SYSTEM FOR CENTRALIZED MONITORING AND CONTROL OF ELECTRIC POWERED HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FLEET

• US 20160032703A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• 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: Broussard, Joel N., Kurtz, Robert, Oehring, Jared, McPherson, Jeff, Hinderliter, Brandon
• Granted Patent: US 9,970,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for centralized monitoring and control of a hydraulic fracturing operation. The system includes an electric powered fracturing fleet and a centralized control unit coupled to the electric powered fracturing fleet. The electric powered fracturing fleet can include a combination of one or more of: electric powered pumps, turbine generators, blenders, sand silos, chemical storage units, conveyor belts, manifold trailers, hydration units, variable frequency drives, switchgear, transformers, and compressors. The centralized control unit can be configured to monitor and/or control one or more operating characteristics of the electric powered fracturing fleet.

Claims

1. A system for hydraulically fracturing an underground formation in an oil or gas well to extract oil or gas from the formation, the oil or gas well having a wellbore that permits passage of fluid from the wellbore into the formation, the system comprising:

a plurality of electric pumps fluidly connected to the well, and configured to pump fluid into the wellbore at high pressure so that the fluid passes from the wellbore into the formation, and fractures the formation;

a plurality of generators electrically connected to the plurality of electric pumps to provide electrical power to the electric pumps; and

a centralized control unit coupled to the plurality of electric pumps and the plurality of generators, wherein the centralized control unit is configured to;

monitor at least one of pressure and temperature of the plurality of electric pumps and the plurality of generators.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of generators are powered by natural gas, and wherein the centralized control unit is further configured to monitor and control compression of the natural gas.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of generators are turbine generators and wherein the centralized control unit is further configured to monitor and control the turbine generators.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a variable frequency drive that controls a speed of the electric pumps.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized control unit is coupled to the plurality of electric pumps and the plurality of generators via cabling or Ethernet.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the centralized control unit is further configured to reset a fault occurring in the variable frequency drive.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an emergency power off unit coupled to the centralized control unit, the plurality of electric pumps, and the plurality of generators, wherein the emergency power off unit is configured to substantially immediately cut power to the plurality of generators when activated.

8. The system of claim 7, the emergency power off unit comprising an auxiliary power and a switchgear, each coupled to the plurality of generators and the centralized control unit, wherein the switchgear is responsive to a signal from the centralized control unit to open a breaker to substantially immediately cut power to the plurality of generators.

9. A method, comprising:

pumping fracturing fluid into a well in a formation with an electrically powered pump at a high pressure so that the fracturing fluid enters and cracks the formation, the fracturing fluid having at least a liquid component and a solid proppant, and inserting the solid proppant into the cracks to maintain the cracks open, thereby allowing passage of oil and gas through the cracks;

powering the electrically powered pump with a generator; and

monitoring at a centralized control unit at least one of pressure and temperature of the electrically powered pump and the generator.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising monitoring compression of natural gas;

wherein the generator is powered by natural gas.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling compression of natural gas;

wherein the generator is powered by natural gas.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the generator is a turbine generator;

the method further comprising monitoring the turbine generator.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the generator is a turbine generators;

the method further comprising controlling the turbine generator.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the speed of the pump with a variable frequency drive.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising resetting a fault occurring in the variable frequency drive from the centralized control unit.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising coupling the centralized control unit to the electrically powered pump and the generator via cabling or Ethernet.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing an emergency power off unit coupled to the centralized control unit, the electrically powered pump and the generator; and

substantially immediately cutting power to the generator by activating the emergency power off unit.

18. The method of claim 17, the emergency power off unit comprising an auxiliary power and switchgear, each coupled to the generator and the centralized control unit, the method further comprising signaling the switchgear from the centralized control unit to open a breaker to substantially immediately cut power to the generator.

19. A system for centralized monitoring and control of a hydraulic fracturing operation, comprising:

an electric powered fracturing fleet, the electric powered fracturing fleet comprising;

a combination of one or more of;

electric powered pumps, turbine generators, blenders, sand silos, chemical storage units, conveyor belts, manifold trailers, hydration units, variable frequency drives, switchgear, transformers, compressors;

and

a centralized control unit coupled to electric powered fracturing fleet, wherein the centralized control unit is configured to;

monitor one or more operating characteristics of the electric powered fracturing fleet; and

control one or more operating characteristics of the electric powered fracturing fleet.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an emergency power off unit coupled to the centralized control unit, the electric powered pumps and the turbine generators, the emergency power off unit configured to substantially immediately cut power to the turbine generators when activated.

21. The system of claim 20, the emergency power off unit comprising an auxiliary power and switchgear, each coupled to the generators and the centralized control unit, the switchgear responsive to a signal from the centralized control unit to open a breaker to substantially immediately cut power to the turbine generators.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the centralized control unit is further configured to monitor and control compression of natural gas.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the centralized control unit is further configured to monitor and control the turbine generators.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the centralized control unit is coupled to the electric powered pumps and the turbine generators via cabling or Ethernet.