Real-time pump optimization system

• US 6,041,856 A
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patton Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Patton Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Thrasher, William B., Patton, Mark V., Klein, Steven T., Mena, Leonardo
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHOEPPEL, ROGER J
• Application Number:
  US09/377,983
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 166/53, 166/250.15, 166/250.01, 166/63.1, 166/66, 417/15, 417/18, 417/38, 417/63, 417/212
• US Class Current: 166/53
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/22 Fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence, neural networks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/121 Lifting well fluids monitoring of down-hole pump systems E21B47/008
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/008 Monitoring of down-hole pump systems, e.g. for the detection of "pumped-off" conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/008 by injection test; by analysing pressure variations in an injection or production test, e.g. for estimating the skin factor measuring pressure E21B47/06

Abstract

A system for optimizing progressive cavity pump operation during oil and gas recovery is provided. By strategically disposing a plurality of sensors along the production tubing and sucker rod strings, progressive cavity pump operation and performance may be monitored real-time. As an important indicia of pump performance, dynamic fluid level is provided to the operator/end user on a real-time basis. Prerequisite to achieving pump optimization, dynamic fluid level and other pertinent data are analyzed and enables corrections to be made in the pumping system during operation. A computer system having sufficient inherent and adaptable expertise is provided to interpret pump conditions based upon a plurality of variables and parameters to increase or decrease pump production and to maintain a dynamic fluid level determined to be optimal or otherwise advantageous by the end user. The system is designed with a panoply of configurations to accommodate remote administration of many wells by using serial communication and remote transmitting devices.

Claims

1. In an oil or gas recovery well having progressive cavity pump means and interconnected pump control means, motor means for driving said progressive cavity pump means, drive head means, and a downhole production tubing assembly and a sucker rod string assembly contained within a well casing means, a system for monitoring real-time pump performance and for optimizing such pump performance, said system comprising:

a plurality of sensor means disposed along said downhole production tubing and sucker rod string assembly for collecting data functionally related to said pump performance;

a computer system interconnected with said plurality of sensor means and said pump control means for storing said data in a database, and for optimizing operation of said progressive cavity pump means by controlling said pump control means on the basis of a functional relationship between axial load and dynamic fluid level in said well.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensor means comprises a surface discharge pressure sensor attached to a production line disposed perpendicularly of said downhole production tubing assembly and said sucker rod string assembly, a casing pressure sensor disposed on the annular space between said downhole production tubing assembly and said caseing means, an axial load measuring means and motor current measuring means disposed upon said drive head means.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein said computer system comprises:

programmable logic controller means electrically interconnected with said plurality of sensor means for providing local control of said well pump conditions based upon a first set of rules;

communications link means electrically interconnected with said programmable logic controller means and a variable frequency drive means for controlling the speed of said motor means; and

advanced control means for providing an expert system for performing real-time performance and productivity analysis of said data stored in said database based upon a second set of rules and for providing a user interface means for enabling an operator to conveniently interface with said computer system.

4. The system recited in claim 3, wherein said computer system further comprises:

remote control means electrically interconnected with said plurality of sensor means for providing remote control of said well pump conditions.

5. The system recited in claim 3, wherein said second set of rules of said exert system of said computer system further comprises:

procedures for preemptive warnings of potential pump failures and conditions for immediate, automatic shutdown of said well.

6. The system recited in claim 3, wherein said second set of rules of said expert system of said computer system further comprises:

procedures for automatic adjustment of RPM of said pump means and a check-cycle for assuring that system RPM was properly adjusted.

7. The system recited in claim 3, wherein second set of rules of said expert system of said computer system further comprises:

procedures for diagnosing well events.

8. The system recited in claim 3, wherein said computer system further comprises:

procedures for generating explanatory information corresponding to real-time well conditions and pump performance.

9. The system recited in claim 3, wherein second set of rules of said expert system of said computer system further comprises:

procedures for establishing real-time operating parameters for optimizing performance of said progressive cavity pump means.

10. The system recited in claim 3, wherein second set of rules of said expert system of said computer system further comprises:

a dynamic knowledge base of historic well data and operational parameters compiled from said real-time analysis of said data stored in said database.