US-12624622-B2 - Cable management of electric powered hydraulic fracturing pump unit

US12624622B2US 12624622 B2US12624622 B2US 12624622B2US-12624622-B2

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing system includes a pump, an electrically powered motor for driving the pump, a trailer on which the pump and motor are mounted, and a transformer that steps down electricity for use by the motor. Electrical output from the transformer connects to a series of receptacles mounted onto a housing around the transformer. A similar set of receptacles is provided on the trailer and which are electrically connected to the motor. Power cables equipped with plugs on their opposing ends insert into the receptacles to close an electrical circuit between the transformer and pump.

Inventors

Jared Oehring

Assignees

U.S. Well Services, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250110

Claims (20)

1 . A hydraulic fracturing system, comprising: a trailer; a hydraulic fracturing pump supported by the trailer and being configured to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid; an electric motor that drives the hydraulic fracturing pump, the electric motor supported by the trailer; an enclosure supported by the trailer; a variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in the enclosure, the VFD being operably connected to the electric motor to control a speed of the electric motor; and a three-phase transformer configured to distribute power to the electric motor, the three-phase transformer comprising: a first pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a first phase to the electric motor; a second pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a second, distinct, phase to the electric motor; and a third pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a third, distinct, phase to the electric motor.
2 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein: the first pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other; the second pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other; and the third pair of receptacles are vertically aligned with each other.
3 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2 , wherein each receptacle of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles is a quick disconnect receptacle.
4 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor comprises: a fourth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the first phase from the three-phase transformer; a fifth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and a sixth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
5 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4 , comprising: a first cable bundle that couples the first pair of receptacles to the fourth pair of receptacles; a second cable bundle that couples the second pair of receptacles to the fifth pair of receptacles; and a third cable bundle that couples the third pair of receptacles to the sixth pair of receptacles.
6 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 4 , wherein an arrangement of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles on the three-phase transformer mirrors an arrangement of the fourth, fifth and sixth pairs of receptacles on the electric motor.
7 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , comprising: a second hydraulic fracturing pump supported by the trailer and being configured to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid; a second electric motor that drives the second hydraulic fracturing pump, the second electric motor supported by the trailer; and a second variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in the enclosure, the second VFD being operably connected to the second electric motor to control a speed of the second electric motor.
8 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 7 , wherein the three-phase transformer comprises: a seventh pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a first phase to the second electric motor; a eighth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a second, distinct, phase to the second electric motor; and a ninth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a third, distinct, phase to the second electric motor.
9 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 8 , wherein the second electric motor comprises: a tenth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a first phase from the three-phase transformer; a eleventh pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and a twelfth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
10 . The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 9 , comprising: a fourth cable bundle that couples the seventh pair of receptacles to the tenth pair of receptacles; a fifth cable bundle that couples the eighth pair of receptacles to the eleventh pair of receptacles; and a sixth cable bundle that couples the ninth pair of receptacles to the twelfth pair of receptacles.
11 . A hydraulic fracturing method, comprising: pumping hydraulic fracturing fluid by operation of a hydraulic fracturing pump, wherein the hydraulic fracturing pump is supported by a trailer; driving the hydraulic fracturing pump by operation of an electric motor supported by the trailer; controlling a speed of the electric motor by operation of a variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in an enclosure supported by the trailer; and providing electric power to the electric motor from a three-phase transformer, wherein the three-phase transformer steps down a voltage of the electric power received from a power source, the three-phase transformer comprising: a first pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a first phase to the electric motor; a second pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a second, distinct, phase to the electric motor; and a third pair of receptacles that transmit electricity in a third, distinct, phase to the electric motor.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein: vertically aligning the first pair of receptacles with each other; vertically aligning the second pair of receptacles with each other; and vertically aligning the third pair of receptacles with each other.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each receptacle of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles is a quick disconnect receptacle.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electric motor comprises: a fourth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the first phase from the three-phase transformer; a fifth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and a sixth pair of receptacles that receives electricity in the third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising: coupling the first pair of receptacles to the fourth pair of receptacles with a first cable bundle; coupling the second pair of receptacles to the fifth pair of receptacles with a second cable bundle; and coupling the third pair of receptacles to the sixth pair of receptacles with a third cable bundle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein an arrangement of the first, second and third pairs of receptacles on the three-phase transformer mirrors an arrangement of the fourth, fifth and sixth pairs of receptacles on the electric motor.
17 . The method of claim 11 , comprising: pumping hydraulic fracturing fluid by operation of a second hydraulic fracturing pump, wherein the second hydraulic fracturing pump is supported by the trailer; driving the second hydraulic fracturing pump by operation of a second electric motor supported by the trailer; and controlling a speed of the second electric motor by operation of a second variable frequency drive (VFD) housed in an enclosure supported by the trailer.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the three-phase transformer comprises: a seventh pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a first phase to the second electric motor; a eighth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a second, distinct, phase to the second electric motor; and a ninth pair of receptacles that transmit electricity at a third, distinct, phase to the second electric motor.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second electric motor comprises: a tenth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a first phase from the three-phase transformer; a eleventh pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a second, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer; and a twelfth pair of receptacles that receives electricity at a third, distinct, phase from the three-phase transformer.
20 . The method of claim 19 , comprising: coupling the seventh pair of receptacles to the tenth pair of receptacles with a fourth cable bundle; coupling the eighth pair of receptacles to the eleventh pair of receptacles with a fifth cable bundle; and coupling the ninth pair of receptacles to the twelfth pair of receptacles with a sixth cable bundle.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/211,791 filed Jun. 20, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/202,412 filed Mar. 16, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,680,473 issued Jun. 20, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/047,653 filed Jul. 27, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,947,829 issued Mar. 16, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/145,491 filed May 3, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,036,238 issued Jul. 31, 2018, which claims priority to and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/156,303, filed May 3, 2015 and is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/679,689 filed Nov. 16, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,410,410 issued Aug. 9, 2016, the full disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present disclosure relates to hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations. In particular, the present disclosure relates to electrical components and connections connected to an electric hydraulic fracturing pump to minimize space and time requirements for rig up and rig down. 2. Description of Prior Art Hydraulic 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. Other primary fluids sometimes used for the slurry include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, foam, diesel, or other fluids. A typical hydraulic fracturing fleet may include a data van unit, blender unit, hydration unit, chemical additive unit, hydraulic fracturing pump unit, sand equipment, electric wireline, and other equipment. Traditionally, 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. Heavy duty trailers, skids, or trucks are required for transporting the large and heavy pumps and motors to sites where wellbores are being fractured. Each hydraulic fracturing pump usually includes power and fluid ends, as well as seats, valves, springs, and keepers internally. These parts allow the hydraulic fracturing pump to draw in low pressure fluid slurry (at approximately 100 psi) and discharge the same fluid slurry at high pressures (up to 15,000 psi or more). Recently electrical motors have been introduced to replace the diesel motors, which greatly reduces the noise generated by the equipment during operation. After being transported to a wellsite electrically powered fracturing equipment, i.e. motors for pressurizing fracturing and hydraulic fluids, are connected to electrical power sources. Electrical connection for this equipment is time consuming, and the current electrical distribution configurations require numerous cables that occupy valuable space. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed herein is an example of a hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation, and which includes first and second pumps, first and second motors for driving the first and second pumps, a transformer, a first electrical circuit between the first motor and the transformer, and through which the first motor and transformer are in electrical communication, and a second electrical circuit that is separate and isolated from the first electrical circuit, and that is between the second motor and the transformer, and through which the second motor and transformer are in electrical communication. A cable assembly can be included which has an electrically conducting cable, a transformer end plug on one end of the cable and in electrical communication with the cable, and a motor end plug on an end of the cable distal from the transformer end plug and that is in electrical communication with the cable. A transformer receptacle can further be included that is in electrical communication with the transformer, and a motor receptacle in electrical communication with a one of the first or second motors, so that when the transformer end plug is inserted into the transformer receptacle, and the motor end plug is inserted into the motor receptacle, the transformer and a one of the first or second motors are in electric