MOBILE, MODULAR, ELECTRICALLY POWERED SYSTEM FOR USE IN FRACTURING UNDERGROUND FORMATIONS

• US 20150068754A1
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Typhon Technology Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Evolution Well Services, LLC
• Inventors: Coli, Todd, Schelske, Eldon
• Granted Patent: US 9,103,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/308.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/3204 Motor driven, i.e. by means of an electric or IC motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/06 Trailers vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/00 Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells applicable only to water E03B
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/267 reinforcing fractures by propping
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/22 of reciprocating-piston type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/02 the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level F04B47/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines

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.

Claims

1. A system for use in delivering pressurized fluid to a wellbore, the system comprising:

a plurality of fracturing pumps configured to pump a pressurized fluid into the wellbore for a fracturing operation, wherein the fracturing pumps are powered by one or more electric motors;

a plurality of gas-turbine generators electrically connected to the electric motors; and

a variable frequency drive configured to electrically control the electric motors,

wherein the gas-turbine generators are located on a well site containing the wellbore, and

wherein the gas-turbine generators are configured to generate electricity through the conversion of liquid fuels, natural gas, or both and provide the electricity to the electric motors to power the fracturing pumps.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electric motors is operatively coupled to one or more fracturing pumps to form a fracturing module that is mounted on a trailer, and wherein the trailer is configured to isolate the fracturing module from the trailer such that the fracturing module is adapted to be removed from the trailer without disconnecting the trailer from a manifold system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the trailer is further configured to connect a replacement unit to the trailer in place of the fracturing module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable frequency drive is further configured to control a rate change of the one or more electric motors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas-turbine generators provide the electricity to the electric motors without a transmission of grid power.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more electric motors are operatively coupled to one or more fracturing pumps.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dual configuration electric fracturing blender that is electrically connected to one of the plurality of gas-turbine generators for supplying power to the dual configuration electric fracturing blender.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the dual configuration electric fracturing blender comprises a first electrically powered blending unit and a second electrically powered blending unit, and wherein an unblended fracturing fluid from one or more fluid sources are blended using the first fracturing blending unit, the second fracturing blending unit, or both.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the dual configuration electric fracturing blender further comprises a first inlet manifold and a second inlet manifold, and wherein the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold are each configured to receive the unblended fracturing fluid from the one or more fluid sources and deliver the unblended fracturing fluid to both the first electrically powered blending unit and the second electrically powered blending unit.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the dual configuration electric fracturing blender further comprises a first outlet manifold and a second outlet manifold, and wherein the first outlet manifold and the second outlet manifold are each configured to receive the blended fracturing fluid from both the first electrically powered blending unit and the second electrically power blending unit.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the dual configuration electric fracturing blender further comprises a first inlet manifold and a second inlet manifold, wherein the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold are each configured to receive the unblended fracturing fluid from the one or more fluid sources, and wherein the first electrically powered blender unit is configured to blend the unblended fracturing fluid from the first inlet manifold, the second inlet manifold, or both.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the dual configuration electric fracturing blender further comprises a first inlet manifold and a second inlet manifold, wherein the first inlet manifold and the second inlet manifold are each configured to receive the unblended fracturing fluid from the one or more fluid sources, and wherein the first electrically powered blender unit and the second electrically powered blender unit are each configured to blend the unblended fracturing fluid separately to form a fracturing fluid and deliver the fracturing fluid to two different outlet manifolds.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable frequency drive is further configured to control the fracturing pumps by determining a maximum current delivered to the electric motors.

14. A method for providing fracturing fluid using an electrically powered system, the method comprising:

generating, using at least one gas-turbine generator located at a well site, electricity that is supplied to at least one electric motor by converting a source of natural gas, liquid fuels, or both to electricity;

controlling, using a control system, the at least one electric motor powered by electricity to drive one or more fluid pumps;

pumping, using the one or more fluid pumps, a blended fracturing fluid down a wellbore located at the well site; and

fracturing a rock formation using the blended fracturing fluid pumped down the wellbore.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

supplying electricity, using the at least one gas-turbine generator, to a dual configuration blender;

receiving an unblended fracturing fluid via one or more inlet manifolds of the dual configuration blender powered by electricity;

mixing the unblended fracturing fluid received via the inlet manifolds of the dual configuration blender to form the blended fluid; and

discharging the blended fracturing fluid via one or more outlet manifolds of the dual configuration blender.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing a fracturing module that comprises the at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of the fluid pumps from a trailer without disconnecting the trailer from a manifold system.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising controlling, using the control system, a rate of change of a dual configuration blender, wherein controlling, using the control system, the at least one electric motor powered by electricity to drive one or more fluid pumps comprises controlling a rate of change of the fluid pumps.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising increasing the rate of change for the fluid pumps with a single command inputted into the control system, wherein the dual configuration blender automatically compensates for increasing the rate of change for the fluid pumps.

20. The electric blender apparatus of claim 18, wherein the electric blender apparatus is configured to be mounted on a skid or a trailer, wherein the inlet crossing line is configured to deliver a fracturing fluid to the first electrically powered blender unit from the first inlet manifold, the second inlet manifold, or both, and wherein the outlet crossing line is configured to discharge the fracturing fluid using the first outlet manifold, the second outlet manifold, or both.

19. An electric blender apparatus used in fracturing operations, the electric blender comprising:

a first inlet manifold and a first outlet manifold;

a first electrically powered blender unit operatively coupled between the first inlet manifold and the first outlet manifold;

a second inlet manifold and a second outlet manifold;

a second electrically powered blender unit operatively coupled between the second inlet manifold and the second outlet manifold;

an inlet crossing line that connects the first inlet manifold to the second inlet manifold; and

an outlet crossing line that connects the first outlet manifold to the second outlet manifold.