Modular remote power generation and transmission for hydraulic fracturing system

{
  "publication_number": "US10526882B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Modular remote power generation and transmission for hydraulic fracturing system",
  "abstract": "A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation includes a power generation system, a transmission section, and an equipment load section. The power generation system includes a turbine generator that generates electricity that is used to power equipment in the equipment load section. The equipment in the equipment load section conditions and pressurizes fluid that is injected into a wellbore for fracturing the formation. The power generation and equipment load sections are distal from one another are separated by a long distance. The transmission section connects the power generation and equipment load sections, and thus spans the long distance between these sections.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising: an electric motor; a pump coupled to the motor, and that has a discharge in fluid communication with a wellbore that intersects the formation, so that when the motor is activated and drives the pump, pressurized fluid from the pump pressurizes the wellbore to fracture the formation; a variable frequency drive in communication with the electric motor, and that controls the speed of the motor, and performs electric motor diagnostics to prevent damage to the electric motor; a source of electricity that is disposed a long distance from the electric motor transmission lines that connect the source of electricity to the electric motor and that span the long distance between the source of electricity and the electric motor; and a switch gear between the transmission line and the source of electricity, and another switch gear between the transmission line and the electric motor.",
    "2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, further comprising a transformer between the transmission line and the source of electricity.",
    "3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, further comprising a transformer between the transmission line and the electric motor.",
    "4. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the source of electricity is selected from the group consisting of a utility outlet, a turbine generator, and a reciprocating engine generator.",
    "5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4, further comprising an electric equipment room in communication with the turbine generator and which controls operation of the turbine generator.",
    "6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, further comprising a transformer between the switch gear and the electric motor.",
    "7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor comprises a first electric motor, the system further comprising a multiplicity of electric motors, and wherein the transmission lines are selectively moveable at different times to provide electrical communication between the source of electricity and the multiplicity of motors.",
    "8. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising: driving a pump with an electric motor; transmitting electricity via a transmission line to the electric motor from a power source that is a long distance from the electric motor, wherein a first switchgear is positioned between the power source and the transmission line and a second switchgear is positioned between the transmission line and the electric motor; pressurizing a fluid with the pump to form a pressurized fluid; and fracturing the subterranean formation by directing the pressurized fluid to a wellbore that intersects the subterranean formation.",
    "9. The method of claim 8, further comprising controlling a speed of the motor with a variable frequency drive.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, further comprising performing diagnostics on the electric motor with the variable frequency drive.",
    "11. The method of claim 8, further comprising increasing a voltage of the electricity proximate the power source with a transformer, and decreasing the voltage of the electricity proximate the electric motor.",
    "12. The method of claim 8, further comprising suspending electrical communication between the power source and the electric motor with one of a cutout or a switch gear.",
    "13. The method of claim 8, wherein the electric motor comprises a first electric motor, the pump comprises a first pump, the wellbore comprises a first wellbore, and the subterranean formation comprises a first subterranean formation, and wherein the step of transmitting electricity to the electric motor comprises transmitting electricity across a transmission section that has an end in electrical communication with the power source, and another end that is in electrical communication with the first electric motor, the method further comprising, disconnecting the end of the transmission section that is in communication with the first electric motor and reconnecting that end to a second electric motor is a long distance from the power supply and that is connected to a second pump, and pressurizing fluid with the second pump and directing the pressurized fluid to a second wellbore for fracturing a second subterranean formation.",
    "14. The method of claim 8, wherein the power source comprises a power generation section that includes devices selected from the group consisting of a utility outlet, a turbine generator, and an electrical equipment room."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of Invention\n\nThe present disclosure relates to hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method and device for remotely generating and transmitting power for hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean formation.\n\n2. Description of Prior Art\n\nHydraulic fracturing is a technique used to stimulate production from some hydrocarbon producing wells. The technique usually involves injecting fluid into a wellbore at a pressure sufficient to generate fissures in the formation surrounding the wellbore. Typically the pressurized fluid is injected into a portion of the wellbore that is pressure isolated from the remaining length of the wellbore so that fracturing is limited to a designated portion of the formation. The fracturing fluid slurry, whose primary component is usually water, includes proppant (such as sand or ceramic) that migrate into the fractures with the fracturing fluid slurry and remain to prop open the fractures after pressure is no longer applied to the wellbore. Sometimes, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, foam, diesel, or other fluids are used as the primary component instead of water. A typical hydraulic fracturing fleet may include a data van unit, blender unit, hydration unit, chemical additive unit, hydraulic fracturing pump unit, sand equipment, wireline, and other equipment.\n\nTraditionally, the fracturing fluid slurry has been pressurized on surface by high pressure pumps powered by diesel engines. To produce the pressures required for hydraulic fracturing, the pumps and associated engines have substantial volume and mass.",
  "cpc": [
    "E21B 43/2607",
    "E21B 43/26",
    "E21B 43/267",
    "H02P 29/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E21B 43/26",
    "H02P 29/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "US Well Services LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jared Oehring",
    "Brandon Neil HINDERLITER"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-06-15",
  "publication_date": "2020-01-07",
  "grant_date": "2020-01-07",
  "priority_date": "2012-11-16",
  "application_number": "US-201615183387-A",
  "family_id": "57015154",
  "cited_by_count": 207,
  "citations": [
    "US1671436A",
    "US2004077A",
    "US2183364A",
    "US2220622A",
    "US2248051A",
    "US2753940A",
    "US3061039A",
    "US3066503A",
    "US3334495A",
    "US3722595A",
    "US3764233A",
    "US3837179A",
    "US3773140A",
    "US3849662A",
    "US3881551A",
    "US4037431A",
    "US4100822A",
    "US4151575A",
    "US4226299A",
    "US4265266A",
    "US4456092A",
    "US4442665A",
    "US4432064A",
    "US4506982A",
    "US4512387A",
    "US4676063A",
    "US4529887A",
    "US4538916A",
    "US5006044A",
    "US4793386A",
    "US4922463A",
    "US4845981A",
    "US5025861A",
    "US5130628A",
    "US5172009A",
    "US5189388A",
    "US5131472A",
    "US5422550A",
    "US5548093A",
    "US5865247A",
    "US5736838A",
    "US5655361A",
    "US6254462B1",
    "US5590976A",
    "US5790972A",
    "US5755096A",
    "US5879137A",
    "US5894888A",
    "US5907970A",
    "US6208098B1",
    "US8096891B2",
    "US6164910A",
    "US6142878A",
    "US6138764A",
    "US6271637B1",
    "US6529135B1",
    "US6202702B1",
    "US6315523B1",
    "US6477852B2",
    "US6484490B1",
    "US20060052903A1",
    "US6491098B1",
    "US7500642B2",
    "US20020169523A1",
    "US8760657B2",
    "US6802690B2",
    "US20030056514A1",
    "US7336514B2",
    "US20030138327A1",
    "US6776227B2",
    "US20040040746A1",
    "US6931310B2",
    "US20040102109A1",
    "US20040167738A1",
    "JP2004264589A",
    "US6808303B2",
    "US20070278140A1",
    "US20050116541A1",
    "US7170262B2",
    "US7104233B2",
    "US20090065299A1",
    "US20050274508A1",
    "US20100045109A1",
    "US7563076B2",
    "US7581379B2",
    "US7494263B2",
    "US7173399B2",
    "US20060260331A1",
    "US7525264B2",
    "US20080236818A1",
    "US20090200035A1",
    "US20070131410A1",
    "US20080208478A1",
    "US7445041B2",
    "US7807048B2",
    "US20070187163A1",
    "US20070201305A1",
    "US20120205400A1",
    "US20170369258A1",
    "US20070226089A1",
    "US8857506B2",
    "US7683499B2",
    "US20070277982A1",
    "US7845413B2",
    "US7312593B1",
    "US20080217024A1",
    "US20080137266A1",
    "US20080112802A1",
    "AU2007340913A1",
    "US7977824B2",
    "US9160168B2",
    "US9738461B2",
    "US20130199617A1",
    "US8573303B2",
    "US20080264625A1",
    "US20080264649A1",
    "US20080264640A1",
    "US8139383B2",
    "US8774972B2",
    "US8727068B2",
    "US7675189B2",
    "US20120205301A1",
    "US20090045782A1",
    "US7755310B2",
    "US20100200224A1",
    "US20090260826A1",
    "US20090078410A1",
    "US20090090504A1",
    "US8083504B2",
    "US20090093317A1",
    "US20090095482A1",
    "US7717193B2",
    "US8146665B2",
    "US20090153354A1",
    "US8154419B2",
    "US8272439B2",
    "US8037936B2",
    "US20090188181A1",
    "US20110017468A1",
    "US9051822B2",
    "US20090308602A1",
    "US20110247878A1",
    "US20100000508A1",
    "US8534235B2",
    "US20100019574A1",
    "US20100038907A1",
    "US20100051272A1",
    "US8596056B2",
    "US20100132949A1",
    "US20100101785A1",
    "US8692408B2",
    "US20100146981A1",
    "US20100250139A1",
    "US20100172202A1",
    "US20100303655A1",
    "US8851860B1",
    "US20100293973A1",
    "US8054084B2",
    "US8807960B2",
    "US8354817B2",
    "US20100322802A1",
    "US8310272B2",
    "US8616005B1",
    "US20110061855A1",
    "US20110085924A1",
    "US8899940B2",
    "US8232892B2",
    "US20110166046A1",
    "US20110005757A1",
    "US20120018016A1",
    "US8261528B2",
    "US20110272158A1",
    "US8616274B2",
    "CN201687513U",
    "US8905056B2",
    "US20120085541A1",
    "US8838341B2",
    "CN101977016A",
    "US20120127635A1",
    "US8474521B2",
    "US20140000899A1",
    "US20120232728A1",
    "US9366114B2",
    "US20160208594A1",
    "US20150068754A1",
    "US20150068724A1",
    "US20160208593A1",
    "US20120255734A1",
    "US9103193B2",
    "CA2955706A1",
    "CA2966672A1",
    "US20160326855A1",
    "US9121257B2",
    "US20150097504A1",
    "CN202023547U",
    "US20130009469A1",
    "US20130025706A1",
    "US20140246211A1",
    "US20130175039A1",
    "US20170313499A1",
    "US20170021318A1",
    "US9458687B2",
    "US20130175038A1",
    "US9175554B1",
    "US20140379300A1",
    "US9863228B2",
    "US20130233542A1",
    "CN102602322A",
    "US9067182B2",
    "US20130306322A1",
    "US8905138B2",
    "US20130343858A1",
    "US20130341029A1",
    "US20150175013A1",
    "US8997904B2",
    "US20140010671A1",
    "US20150217672A1",
    "US20140054965A1",
    "US20140060658A1",
    "US20150225113A1",
    "US20140095114A1",
    "US20140096974A1",
    "US9475020B2",
    "US9475021B2",
    "US20150300145A1",
    "US20170037718A1",
    "US9140110B2",
    "US20170036178A1",
    "US9206684B2",
    "US20140124162A1",
    "US9322239B2",
    "US20160326854A1",
    "US9611728B2",
    "CA2833711A1",
    "US20160349728A1",
    "US20150211524A1",
    "US20160032703A1",
    "US20160105022A1",
    "US20140138079A1",
    "US20140174717A1",
    "US20170314380A1",
    "US9745840B2",
    "US8789601B2",
    "US20170222409A1",
    "US20170218843A1",
    "US9650879B2",
    "US20160348479A1",
    "US20170096885A1",
    "US20160319650A1",
    "US20170037717A1",
    "US9410410B2",
    "US20170022788A1",
    "US20170028368A1",
    "US20160290114A1",
    "US20170030178A1",
    "US20170030177A1",
    "US20160273328A1",
    "US20150330172A1",
    "US9018881B2",
    "US20140255214A1",
    "US20140251623A1",
    "US20160230525A1",
    "US20150114652A1",
    "US20160312108A1",
    "US20140277772A1",
    "US20140290768A1",
    "US20150027712A1",
    "US9450385B2",
    "US20150075778A1",
    "US20150083426A1",
    "US20150144336A1",
    "US20150159911A1",
    "US20150176386A1",
    "US20170022807A1",
    "US20150252661A1",
    "US20170159570A1",
    "US20150314225A1",
    "US10008880B2",
    "US20170114625A1",
    "US20170226842A1",
    "US20170241221A1",
    "US20160102537A1",
    "US20160160889A1",
    "US20160186531A1",
    "US9534473B2",
    "US20160177675A1",
    "US20170104389A1",
    "US20160177678A1",
    "US9562420B2",
    "US20160369609A1",
    "US20170328179A1",
    "US20160208592A1",
    "US9587649B2",
    "US20160208595A1",
    "US20160221220A1",
    "US20160230524A1",
    "US20160258267A1",
    "WO2016144939A1",
    "WO2016160458A1",
    "US20160290563A1",
    "US20160341281A1",
    "US20170051732A1",
    "US20170259227A1",
    "US20170292513A1",
    "CA2964593A1",
    "US20180038216A1",
    "US20190162061A1",
    "US20190178235A1",
    "US20190211661A1",
    "US20180320483A1",
    "US20190003329A1",
    "US20190063309A1",
    "US20190169971A1",
    "US20190245348A1"
  ]
}