Optimizing operation of a mixed fleet of hydraulic fracturing rigs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516592-B2
Application number	US-202217577852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 18, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A method may include receiving a set of inputs for operation of at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig of a hydraulic fracturing system. The method may further include optimizing operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig based on at least the set of inputs. The method may further include iterating the optimization using a cost function for an operation mode of the hydraulic fracturing system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:
at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig, wherein the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig includes an electric motor, a variable frequency drive, and a pump; at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of the hydraulic fracturing system, causes the processor to:
receive a set of inputs for operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig,
wherein the set of inputs for operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig include one or more of: a cost of fuel or power for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, a total cost of ownership of each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, or a cost of emissions for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig,

optimize operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig based on at least the set of inputs;
iterate the optimization using at least one cost function for at least one operation mode of the hydraulic fracturing system;
determine one or more outputs for the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and one or more outputs for the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, wherein the one or more outputs for the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig include one or more outputs for one or more of the electric motor, the variable frequency drive, or the pump; and
to coordinate operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig (1) output the one or more outputs for the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig to the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig, and (2) output the one or more outputs for the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig to the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig,
wherein the one or more outputs for the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig include a flow rate or a motor speed for the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig, and
wherein the one or more outputs for the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig include a flow rate, an engine speed, or a transmission gear for the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig.

2 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the optimizing of the operation further comprises:
optimize the operation for a first electric hydraulic fracturing rig of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig or a first mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig of the at least one mechanical fracturing rig.

3 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2 , wherein the iterating of the optimization further comprises:
process optimized operational parameters of the first electric hydraulic fracturing rig or the first mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig based on the cost function; and determine whether a score from the cost function exceeds a threshold.

4 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 3 , wherein, for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig, the optimized operational parameters comprise at least one of:
the flow rate, or the motor speed.

5 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic fracturing system further comprises at least one power source, and
wherein the optimizing of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig further comprises:
optimizing the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig based on costs associated with the at least one power source.

6 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, optimized operational parameters comprise at least one of:
the flow rate, the engine speed, or the transmission gear.

7 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the set of inputs comprises at least one of:
a desired flow rate at a well head, a discharge pressure, or the at least one operation mode.

8 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cost function comprises:
a fuel cost function, a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) cost function, and a nitrogen oxide (NOX) cost function.

9 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one operation mode comprises:
a fuel conservation mode, an emissions reduction mode, or a hybrid mode.

10 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cost function comprises a nitrogen oxide (NOX) cost function.

11 . A method, comprising:
receiving a set of inputs for operation of at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig of a hydraulic fracturing system, wherein the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig includes an electric motor, a variable frequency drive, and a pump,
wherein the set of inputs for operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig include one or more of: a cost of fuel or power for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, a total cost of ownership of each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, or a cost of emissions for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig;
optimizing operation of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig based on at least the set of inputs; iterating the optimization using a cost function for an operation mode of the hydraulic fracturing system, wherein the cost function includes a nitrogen oxide (NOx) cost function; and operating both the least one hydraulic fracturing rig and the at least one mechanical fracturing rig based at least in part on the optimized operation.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the optimizing of the operation further comprises:
optimizing the operation for a first electric hydraulic fracturing rig of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig or a first mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig of the at least one mechanical fracturing rig.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the iterating of the optimization further comprises:
processing optimized operational parameters of the first electric hydraulic fracturing rig or the first mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig based on the cost function; and determining whether a score from the cost function exceeds a threshold.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein, for each of the at least one electric hydraulic fracturing rig, the optimized operational parameters comprise at least one of:
a flow rate for the pump, or a motor speed for the electric motor, wherein, for each of the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig, the optimized operational parameters include a flow rate, an engine speed, or a transmission gear for the at least one mechanical hydraulic fracturing rig.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic fracturing system further comprises at least

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yanchai
• Olsen Erik L
• Otten Casey A
• Publes Andy

Classifications

• E21B2200/20

  Computer models or simulations, e.g. for reservoirs under production, drill bits · CPC title

• G05B13/021

  in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance · CPC title

• F04B17/05

  driven by internal-combustion engines · CPC title

• F04B47/02

  the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level (F04B47/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04B23/04

  Combinations of two or more pumps · CPC title