Hybrid hydraulic fracturing fleet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12378865-B2
Application number	US-202318506709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2023
Priority date	Apr 16, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

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:
switching components associated with a datavan, the switching components to switch between diesel-powered components supported by a diesel engine and electric-powered components supported by an electric pump,
the switch to occur upon determination of a type that is indicated by the diesel-powered components or the electric-powered components to a controller software associated with the switching components,
the type comprising control gear levels or revolutions per minute (RPM) associated with the diesel engine or comprising frequency levels or voltage levels associated with the electric pump, and
a data network coupled to the datavan to:
transmit on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station, and
transmit remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

2. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
multi-pump controls in the datavan to control a diesel or an electric pump of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components that are in an interchangeable combination.

3. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one sub-component that is associated with the diesel-powered components and with electric-powered components, the at least one sub-component to communicate an indication from a connected component to the datavan.

4. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more of electric blenders or diesel blenders in the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric blenders or 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 to enable operator control of the diesel-powered components and of 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:
waterproof covers provided in the datavan to safeguard the switching components of the datavan.

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

8. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , wherein the controller software is further to provide software outputs to fracturing pumps, via the switching components, the software outputs comprising one or more of a motor RPM, start/shutdown commands, an enable/disable command for a variable frequency drive (VFD), an open/close command for a switchgear breaker, or an Emergency Shutdown command.

9. A method of operating a hydraulic fracturing fleet, the method comprising:
switching components associated with a datavan, the method comprising:
determining a type of connected component that is indicated, by the connected component, to a controller software associated with the switching components, the type associated with control gear levels or revolutions per minute (RPM) of a diesel engine or associated with frequency levels or voltage levels of an electric pump; and
switching, using the switching components and upon determination of the type, between diesel-powered components that are supported by a diesel engine and electric-powered components that are supported by an electric pump;
coupling a data network to the datavan; and
transmitting, using the data network, on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station, and remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
controlling, using multi-pump controls in the datavan, a diesel or an electric pump of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
communicating, using at least one sub-component that is associated with the diesel-powered components and with electric-powered components, an indication from the connected component to the datavan.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing one or more of electric blenders or diesel blenders in the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric blenders or the diesel blenders associated with back-u counterpart blenders.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
enabling, using a pump operator station comprised in the datavan, operator control of the diesel-powered components and of the electric-powered components or of back-up counterpart components that are either diesel-powered or electric-powered.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
operating a pump down station with a second well and concurrently with the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in operation with a first well.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing waterproof covers in the datavan to safeguard the switching components of the datavan.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
powering the datavan from within the hydraulic fracturing fleet or from a remote station using a redundant diesel or electric power.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing, using the controller software, software outputs to fracturing pumps, via the switching components, the software outputs comprising one or more of a motor RPM, start/shutdown commands, an enable/disable command for a variable frequency drive (VFD), an open/close command for a switchgear breaker, or an Emergency Shutdown command.

18. A hydraulic fracturing fleet comprising:
switching components associated with a datavan, the switching components to switch between diesel-powered components supported by a diesel engine and electric-powered components supported by an electric pump,
the switch to occur upon determination of a type that is indicated by the diesel-powered components or the electric-powered components to a controller software associated with the switching components,
the type comprising control gear levels or revolutions per minute (RPM) associated with the diesel engine or comprising frequency levels or voltage levels associated with the electric pump, and
a pump down station configured to operate with a second well concurrently with the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in operation with a first well.

Assignees

• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Oehring Jared
• HINDERLITER Brandon Neil

Classifications

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F04B17/03

  driven by electric motors · CPC title

• E21B43/2401

  by means of electricity · CPC title

• B60W10/105

  of electric type · CPC title

• E21B41/0085

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