System and Method for Controlling Hybrid and Grid Power in an Electric Fracturing Spread

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025141385-A1
Application number	US-202318386013-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2023
Priority date	Nov 1, 2023
Publication date	May 1, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A load phase back system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads in an electric fracturing spread. The load phase back system comprises monitoring circuitry configured to monitor input power received from an electric power source. The monitoring circuitry determines a measured voltage and a measured frequency of the input power. A controller controls the power applied to the plurality of electrical loads from a power bus according to a value of the measured voltage and a value of the measured frequency of the input power. The controller reduces power applied to selected ones of the plurality of electrical loads from the power bus when at least one of the measured voltage is less than a first threshold and the measured frequency is less than a second threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A load phase back system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads in an electric fracturing spread comprising:
monitoring circuitry configured to monitor input power received from an electric power source, the monitoring circuitry configured to determine a measured voltage and a measured frequency of the input power; and a controller configured to control the power applied to the plurality of electrical loads from a power bus according to a value of the measured voltage and a value of the measured frequency of the input power, the controller configured to reduce power applied to a selected one of the plurality of electrical loads from the power bus when at least one of the measured voltage is less than a first threshold and the measured frequency is less than a second threshold.

2 . The load phase back system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrical loads comprises at least one electrical motor.

3 . The load phase back system of claim 1 , wherein the selected electrical load comprises an electrical motor configured to provide torque to at least one of a blending pump, a fracturing fluid pump, an express blending trailer, a fluid management trailer, a clean boost pump, or a centrifugal pump.

4 . The load phase back system of claim 3 , wherein the load phase back system further comprises at least one variable frequency drive coupled to the electrical motor and configured to control a frequency and an amplitude of the power applied to the electrical motor.

5 . The load phase back system of claim 4 , wherein the controller controls the voltage and frequency of the at least one variable frequency drive in order to reduce the power applied to the electrical motor from the power bus when the measured voltage is less than the first threshold for a first programmable time delay, wherein reducing the power applied to the electrical motor reduces an operating speed of the at least one of the blending pump, the fracturing fluid pump, the clean boost pump, or the centrifugal pump.

6 . The load phase back system of claim 5 , wherein the controller controls the voltage and frequency of the at least one variable frequency drive in order to reduce the power applied to the electrical motor from the power bus when the measured frequency is less than the second threshold for a second programmable time delay.

7 . The load phase back system of claim 1 , wherein the electric power source comprises at least one of a power grid and a local generator located proximate the electric fracturing spread.

8 . The load phase back system of claim 7 , wherein the power bus is connected to the electric power source by a transformer.

9 . The load phase back system of claim 8 , wherein the monitoring circuitry monitors the input power received from the electric power source at the input of the transformer and at the output of the transformer.

10 . The load phase back system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to increase power applied to the selected electrical loads from the power bus when the measured voltage increases above the first threshold and the measured frequency increases above the second threshold.

11 . A method of controlling electrical loads in an electric fracturing spread comprising:
monitoring input power received from an electric power source on a power bus of the electric fracturing spread; measuring a measured voltage and a measured frequency of the input power; determining if the measured voltage is less than a first threshold; determining if the measured frequency is less than a second threshold; and reducing power applied to a selected one of the plurality of electrical loads from the power bus when at least one of the measured voltage is less than a first threshold and the measured frequency is less than a second threshold, wherein reducing the power applied to the selected electrical load reduces an operating speed of an electrical motor.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrical motor is configured to provide torque to at least one of a blending pump, a fracturing fluid pump, an express blending trailer, a fluid management trailer, a clean boost pump, or a centrifugal pump.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein reducing power applied to the selected electrical load comprises reducing power using a variable frequency drive.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein reducing power comprises controlling the voltage and frequency of the variable frequency drive in order to reduce the power applied to the selected electrical load from the power bus when the measured voltage is less than the first threshold for a first programmable time delay.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein reducing power comprises controlling the voltage and frequency of the variable frequency drive in order to reduce the power applied to the selected electrical load from the power bus when the measured frequency is less than the second threshold for a second programmable time delay.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electric power source comprises at least one of a power grid and a local generator located proximate the electric fracturing spread.

17 . A method of performing a wellbore servicing operation at a wellsite comprising a well having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
positioning a plurality of electrically powered wellbore servicing equipment at the wellsite; connecting the wellbore servicing equipment to an electric power source, wherein the electric power source comprises at least one of an electric power grid and a local electric generator located proximate the electric fracturing spread; performing the wellbore servicing operation; and managing electric power during the wellbore servicing operation, wherein managing electric power comprises:
monitoring input electric power received from the electric power source on a power bus of the wellbore servicing operation;
measuring a measured voltage and a measured frequency of the input electric power;
determining if the measured voltage is less than a first threshold;
determining if the measured frequency is less than a second threshold; and
reducing electric power applied to a selected electrical load from the electric power bus when at least one of the measured voltage is less than a first threshold and the measured frequency is less than a second threshold, wherein reducing the electric power applied to the selected electrical load reduces an operating speed of a first electrical motor.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrically powered equipment comprises a plurality of pumps driven by electric motors.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the electric power source further comprises a combustion powered engine providing electric power to a fracturing pump and wherein managing electric power during the wellbore servicing operation further comprises:
reducing electric power applied to the fracturing pump when at least one of the measured voltage is less than a first threshold and the measured frequency is less than a second threshold.

20 . An electric fracturing spread at a wellsite comprising a well having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the electric fracturing spread comprising:
a plurality of fracturing fluid pumps; a power distribution unit configured to receive input power from a power grid and a local generator located proximate the electric fracturing spread and distribute the input power to the plurali

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Maldonado Jose L
• Weightman Glenn Howard

Classifications

• H02P27/047 Primary

  V/F converter, wherein the voltage is controlled proportionally with the frequency · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title