APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLOW RATE HARMONIZATION IN ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP GAS SEPARATORS

• US 20190316452A1
• Filed: 03/02/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: BROWN, Donn J, GOTTSCHALK, Thomas John
• Granted Patent: US 10,794,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/128 Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/38 in the well
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/10 adapted for use in mining bore holes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 9/003 separating and removing the vapour

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for flow rate harmonization in electric submersible pump (ESP) gas separators. A method for flow rate harmonization in ESP gas separators includes modifying flow of multi-phase well fluid through vent passages of a crossover when a flow rate of a centrifugal pump differs from a flow rate of a gas separator including the crossover, the gas separator serving as the fluid intake into the centrifugal pump. Flow of fluid through vent passages is modified by one of attaching flow sizing inserts into vent passages or production passages of the crossover, or by attaching a funnel to a crossover inlet. A gas separator system includes a series of interchangeable funnels attachable to a fluid entrance of a crossover of the gas separator, wherein interchanging the particular funnel attached to the crossover modifies flow rate output of the gas separator.

Claims

1. A system for flow rate harmonization in electric submersible pump (ESP) gas separators comprising:

a series of interchangeable funnels attachab fluid entrance of a crossover of the ESP gas separator;

each funnel of the series of interchangeable funnels having a distinctly sized inner diameter;

the inner diameter of a particular funnel of the series of interchangeable funnels determining an inlet area of a vent passage of the crossover when the particular funnel is attached to the fluid entrance of the crossover; and

wherein interchanging the particular funnel attached to the crossover modifies flow rate output of the gas separator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ESP gas separator serves as an intake for the centrifugal pump.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the particular funnel attached to the fluid entrance increases as a flow rate of the centrifugal pump decreases.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each funnel comprises a cylindrical portion defining the inlet area of the funnel, and a conical portion extending from the cylindrical portion to a fluid outlet of the funnel, the fluid outlet attachable to the crossover.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the fluid outlet is threadably attachable to the

crossover.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the conical portion is a conical frustum shape.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the particular funnel

determines an inlet area of a production passage of the crossover when the particular funnel is attached to the fluid entrance of the crossover.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the production passage is fluidly coupled to a centrifugal pump.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vent passage extends through the crossover to a casing annulus.

10. An electrical submersible pump (ESP) gas separator comprising:

a crossover comprising a vent passage fluidly coupled to a casing annulus and a

production passage fluidly coupled to a centrifugal pump, a fluid entrance of the vent passage inward of a fluid entrance to the production passage, and the fluid entrance of the vent passage separated from the fluid entrance of the production passage by a crossover skirt; and

a flow rate harmonization conduit, the flow rate harmonization conduit comprising;

an inlet area formed by an inner diameter of the flow rate harmonization conduit; and

an outlet attachable to the skirt such that when the flow rate harmonization conduit is attached to the skirt, a size of the fluid entrance to the vent passage is defined by the inlet area of the flow rate harmonization conduit, and a size of the fluid entrance to the production passage is defined by an outer diameter of the flow rate harmonization conduit.

11. The ESP gas separator of claim 10, wherein the flow rate harmonization conduit is one of a series of flow rate harmonization conduits attachable to the skirt, the inlet area of each conduit of the series flow rate harmonization conduits distinct from other flow rate harmonization conduits in the series.

12. The ESP gas separator of claim 11, wherein attachment of a particular flow rate harmonization conduit from the series of flow rate harmonization conduits determines flow rate of fluid into the centrifugal pump based on the inlet area of the particular flow rate harmonization conduit attached.

13. The ESP gas separator of claim 11, wherein the flow rate harmonization conduit is funnel shaped and comprises a cylindrical portion having a diameter that defines the inlet area of the flow rate harmonization conduit, and a conical frustum shaped portion coupled to the cylindrical portion, the conical frustum shaped portion comprising the outlet attachable to the skirt.

14-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An electric submersible pump (ESP) gas separator, comprising:

a crossover comprising a vent passage fluidly coupled to a casing annulus and a production passage fluidly coupled to a centrifugal pump; and

a flow sizing insert attached within one of the production passage or the vent passage.

26. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, wherein the flow sizing insert comprises a hollow cylinder that narrows the one of the production passage or the vent passage.

27. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, wherein the flow sizing insert comprises a nozzle that modifies a width of the one of the production passage or the vent passage.

28. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, further comprising a snap ring attaching the flow sizing insert within the one of the production passage or the vent passage.

29. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, wherein a wall of the one of the production passage or the vent passage comprises threads, and the flow sizing insert comprises outer diameter threads that mate with the passage threads.

30. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, wherein there are a plurality of the one of the production passage or the vent passage, and a plurality of the flow sizing inserts, wherein at least one flow sizing insert is attached within each of the one of the production passage or the vent passage.

31. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, further comprising a centrifugal pump attached downstream of the crossover, wherein the centrifugal pump has a flow rate of at least 4,000 barrels per day and the flow sizing insert is attached within the vent passage.

32. The ESP gas separator of claim 25, further comprising a centrifugal pump attached downstream of the crossover, wherein the centrifugal pump has a flow rate of less than 4,000 barrels per day and the flow sizing insert is attached within the production passage.

33-37. -37. (canceled)