IP Library Granted Patent US 11,728,657
Granted Patent B2
US 11,728,657 · App. 17/752,135 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Electric hydraulic fracturing with battery power as primary source

Inventor: Brandon Hinderliter (Houston, TX)
Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC
H02J3/381E21B43/2607
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,728,657
App. No.
17/752,135
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system includes one or more battery trailers having one or more batteries for providing operational energy to one or more connected components. The system also includes a switchgear system and fracturing equipment to receive operational energy from the one or more batteries of the one or more battery trailers to perform one or more fracturing actions.

Claims (39)

1. A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:

one or more battery trailers having one or more batteries for providing operational energy to fracturing equipment; and

a switchgear system having a common bus for load sharing;

wherein the fracturing equipment includes at least one electric powered pump and at least one fracturing support component, the fracturing equipment to receive operational energy from the one or more batteries of the one or more battery trailers to perform one or more fracturing actions, and the operational energy is distributed by the switchgear system through dedicated connections to the fracturing equipment.

2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more battery trailers replace at least one of a diesel generator or a mobile substation for providing operational energy to the fracturing equipment.

3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fracturing support component includes at least one of an electric powered blender or a data van.

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

an alternative power supply, the alternative power supply configured to provide operational energy to the fracturing equipment or to charge the one or more batteries.

5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4 , wherein the alternative power supply is at least one of a mobile generator, a mobile substation, a utility grid, or a secondary battery trailer.

6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the switchgear system is mounted on a separate dedicated trailer.

7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the switchgear system is integrated into the one or more battery trailers.

8. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more battery trailers are operational in at least one of a pass through mode, a standby mode, a power supply mode, or a charge mode.

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

a battery monitoring system to monitor at least one of a battery health or a battery charge level of the one or more batteries.

10. A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:

one or more battery trailers arranged at a well site where hydraulic fracturing is to be performed, the one or more battery trailers each including one or more batteries to store and provide operational energy at the well site, wherein the one or more battery trailers are unaffiliated with one or more alternative power sources at the well site;

hydraulic fracturing equipment to receive the operational energy from at least the one or more battery trailers; and

a switchgear system positioned electrically between the one or more battery trailers and at least some of the hydraulic fracturing equipment, the switchgear system including a transformer, an inverter system, and a rectifier, the switchgear system to condition the operational energy from the one or more battery trailers and provide the operational energy from the one or more battery trailers at one or more different power levels.

11. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the switchgear system is arranged on a trailer that is moveable between different well sites.

12. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the switchgear system is integrated into at least one battery trailer of the one or more battery trailers.

13. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a generator arranged at the well site as a secondary power source, the generator configured to provide operational energy to at least one component of the hydraulic fracturing equipment or to provide charging energy to recharge at least one battery of the one or more batteries.

14. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a mobile substation arranged at the well site as a secondary power source, the mobile substation receiving energy from a utility grid, wherein the mobile substation is configured to provide operational energy to at least one component of the hydraulic fracturing equipment or to provide charging energy to recharge at least one battery of the one or more batteries.

15. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more battery trailers can each have a storage capacity between approximately 1 MW hour and 4 MW hours.

16. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more battery trailers each have an output power of between 3 MW and 8 MW.

17. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more battery trailers are operational in at least one of a pass through mode, a standby mode, a power supply mode, or a charge mode.

18. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more battery trailers replace at least one of a mobile generator or a mobile substation for providing operational energy to the fracturing equipment.

19. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic fracturing equipment includes at least one of an electric powered pump, an electric powered blender, or a data van.

20. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a battery monitoring system to monitor at least one of a battery health or a battery charge level of the one or more batteries.

21. A method, comprising:

providing one or more dedicated battery trailers having one or more batteries to provide operational energy to one or more connected components;

positioning the one or more dedicated battery trailers at a charging location, the charging location including at least one of a hydraulic fracturing site or an equipment staging location off-site from the hydraulic fracturing site; and

causing electrical energy to be transmitted to the one or more batteries to increase a charge of the one or more batteries, the electrical energy being provided from one or more of a utility power source or an on-site power generator.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the electrical energy is transmitted to the one or more batteries while the one or more batteries provide the operational energy to the one or more connected components.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the on-site power generator is at least one of a diesel generator, a gas engine, a gas turbine, or a mobile power station coupled to a utility connection.

24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

causing electrical energy to be transmitted to the one or more connected components from one or more of the utility power source or the on-site power generator.

Assignments (4)
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2022
From: HINDERLITER, BRANDON
To: U.S. WELL SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 059999/0395 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63193992 · May 27, 2021
Related Publication 20220385074A1 · Dec 1, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 12,442,338 US 12,444,910