Choke system for wellhead assembly having a turbine generator
First Claim
1. A wellhead assembly for producing fluid from a wellbore comprising:
- a production tree having production piping that selectively contains a flow of the fluid; and
a choke assembly comprising,a braking system comprising a caliper system having a pad that selectively and directly engages a shaft with a force that retards rotation of the shaft, anda turbine member disposed in a path of the flow of fluid and coupled with the shaft.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wellhead assembly for use with a well that includes a production tree, a production line for carrying produced fluid from the production tree, and a choke in the production line. The choke assembly includes a turbine member that rotates in response to fluid flowing through the production line. The kinetic energy of the rotating turbine is converted into electricity by a generator that is coupled with the turbine member. Selectively impeding turbine rotation with a brake system introduces a pressure drop in the production line fluid, and which regulates flow of the production line fluid. The turbine member can be disposed in a straight run of the production line, or adjacent a bend in the production line.
74 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A wellhead assembly for producing fluid from a wellbore comprising:
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a production tree having production piping that selectively contains a flow of the fluid; and a choke assembly comprising, a braking system comprising a caliper system having a pad that selectively and directly engages a shaft with a force that retards rotation of the shaft, and a turbine member disposed in a path of the flow of fluid and coupled with the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of producing fluid from a wellbore comprising:
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directing fluid produced from the wellbore through production piping that is attached to a production tree and across a turbine member coupled to a shaft that are rotated by the fluid; generating electricity from rotation of the turbine member; monitoring conditions in the production piping; and selectively impeding rotation of the turbine member and shaft with a brake system having a pad that directly engages the shaft to selectively impede the rotation, the brake system having a power source that is separate and distinct from the electricity generated by rotation of the turbine member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A choke assembly for regulating flow from a wellbore comprising:
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a housing having a chamber that receives a flow of fluid from the wellbore; a turbine member and a shaft in the chamber that rotate in response to the flow of fluid in the chamber; a generator coupled with the turbine member and that generates electricity in response to rotation of the turbine member; and a braking system having a pad in selective direct coupling with the shaft to selectively impede the rotation, the braking system having a power source that is separate and distinct from the generator. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification