Hybrid hydraulic fracturing fleet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035207-B2
Application number	US-201916385070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2019
Priority date	Apr 16, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system is disclosed as including a singular mobile platform of at least one mobile power unit (MPU) and at least one first switch gear that is configured to handle electric power from the MPU. The MPU is configured to generate voltage that matches the requirements of an electrical bus from the at least one switch gear such that a combined electrical current generated as a result of the generated voltage is provided to the electrical bus to the components of the hydraulic fracturing system. Further, the hydraulic fracturing system may include electrical fracturing equipment with at least one second switch gear to support the at least one first switch gear in handling electric power from the MPU. A datavan may be included in the system to control load shedding, load sharing, and power distribution for the electrical fracturing equipment comprising the at least one second switch gear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic fracturing fleet, comprising:
a datavan for engaging an interchangeable combination of diesel-powered components and electric-powered components, the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components comprising at least one back-up component that is diesel-powered, electric-powered, or a combination of diesel-powered and electric-powered;
a controller executing a software module for determining a type of a connected component to the datavan by an indication provided to the software module by the connected component, the type associated with the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components; and
switching components associated with the datavan for communicating with the software module to receive control gear levels for a diesel engine or frequency levels for a variable frequency drive (VFD) of an electric pump, and for switching between the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components,. upon determination by the controller of the type of the connected component.

2. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , wherein:
multi-pump controls in the datavan for controlling a diesel or an electric pump in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components.

3. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
the switching components configured to receive engine revolutions per minute (RPM) for the diesel engine and voltage levels for the VFD, the switching components configured to control the gear levels and the frequency levels based at least in part on requirements of the hydraulic fracturing fleet.

4. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
electric and diesel blenders in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric and the diesel blenders associated with back-up counterpart blenders.

5. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump operator station comprised in the datavan for enabling operator control of the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components or of back-up counterpart components that are either diesel-powered or electric-powered.

6. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump down station configured to operate with a second well concurrently with the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in operation with a first well.

7. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a data network coupled to the datavan for transmitting on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station and for transmitting remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

8. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
waterproof covers provided in the datavan for safeguarding the switching components of the datavan.

9. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a redundant diesel or electric power source to power the datavan from within the hydraulic fracturing fleet or from a remote station.

10. A method of operating hydraulic fracturing fleet, comprising:
engaging, using a datavan, an interchangeable combination of diesel- powered components and electric-powered components, the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components comprising at least one back-up component that is diesel-powered, electric-powered, or a combination of diesel-powered and electric-powered;
determining, by a software module executing on a controller, a type of a connected component to the datavan by an indication provided to the software module by the connected component, the type associated with the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components; and
switching, by switching components associated with the datavan, between the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components upon determination by the controller of the type of the connected component, the switching components communicating with the software module to receive control gear levels for a diesel engine of the connected component or to receive frequency levels for a variable frequency drive (VFD) of an electric pump of the connected component.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
controlling, by multi-pump controls in the datavan, the diesel engine or the electric pump in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving instructions for the gear levels and for an engine revolutions per minute (RPM) for the diesel engine or for the frequency levels and voltage levels for the VFD; and
controlling the gear levels the frequency levels, the RPM, or the voltage levels based at least in part on requirements of the hydraulic fracturing fleet.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing electric and diesel blenders in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric and the diesel blenders associated with back-up counterpart blenders.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
enabling, from a pump operator station comprised in the datavan, operator control of the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, or of back-up counterpart components that are either diesel powered or electric-powered.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
operating, using a pump down station, a second well with the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in concurrent operation with a first well.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, using a data network coupled to the datavan, on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station; and
transmitting remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
covering, using waterproof covers in the datavan, the switching components for safeguarding communications to the electric-powered components.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing redundant power, from a redundant diesel or electric power source of the hydraulic fracturing fleet or a remote station, to power the datavan.

Assignees

• U S Well Services Inc
• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Oehring Jared
• HINDERLITER Brandon Neil

Classifications

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• E21B41/0085 Primary

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title

• B60W10/105

  of electric type · CPC title

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F04B17/03

  driven by electric motors · CPC title