Apparatus and methods for delivering a high volume of fluid into an underground well bore from a mobile pumping unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9395049-B2
Application number	US-201313948483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2013
Priority date	Jul 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus for pumping fluid into an underground well bore at a well site and being transportable between multiple well sites includes a chassis configured to be transportable between well sites, first and second fluid pumps disposed upon the chassis and configured to pump pressurized fluid into the well bore at the same time and an electric motor disposed upon the chassis and configured to concurrently drive both pumps.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system for pumping high pressure fracturing fluid into an underground well bore at a well site and being transportable between multiple well sites, the mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system comprising:
a chassis, said chassis being configured to be transportable between well sites;
an electric motor disposed upon said chassis, said electric motor being electrically coupled to an external electric power source and having first and second opposing ends, said electric motor further having a single drive shaft extending axially therethrough and outwardly therefrom at said first and second opposing ends thereof;
a first fluid pump disposed upon said chassis, coupled directly to said drive shaft of said electric motor at said first end of said motor and configured to pump fracturing fluid into the well bore;
a second fluid pump disposed upon said chassis, coupled directly to said drive shaft of said electric motor at said second end of said motor and configured to pump fracturing fluid into the well bore at the same time as said first fluid pump,
wherein said first and second fluid pumps are axially aligned with said electric motor at said opposing ends thereof, further wherein said drive shaft of said electric motor is coupled to said first and second fluid pumps so that said electric motor is capable of concurrently driving both said fluid pumps;
at least a first flex coupling engaged with and between said electric motor and said first fluid pump and configured to allow movement of said electric motor and said first fluid pump relative to one another during and without disturbing the operation thereof; and
at least a second flex coupling engaged with and between said electric motor and said second fluid pump and configured to allow movement of said electric motor and said second fluid pump relative to one another during and without disturbing the operation thereof.

2. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein said electric motor is configured to drive each said fluid pump regardless of the operation of said other fluid pump.

3. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein said electric motor has a power rating of 6,000 hp and each of said first and second fluid pumps has a power rating of 3,000 hp.

4. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 1 wherein said first and second fluid pumps are coupled to said drive shaft of said electric motor out of phase.

5. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 1 further including first and second said electric motors and first and second sets of said first and second fluid pumps disposed upon said chassis, wherein said second electric motor is stacked atop said first electric motor and said first and second fluid pumps of said second set are stacked atop said first and second fluid pumps of said first set, respectively.

6. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 1 further including a remotely controllable variable frequency drive disposed upon said chassis and electrically coupled to said electric motor, said variable frequency drive configured to control the speed of said electric motor.

7. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 6 wherein said variable frequency drive is configured to be electrically coupled to said external electric power source and provide electric power to said electric motor when said external electric power source is disposed at a remote location relative to said chassis.

8. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 7 wherein said external electric power source is one among a local utility power grid and a gas turbine generator.

9. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 6 further including at least one busbar disposed upon said chassis and engaged with, and configured to electrically connect, said variable frequency drive and said electric motor.

10. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 6 wherein said electric motor is an AC permanent magnet motor having a power rating of 5,000 hp.

11. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 10 wherein each fluid pump is a high horsepower plunger-style fluid pump having a power rating of 2,500 hp.

12. The mobile hydraulic fracturing fluid delivery system of claim 6 wherein said chassis is mounted upon one among a trailer and a skid.

13. A mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit for pumping high pressure fluid into an underground well bore at a well site and being transportable between multiple well sites, the mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit comprising:
a chassis, said chassis being configured to be transportable between well sites;
first and second fluid pump disposed upon said chassis and configured to pump pressurized fluid into the well bore at the same time;
an electric motor disposed upon said chassis, having first and second opposing ends, a single drive shaft extending axially therethrough and outwardly therefrom at said first and second opposing ends thereof and being configured to concurrently drive both said first and second fluid pumps, said first fluid pump being coupled directly to said drive shaft of said electric motor at said first end of said electric motor and said second fluid pump being coupled directly to said drive shaft of said electric motor at said second end of said electric motor;
at least a first high horsepower elastic coupling engaged with and between said electric motor and said first fluid pump and configured to allow movement of said electric motor and said first fluid pump relative to one another during and without disturbing the operation thereof;
at least a second high horsepower elastic coupling engaged with and between said electric motor and said second fluid pump and configured to allow movement of said electric motor and said second fluid pump relative to one another during and without disturbing the operation thereof; and
a remotely controllable variable frequency drive disposed upon said chassis and electrically coupled to said electric motor and an external electric power source, said variable frequency drive being configured to provide electric power to said electric motor from said external electric power source and allow the speed of said electric motor to be remotely controlled.

14. The mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit of claim 13 further including at least one busbar disposed upon said chassis and engaged with, and configured to electrically connect, said variable frequency drive and said electric motor.

15. The mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit of claim 13 wherein said electric motor is configured to drive each said fluid pump regardless of the operation of said other fluid pump.

16. The mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit of claim 13 wherein said first and second fluid pumps are desynchronized.

17. The mobile high pressure fluid pumping unit of claim 13 further including first and second said electric motors and first and second sets of said first and second fluid pumps disposed upon said chassis, wherein said second electric motor is stacked atop said first electric motor and said first and second fluid pumps of said second set are stacked atop said first and second fluid pumps of said first set, respectively.

18. Apparatus for pumping high pressure fluid into an underground well bore at a well site and being transportable between multiple well sites, the ap

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Vicknair Bruce A
• Burnette Blake

Classifications

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• F17D1/08 Primary

  for liquids or viscous products (water-main or service pipe systems E03B7/04; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D17/00) · CPC title

• E21B43/162 Primary

  Injecting fluid from longitudinally spaced locations in injection well · CPC title

• Y10T137/6881

  Automotive · CPC title