Green Field Energy Services, Lafayette, La. and Houston, in conjunction with Apache Corp., performed the first-ever operation of a frac pump utilizing field gas as its sole fuel source.

The GFES turbine frac pump was rigged up to a production well in the Granite Wash Field located in the Texas Panhandle and powered 100% by natural gas produced in the field. Typical North American fracturing rates and pressures were achieved in a simulated frac job, while maximizing fuel economy and maintaining full pump performance.

The simple field hook-up took natural gas from a producing well on the same location 150 feet from the frac pump, routed it through the field production units, through a GFES natural gas conditioning unit, then directly to the turbine frac pump. The turbine frac pump then pumped fluid from one frac tank to another, allowing the company to measure rates, pressures and other important operations metrics.

Rick Fontova, president of Green Field Energy Services, said "Natural gas is plentiful and far more economic as a fuel source for our pumps than traditional diesel fuel and produces far fewer air emissions than diesel. We are very pleased with the success of this frac simulation and we are now ready to use 100% natural gas to drive our entire frac spread," Fontova said.

Green Field Energy Services is the only fracturing services provider using turbine driven frac pumps that have the capability of operating on 100% natural gas.