Systems and Methods for Specifying an Operational Parameter for a Pumping System

• US 20110125332A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Looper, David W., Heitman, Chad, Neal, Kenneth G., Stephenson, Stanley V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/224 With particular characteristics of control input

Abstract

Systems and methods for specifying one or more operational parameters for a pumping system are disclosed. A first suction pressure loss profile for a first pump in a pumping system is determined. A second suction pressure loss profile for a second pump in the pumping system is determined. The first suction pressure loss profile is compared with the second suction pressure loss profile. One or more operational parameters are specified based, at least in part, on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of specifying one or more operational parameters for a pumping system, the method comprising:

determining a first suction pressure loss profile for a first pump in a pumping system;

determining a second suction pressure loss profile for a second pump in the pumping system;

comparing the first suction pressure loss profile with the second suction pressure loss profile; and

specifying one or more operational parameters based, at least in part, on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an first operating point of the first pump along the first suction pressure loss profile;

determining a second operating point of the second pump along the second suction pressure loss profile; and

comparing the first operating point with the second operating point.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the specifying one or more operational parameters is further based, at least in part, on the comparison of the first operating point and the second operating point.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

controlling one or more of the first pump and the second pump based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first suction pressure loss profile is based, at least in part, on two or more measurements of pressure associated with a suction line of the first pump, and wherein the second suction pressure loss profile is based, at least in part, on two or more measurements of pressure associated with a suction line of the second pump.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the first pump in real-time; and

monitoring one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the second pump in real-time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein all the steps are performed as part of modeling the pumping system in a pumping system simulation model so as to predict effects of specifying the one or more operational parameters in the pumping system.

8. A computer program, stored in a tangible medium specifying one or more operational parameters for a pumping system, comprising executable instructions to cause at least one processor to:

determine a first suction pressure loss profile for a first pump in a pumping system;

determine a second suction pressure loss profile for a second pump in the pumping system;

compare the first suction pressure loss profile with the second suction pressure loss profile; and

specify one or more operational parameters based, at least in part, on the comparison.

9. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising executable instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

determine a first operating point of the first pump along the first suction pressure loss profile;

determine a second operating point of the second pump along the second suction pressure loss profile; and

compare the first operating point with the second operating point.

10. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the specifying one or more operational parameters is further based, at least in part, on the comparison of the first operating point and the second operating point.

11. The computer program of claim 10, further comprising executable instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

control one or more of the first pump and the second pump based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters.

12. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the first suction pressure loss profile is based, at least in part, on two or more measurements of pressure associated with a suction line of the first pump, and wherein the second suction pressure loss profile is based, at least in part, on two or more measurements of pressure associated with a suction line of the second pump.

13. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising executable instructions to cause the at least one processor to:

monitor one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the first pump in real-time; and

monitor one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the second pump in real-time.

14. The computer program of claim 8, wherein all the steps are performed as part of modeling the pumping system in a pumping system simulation model so as to predict effects of specifying the one or more operational parameters in the pumping system.

15. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to a memory; and

a computer readable medium comprising instructions that cause the at least one processor to;

determine a first suction pressure loss profile for a first pump in a pumping system;

determine a second suction pressure loss profile for a second pump in the pumping system;

compare the first suction pressure loss profile with the second suction pressure loss profile; and

specify one or more operational parameters based, at least in part, on the comparison.

16. The information handling system of claim 15, where the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

determine a first operating point of the first pump along the first suction pressure loss profile;

determine a second operating point of the second pump along the second suction pressure loss profile; and

compare the first operating point with the second operating point.

17. The information handling system of claim 16, wherein the specifying one or more operational parameters is further based, at least in part, on the comparison of the first operating point and the second operating point.

18. The information handling system of claim 16, where the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

control one or more of the first pump and the second pump based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters.

19. The information handling system of claim 15, where the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

monitor one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the first pump in real-time; and

monitor one or more of a pressure and a flow rate associated with a suction line of the second pump in real-time.

20. The information handling system of claim 16, wherein all the steps are performed as part of modeling the pumping system in a pumping system simulation model so as to predict effects of specifying the one or more operational parameters in the pumping system.