High horsepower pumping configuration for an electric hydraulic fracturing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12448877-B2
Application number	US-202217903831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2022
Priority date	Dec 5, 2017
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments include a hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation. The system includes an electric pump, arranged on a first support structure, the electric pump coupled to a well associated with the subterranean formation and powered by at least one electric motor, 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. The system also includes support equipment, arranged on a second support structure, electrically coupled to the electric pump, wherein the support equipment includes at least a transformer for distributing power to the electric pump, the power being received from at least one generator at a voltage higher than an operating voltage of the electric pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:
an electric pump, arranged on a support structure, the electric pump coupled to a well associated with a subterranean formation and powered by at least one electric motor, the electric pump configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well, wherein the electric pump has a rated horsepower of approximately 3,000 horsepower (HP);
a variable frequency drive (VFD), arranged on the support structure, electrically coupled to the electric pump;
a control system, arranged on the support structure, and configured to control one or more operational parameters of the electric pump, and comprising:
a VFD transformer;
a VFD rectifier; and
a VFD inverter; and

a transformer, arranged on the support structure, and configured to distribute electrical power to the electric pump, the VFD, or the control system, the transformer positioned to receive, from at least one generator, power at a voltage higher than a respective operating voltage of the electric pump, the VFD, or the control system.

2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a trailer, a skid, a pad, a truck bed, or a combination thereof.

3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the VFD controls the speed of the at least one electric motor.

4. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the VFD and the control system are positioned within a common housing.

5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the power from the at least one generator is at 13.8 kV and the transformer steps the power down to 600 V.

6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the rated horsepower of the electric pump exceeds a rated brake horsepower of the at least one electric motor.

7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the VFD further comprises:
a human-machine interface configured to receive operational controls.

8. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the VFD is positioned within an enclosure with a cooling system, the cooling system comprising:
an air-to-air heat exchanger; and
forced air cooling;
wherein the cooling system is an enclosed cooling system configured to limit exchange of air internal to the enclosure and air external to the enclosure.

9. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2 , further comprising:
at least one switchgear system configured to receive power from the at least one generator.

10. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the rated horsepower of the is between 3,000 and 3,500 HP.

11. A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:
an electric pump, arranged on a support structure, the electric pump coupled to a well associated with a subterranean formation and powered by at least one electric motor, the electric pump configured to pump fluid into a wellbore associated with the well, wherein the electric pump has a rated horsepower of approximately 3,000 horsepower (HP);
a variable frequency drive (VFD), arranged on the support structure, electrically coupled to the electric pump, and positioned within an enclosure with a cooling system, the cooling system comprising:
an air-to-air heat exchanger; and
forced air cooling, wherein the cooling system is an enclosed cooling system configured to limit exchange of air internal to the enclosure and air external to the enclosure;

a control system, arranged on the support structure, and configured to control one or more operational parameters of the electric pump, and comprising:
a VFD transformer;
a VFD rectifier; and
a VFD inverter; and

a transformer, arranged on the support structure, and configured to distribute electrical power to the electric pump, the VFD, or the control system, the transformer positioned to receive, from at least one generator, power at a voltage higher than a respective operating voltage of the electric pump, the VFD, or the control system.

12. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the support structure is a trailer, a skid, a pad, a truck bed, or a combination thereof.

13. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the VFD controls the speed of the at least one electric motor.

14. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the VFD and the control system are positioned within a common housing.

15. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the power from the at least one generator is at 13.8 kV and the transformer steps the power down to 600 V.

16. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the rated horsepower of the electric pump exceeds a rated brake horsepower of the at least one electric motor.

17. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the VFD further comprises:
a human-machine interface configured to receive operational controls.

18. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , further comprising:
at least one switchgear system configured to receive power from the at least one generator.

19. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 11 , wherein the rated horsepower of the is between 3,000 and 3,500 HP.

Assignees

• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Oehring Jared
• Hinderliter Brandon N
• Robinson Lon

Classifications

• H02P5/74

  controlling two or more AC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence) · CPC title

• F04D7/00

  Pumps adapted for handling specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts (F04D11/005, F04D29/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/38 Primary

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• F04D13/06

  the pump being electrically driven · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title