The present disclosure relates generally to power systems for electrical equipment and specifically to power supplies for frac equipment.
During frac operations, multiple pieces of frac equipment may be in continuous use. Such equipment may include, for example, one or more blenders, hydrators, pumps, CAS, and belt loader systems as well as control systems for operating the equipment and infrastructure such as light plants for night operation. Typically, the frac equipment is powered using diesel engines or electric motors with one or more generators. However, the requirement to continuously supply electrical power to frac equipment, which may require continuous operation of the generators, may result in high operation costs due to fuel consumption and maintenance requirements on the generators as well as producing noise and emissions.
The present disclosure provides for a method. The method may include providing a frac system. The frac system may include one or more pieces of frac equipment; power generation equipment; a power storage device; and a power controller. The method may include measuring, with the power controller, a charge status for the power storage device; measuring, with the power controller, an electrical power load being used by the frac equipment; and engaging or disengaging the power generation equipment based on the measured charge status and electrical power load.
The present disclosure also provides for a frac system. The frac system may include one or more pieces of frac equipment; a generator or gas turbine; a power storage device; and a power controller. The power controller may be adapted to selectively operate the generator or gas turbine, determine whether to power the frac equipment from the generator or gas turbine or the power storage device, and determine whether to charge the power storage device from the generator or gas turbine.
The present disclosure provides for a frac system. The frac system may include one or more pieces of frac equipment, power distribution equipment in electrical communication with the frac equipment; and power generation equipment in electrical communication with the power distribution equipment.
The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
In some embodiments, frac system 100 includes generator 111. Generator 111 may be positioned on-site at wellsite 10. In some embodiments, generator 111 may be a diesel generator. In some embodiments, generator 111 may be a natural-gas powered generator. In some embodiments, frac system 100 may include two or more generators 111.
In some embodiments, frac system 100 may include power storage device 121. Power storage device 121 may be used to store electric power, such as power generated by generators 111. In some embodiments, power storage device 121 may include, for example and without limitation, one or more batteries, capacitors, electromechanical power storage devices, or other power storage devices known in the art. In certain embodiments, power storage device 121 may be omitted.
As depicted schematically in
In some embodiments, frac system 100 may include power controller 131. Power controller 131 may, in some embodiments, control the operation of the power supply of frac system 100. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, power controller 131 may control the electrical connections provided by generator supply line 113, storage supply line 123, and charge line 125 as further discussed herein below. Control over these connections may be accomplished by a power distribution system indicated by switches 103a-c. In some embodiments, power controller 131 may include a processor adapted to perform computer program instructions stored on tangible, non-transitory computer memory media. In some embodiments, the processor may be, for example and without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, ASIC, FPGA, or CPLD.
In some embodiments, power controller 131 may include one or more sensors used to measure one or more states of components of frac system 100. For example, in some embodiments, power controller 131 may include charge sensor 133 used to determine the charge state of power storage device 121. In some embodiments, power controller 131 may include load sensor 135 used to determine the electrical power load being used by frac equipment 101.
In some embodiments, power controller 131 may be adapted to control the operation of generator 111. In such embodiments, power controller 131, through control line 137 as shown schematically in
In some embodiments, power controller 131 may use information determined from charge sensor 133 and load sensor 135 to select an operational state for frac system 100. In such an embodiment, power controller 131 may select among states, including, but not limited to, states in which frac equipment 101 is powered by generator 111 alone, by power storage device 121 alone, or by a combination of generator 111 and power storage device 121. Power controller 131 may, in a state when a combination of generator 111 and power storage device 121 are both operating, determine the power from generator 111 and the power from power storage device 121. In some embodiments, power controller 131 may further determine whether generator 111 is to be enabled. In some embodiments, power controller 131 may determine whether power storage device 121 is to be charged during operation of generator 111. In certain embodiments, a gas turbine, such as described below with respect to
In some cases, while operating using power from power storage device 121 alone, power controller 131 may continue to monitor the charge state of power storage device 121 using charge sensor 133 [207]. If power controller 131 determines that the charge state of power storage device 121 falls below a threshold charge state, power controller 131 may turn on generator 111 [209]. In some embodiments, power from generator 111 may be used to provide power to frac equipment 101 [211]. In some embodiments, power from generator 111 may be used to charge power storage device 121. In some embodiments, power controller 131 may determine whether to power frac equipment 101 from both generator 111 and power storage device 121 once generator 111 is turned on [213] depending, for example and without limitation, on the charge state of power storage device 121 as measured by charge sensor 133 and the power load of frac equipment 101 as measured by load sensor 135.
In some embodiments, power from generator 111 may be used to both power frac equipment 101 and charge power storage device 121 [215]. Such an operating state may be used when, for example and without limitation, the power load from frac equipment 101 is sufficiently below the power output of generator 111 to allow excess power to be used to charge power storage device 121 without affecting operation of frac equipment 101 or when frac equipment 101 is not in operation and it is desired to charge power storage device 121.
In other cases, where power storage device 121 is determined to not be sufficiently charged to allow for the desired period of operation of frac equipment 101 without need for operation of generator 111 as determined by load sensor 135 or by one or more user inputs [201], power controller 131 may turn on generator 111 [209] if generator 111 is not on and may determine whether to power frac support equipment 201 from generator 111 alone [211] or from generator 111 and power storage device 121 [213] as well as whether to charge power storage device 121 [215].
In some embodiments such as discussed with respect to
In some embodiments, frac system 300 includes generator 311. Generator 311 may be positioned on-site at wellsite 10. In some embodiments, generator 311 may be a diesel generator. In some embodiments, generator 311 may be a natural-gas powered generator. In some embodiments, frac system 300 may include two or more generators 311.
In some embodiments, frac system 300 may include power storage device 321. Power storage device 321 may be used to store electric power, such as power generated by generators 311. In some embodiments, power storage device 321 may include, for example and without limitation, one or more batteries, capacitors, electromechanical power storage devices, or other power storage devices known in the art. In certain embodiments, power storage device 321 may be omitted.
As depicted schematically in
In some embodiments, frac system 300 may include power controller 331. Power controller 331 may, in some embodiments, control the operation of the power supply of frac system 300. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, power controller 331 may control the electrical connections provided by generator supply line 313, storage supply line 323, and charge line 325 as further discussed herein below. Control over these connections may be accomplished by a power distribution system indicated by switches 303a-e.
In some embodiments, power controller 331 may include one or more sensors used to measure one or more states of components of frac system 300. For example, in some embodiments, power controller 331 may include charge sensor 333 used to determine the charge state of power storage device 321. In some embodiments, power controller 331 may include load sensor 335 used to determine the electrical power load being used by frac equipment 301.
In some embodiments, power controller 331 may be adapted to control the operation of generator 311. In such embodiments, power controller 331, through control line 337 as shown schematically in
In some embodiments, grid power 351 may be available to frac system 300 and may be used to power frac equipment 301 and/or charge power storage device 321. In some cases, availability of grid power 351 may be dependent on several factors including, for example and without limitation, whether the utility company providing grid power 351 allows the power draw required by frac system 300 and whether grid power 351 is cost effective compared to power from generator 311. In some embodiments, grid power 351 may be electrically coupled to frac equipment 301 by one or more power lines, depicted as grid supply line 353, and may be electrically coupled to power storage device 321 by one or more power lines, depicted as grid charge line 355.
In some embodiments, power controller 331 may use information determined from charge sensor 333 and load sensor 335 to select an operational state for frac system 300. In such an embodiment, power controller 331 may select among states in which frac equipment 301 is powered by generator 311 alone, by power storage device 321 alone, by grid power 351 alone, or by a combination of one or more of generator 311, power storage device 321, and grid power 351. In some embodiments, power controller 331 may further determine whether generator 311 is to be enabled. In some embodiments, power controller 331 may determine whether power storage device 321 is to be charged during operation of generator 311 or while grid power 351 is available. In some embodiments, power controller 311 may determine to charge power storage device 321 from generator 311 or grid power 351.
In some cases, while operating using power from power storage device 321 alone, power controller 331 may continue to monitor the charge state of power storage device 321 using charge sensor 333 [407]. If power controller 331 determines that the charge state of power storage device 321 falls below a threshold charge state, power controller 331 may turn on generator 311 [409]. In some embodiments, power from generator 311 may be used to provide power to frac equipment 301 [411]. In some embodiments, power from generator 311 may be used to charge power storage device 321. In some embodiments, power controller 331 may determine whether to power frac equipment 301 from both generator 311 and power storage device 321 once generator 311 is turned on [413] depending, for example and without limitation, on the charge state of power storage device 321 as measured by charge sensor 333 and the power load of frac equipment 301 as measured by load sensor 335.
In some embodiments, power from generator 311 may be used to both power frac equipment 301 and charge power storage device 321 [415]. Such an operating state may be used when, for example and without limitation, the power load from frac equipment 301 is sufficiently below the power output of generator 311 to allow excess power to be used to charge power storage device 321 without affecting operation of frac equipment 301 or when frac equipment 301 is not in operation and it is desired to charge power storage device 321.
In other cases, where power storage device 321 is determined to not be sufficiently charged to allow for the desired period of operation of frac equipment 301 without need for operation of generator 311 as determined by load sensor 335 or by one or more user inputs [401], power controller 331 may turn on generator 311 [409] if generator 311 is not on and may determine whether to power frac support equipment 101 from generator 311 alone [411] or from generator 311 and power storage device 321 [413] as well as whether to charge power storage device 321 [415].
In some cases where it is determined that grid power is available to be used by frac system 300 [417], power controller 331 may determine whether to charge power storage device 321 [415] and/or operate frac equipment 301 from grid power [419]. Power controller 331 may also determine whether to turn off generator 311 [403] when grid power is available.
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The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
This application is a non-provisional application which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/987,681, filed Mar. 10, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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10738580 | Fischer | Aug 2020 | B1 |
20190245348 | Hinderliter | Aug 2019 | A1 |
20210032961 | Hinderliter | Feb 2021 | A1 |
20210079902 | Yeung | Mar 2021 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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WO-2020219091 | Oct 2020 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210285312 A1 | Sep 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62987681 | Mar 2020 | US |