associated with the subterranean formation, and configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean formation and fractures the subterranean formation;

one or more ancillary units associated with the fluid pumped into the wellbore, the one or more ancillary units comprising a blender, the blender being positioned on a trailer and fluidly connected to an auger, wherein one or more second motors are positioned any of proximate a top elevation of the auger or proximate a bottom elevation of the auger, or a combination thereof, such that the one or more second motors provide power to drive the auger;

a first motor electrically coupled to the electric pump to operate the electric pump;

the one or more second motors comprising one or more electric motors, each of the one or more second motors electrically coupled to at least one of the one or more ancillary units to operate the at least one of the one or more ancillary units; and

a plurality of variable-frequency drives (VFD), each VFD connected to at least one of the first motor or the one or more second motors to control the speed of the first motor or the one or more second motors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first motor is selected from the group consisting of any of an electric motor, a diesel motor, a natural gas motor, a gasoline motor, and a hydraulic motor, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electric generator, wherein the first motor is electrically coupled to the electric pump via the electric generator to generate electricity for use by the electric pump.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is selected from the group consisting of any of a single-phase AC motor, a three-phase motor, and a DC motor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each VFD frequently performs electric motor diagnostics to prevent damage to the first motor or the one or more second motors.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more trailer, wherein the one or more ancillary units are positioned on the one or more trailer, and wherein each VFD is positioned on the one or more trailer proximate each of the one or more ancillary units.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more second motors are each positioned on the one or more trailers proximate each of the one or more ancillary units.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein additional of the one or more ancillary units are selected from the group consisting of any of a blender, a hydration unit, a chemical additive unit, a small pump, a chemical pump, a water pump, a valve actuator, a cooling fan, an auger, a mixing paddle, a conveyor belt, and a blower, or any combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more ancillary units comprise the hydration unit, the hydration unit being positioned on a trailer, the trailer further comprising a VFD, wherein the one or more second motors are positioned any of between the hydration unit and the VFD, or below the VFD, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more second motors provide power to the hydration unit via the VFD.

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

an electric pump fluidly connected to a well associated with the subterranean formation, and configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean formation and fractures the subterranean formation;

one or more ancillary units associated with the fluid pumped into the wellbore, the one or more ancillary units comprising a blender, the blender being positioned on a trailer and fluidly connected to an auger, wherein one or more second motors are positioned any of proximate a top elevation of the auger or proximate a bottom elevation of the auger, or a combination thereof, such that the one or more second motors provide power to drive the auger;

a first motor electrically coupled to the electric pump to operate the electric pump;

the one or more second motors comprising an electric motor, and each of the one or more second motors electrically coupled to at least one of the one or more ancillary units to operate the at least one of the one or more ancillary units; and

a plurality of variable-frequency drives (VFD), each VFD connected to at least one of the first motor or the one or more second motors to control the speed of the first motor or the one or more second motors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first motor is selected from the group consisting of any of an electric motor, a diesel motor, a natural gas motor, a gasoline motor, and a hydraulic motor, or a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the electric motor is selected from the group consisting of any of a single-phase AC motor, a three-phase motor, and a DC motor.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein each VFD frequently performs electric motor diagnostics to prevent damage to the first motor or the one or more second motors.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more trailer, wherein the one or more ancillary units are positioned on the one or more trailer, and wherein each VFD is positioned on the one or more trailer proximate each of the one or more ancillary units.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more second motors are each positioned on the one or more trailers proximate each of the one or more ancillary units.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein additional of the one or more ancillary units are selected from the group consisting of any of a blender, a hydration unit, a chemical additive unit, a small pump, a chemical pump, a water pump, a valve actuator, a cooling fan, an auger, a mixing paddle, a conveyor belt, and a blower, or any combination thereof.

17. A method for powering one or more ancillary units associated with a hydraulic fracturing system, the method comprising:

fluidly connecting an electric pump to a well associated with a subterranean formation, the electric pump configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well at a high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the subterranean formation and fractures the subterranean formation;

fluidly connecting the one or more ancillary units with the fluid pumped into the wellbore, the one or more ancillary units comprising a blender, the blender being positioned on a trailer and fluidly connected to an auger, wherein one or more second motors are positioned any of proximate a top elevation of the auger or proximate a bottom elevation of the auger, or a combination thereof, such that the one or more second motors provide power to drive the auger;

electrically coupling a first motor to the electric pump to operate the electric pump;

electrically coupling the one or more second motors to each of the one or more ancillary units to operate the one or more ancillary units, the one or more second motors comprising an electric motor; and

connecting each of a plurality of variable-frequency drives (VFD) to at least one of the first motor or the one or more second motors to control the speed of the first motor or the one or more second motors.