# US 12,110,773 B2 · Hybrid drive systems for well stimulation operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,773 B2 - Document ID: US12110773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/420,556 - Filed: 2024-01-23 - Published: 2024-05-16 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-06 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Timothy Holiman Hunter; Stanley Vernon Stephenson; Billy Don Coskrey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110773B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations} - E21B 41/0085: {Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes} - E21B 43/25: Methods for stimulating production {(by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003)} - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping - F04B 15/02: the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous - F04B 17/03: driven by electric motors - F04B 17/05: driven by internal-combustion engines - F04B 17/06: Mobile combinations - F04B 47/00: Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps (by using positive or negative pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped F04F1/00) - F04B 47/02: the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level (F04B47/12 takes precedence) - F04D 13/02: Units comprising pumps and their driving means - F04D 13/06: the pump being electrically driven - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, a hybrid drive system that uses multiple sources of mechanical energy to drive a pump is provided. The hybrid drive system may include a first mover for generating first mechanical energy, a pump, a drivetrain for providing first mechanical energy from the first mover to the pump, and a second mover within the drivetrain to generate and provide second mechanical energy to the pump. The multiple sources of mechanical energy may provide flexibility with respect to system design and allow for alternative sources of fuel and energy to be used to drive pumping systems. This may reduce the total diesel fuel consumption necessary to perform a well stimulation operation as well as provide for configurations in which diesel engines may be excluded from the pumping process in favor of alternative energy sources that typically do not have sufficient torque capacity to power a pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a first mover for generating a first mechanical energy, wherein the first mover comprises an internal combustion engine; a well stimulation pump; a second mover for generating a second mechanical energy, wherein the second mover is powered by electricity produced using natural gas, wherein at least a portion of the natural gas is obtained from a wellbore on-site; and a drivetrain for outputting a combination of the first and second mechanical energies to the well stimulation pump, wherein the combined first and second mechanical energies power the well stimulation pump to pump fluid to the wellbore. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mover comprises a diesel engine or a dual fuel engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mover comprises a spark-ignited natural gas engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a trailer onto which the first mover, the well stimulation pump, the drivetrain, and the second mover are mounted; and a truck coupled to the trailer, wherein the second mover is coupled to and receives energy from the truck. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the second mover is coupled between the first mover and the transmission. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the second mover is coupled between the transmission and the well stimulation pump. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mover and the second mover operate in parallel to power the well stimulation pump. ### Claim 8 A system, comprising: a pump system comprising: a first mover for generating a first mechanical energy, wherein the first mover comprises an internal combustion engine; a pump; a second mover for generating a second mechanical energy, wherein the second mover is powered by electricity produced using natural gas, wherein at least a portion of the natural gas is obtained from a wellbore on-site; and a drivetrain for outputting a combination of the first and second mechanical energies to the pump; a fluid manifold for providing fluid communication between the pump and the wellbore; and a blender unit for preparing a treatment fluid, wherein the treatment fluid is provided to the fluid manifold via the pump. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising an electrical generator coupled to the second mover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising a gas conditioning system to produce conditioned natural gas from the natural gas obtained from the wellbore on-site, wherein the conditioned natural gas is used to power the electrical generator to generate electricity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the second mover is coupled between the first mover and the transmission. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the second mover is coupled between the transmission and the pump. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the first mover and the second mover operate in parallel to power the pump. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising: a trailer onto which the first mover, the pump, the drivetrain, and the second mover are mounted; and a truck coupled to the trailer, wherein the second mover is coupled to and receives energy from the truck. ### Claim 15 A method of performing an operation in a subterranean formation, comprising: having a first mechanical energy from a diesel engine, a spark-ignited natural gas engine, or a dual fuel engine; having a second mechanical energy from an electric motor, wherein the second mechanical energy is converted from electricity produced using natural gas, wherein at least a portion of the natural gas is obtained from a wellbore on-site; combining the first and second mechanical energies; outputting the combined first and second mechanical energies using a drivetrain to power a pump; and pumping a fluid into the subterranean formation using the pump. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the electric motor is used to provide the second mechanical energy, and wherein a generator is used to power the electric motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the electric motor or the hydraulic motor is coupled between the diesel engine, the spark-ignited natural gas engine, or the dual fuel engine and the transmission. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the drivetrain includes a transmission, and wherein the electric motor or the hydraulic motor is coupled between the transmission and the pump. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the diesel engine, the spark-ignited natural gas engine, or the dual fuel engine and the electric motor operate in parallel to power the pump. ### Claim 20 A method of performing an operation in a subterranean formation, comprising: combining a first mechanical energy and a second mechanical energy, wherein the first mechanical energy is from a diesel engine, a spark-ignited natural gas engine, or a dual fuel engine, and wherein the second mechanical energy is from an electric motor, wherein the second mechanical energy is converted from electricity produced using natural gas, wherein at least a portion of the natural gas is obtained from a wellbore on-site; using the combined first and second mechanical energies to power a pump; and pumping a fluid into the subterranean formation using the pump. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the first mechanical energy is from the spark-ignited natural gas engine, and the second mechanical energy is from the electric motor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein a generator is used to produce electricity to power the electric motor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the generator receives all of the natural gas from the wellbore on-site. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the natural gas comprises wellhead gas. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the diesel engine, the spark-ignited natural gas engine, or the dual fuel engine and the electric motor operate in parallel to power the pump.