IP Library Granted Patent US 11,814,938
Granted Patent B2
US 11,814,938 · App. 17/319,810 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Hybrid hydraulic fracturing fleet

Inventors: Jared Oehring (Houston, TX); Brandon Neil Hinderliter (Houston, TX)
Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC
E21B43/2607B60W10/105E21B41/0085E21B43/2401F04B17/03F04B49/065
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,814,938
App. No.
17/319,810
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system is disclosed as including a singular mobile platform of at least one mobile power unit (MPU) and at least one first switch gear that is configured to handle electric power from the MPU. The MPU is configured to generate voltage that matches the requirements of an electrical bus from the at least one switch gear such that a combined electrical current generated as a result of the generated voltage is provided to the electrical bus to the components of the hydraulic fracturing system. Further, the hydraulic fracturing system may include electrical fracturing equipment with at least one second switch gear to support the at least one first switch gear in handling electric power from the MPU. A datavan may be included in the system to control load shedding, load sharing, and power distribution for the electrical fracturing equipment comprising the at least one second switch gear.

Claims (48)

1. A hydraulic fracturing fleet, comprising:

a datavan to engage an interchangeable combination of diesel-powered components and electric-powered components;

a controller executing a software module to:

receive an indication from a component connected to the datavan, and

determine a type of the component from the indication, the type associated with the component being one of the diesel-powered components or the electric-powered components; and

switching components associated with the datavan to switch between the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, upon determination of the type of the component based in part on the indication comprising control gear levels or revolutions per minute (RPM) associated with a diesel engine or comprising frequency levels or voltage levels associated with an electric pump.

2. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , wherein:

multi-pump controls in the datavan to control a diesel or an electric pump in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components.

3. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a sub-component of the connected components to communicate the indication from the connected component to the datavan.

4. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

electric and diesel blenders in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric and the diesel blenders associated with back-up counterpart blenders.

5. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pump operator station comprised in the datavan to enable operator control of the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components or of back-up counterpart components that are either diesel powered or electric-powered.

6. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pump down station configured to operate with a second well concurrently with the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in operation with a first well.

7. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a data network coupled to the datavan to:

transmit on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station, and

transmit remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

8. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

waterproof covers provided in the datavan to safeguard the switching components of the datavan.

9. The hydraulic fracturing fleet of claim 1 , further comprising:

a redundant diesel or electric power to power the datavan from within the hydraulic fracturing fleet or from a remote station.

10. A method of operating hydraulic fracturing fleet, comprising:

engaging, using a datavan, an interchangeable combination of diesel-powered components and electric-powered components;

receiving, by a software module executing on a controller, an indication from a component connected to the datavan;

determining, by the software module, a type of the component from the indication, the type associated with the component being one of the diesel-powered components or the electric-powered components; and

switching, by switching components associated with the datavan, between the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components upon determination of the type of the component based in part on the indication comprising control gear levels or revolutions per minute (RPM) associated with a diesel engine or comprising frequency levels or voltage levels associated with an electric pump.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

controlling, by multi-pump controls in the datavan, the diesel engine or the electric pump in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

controlling the control gear levels, the frequency levels, the RPM, or the voltage levels based at least in part on requirements of the hydraulic fracturing fleet.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing electric and diesel blenders in the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the electric and the diesel blenders associated with back-up counterpart blenders.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

enabling, from a pump operator station comprised in the datavan, operator control of:

the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, or

back-up counterpart components that are either diesel powered or electric-powered.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

operating, using a pump down station, a second well with the interchangeable combination of the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components, the diesel-powered components and the electric-powered components being in concurrent operation with a first well.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

transmitting, using a data network coupled to the datavan, on-site data associated with the hydraulic fracturing fleet to a remote station; and

transmitting remote data from the remote station to the datavan.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

covering, using waterproof covers in the datavan, the switching components for safeguarding communications to the electric-powered components.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing redundant power, from a redundant diesel or electric power source of the hydraulic fracturing fleet or a remote station, to power the datavan.

Assignments (5)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2024
From: FTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES, LLC; U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC; PROFRAC SERVICES, LLC; U.S. WELL SERVICES HOLDINGS, LLC; BEST PUMP AND FLOW, LLC
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066186/0752 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2023
From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066091/0133 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2022
From: U.S. WELL SERVICE HOLDINGS, LLC; USWS HOLDINGS LLC; U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC; USWS FLEET 10, LLC; USWS FLEET 11, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 062142/0927 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2022
From: U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
To: PIPER SANDLER FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 061875/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
Reel/Frame 057434/0429 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16385070 · Apr 16, 2019
Provisional Application 62658257 · Apr 16, 2018
Related Publication 20210262321A1 · Aug 26, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,378,865 US 12,444,910