Method for controlling oil and gas well production from multiple wells

• US 7,273,098 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Superior Energy Services LLC (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Microsystems, Inc. (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evans, Rick, Oehlert, Michael A., Pugh, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fuller; Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/059,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20050178545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 166/369, 166/53, 166/66, 166/372, 166/250.15, 137/112, 137/113, 702/2, 702/6, 702/12, 702/14, 702/45, 702/47, 702/50, 702/98, 702/100, 702/104, 702/138, 700/282, 700/301
• US Class Current: 166/250.15
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2567 Alternate or successive inflows

Abstract

A method for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, with each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line. The first connecting subsystem includes: a) a plunger arrival sensor connected to a micro controller; b) a wellhead connected to the first well; c) a motor valve connected to the wellhead; d) first and second pressure transducers on either side of the motor valve, conductively coupled to the micro controller; and e) a micro controller for keeping the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extending the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line.

Claims

1. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem comprising:

a. a plunger arrival sensor connected to a micro controller for sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well;

b. a wellhead connected to the first well;

c. a motor valve connected to the wellhead, for controlling the production of the first well in response to signals from the micro controller;

d. first and second pressure transducers on either side of the motor valve, conductively coupled to the micro controller, for sensing the differential pressure across the motor valve, and transmitting that differential pressure to the micro controller; and

e. the micro controller receptive to signals from the plunger arrival sensor and receptive to signals from the first and second pressure transducers, and having firmware that periodically measures the common sales line pressure to determine an average common sales line pressure, keeps the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extends the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems,

wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.

2. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem comprising:

a. a plunger arrival sensor connected to a micro controller for sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well;

b. a wellhead connected to the first well;

c. a motor valve connected to the wellhead, for controlling the production of the first well in response to signals from the micro controller;

d. a pressure switch on the common sales line side of the motor valve, for sensing the common sales line pressure, and switching its position when the common sales line pressure reaches a certain pressure; and

e. the micro controller receptive to signals from the plunger arrival sensor and the pressure switch, and having firmware that periodically monitors the pressure switch to determine an average common sales line pressure, keeps the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extends the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems,

wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.

3. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem including a plunger arrival sensor, a wellhead connected to thd first well;

a motor valve connected to the wellhead and to the common sales line, and first and second pressure transducers on either side of the motor valve, a method for efficiently producing oil or gas comprising the steps of;

a. sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well, and transmitting notice of that arrival to a micro controller;

b. sensing the differential pressure across the motor valve, and transmitting that differential pressure to the micro controller; and

c. keeping the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extending the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the micro controller determines if a pressure spike has occurred in the common sales line by comparing the measured pressure in the common sales line with the average of the pressure readings in the common sales line.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the micro controller determines if a pressure spike has occurred in the common sales line by comparing the measured pressure in the common sales line with a user-entered pressure set point.

6. The method as in claim 4 or 5, wherein the motor valve off time is preset by the user.

7. The method as in claim 4 or 5, wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.

8. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem including a plunger arrival sensor, a wellhead connected to the first well, a motor valve connected to the wellhead and to the common sales line, and a pressure switch on the common sales line side of the motor valve, a method for efficiently producing oil or gas comprising the steps of:

a. sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well, and transmitting notice of that arrival to a micro controller;

b. monitoring the pressure switch, and transmitting notice of the tripping of the pressure switch to the micro controller; and

c. keeping the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extending the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user presets both the pressure switch and the motor valve off time.

10. The method as in claim 8 or 9, wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.

11. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem comprising:

a. a plunger arrival sensor connected to a micro controller for sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well;

b. a wellhead connected to the first well;

c. a motor valve connected to the wellhead, for controlling the production of the first well in response to signals from the micro controller;

d. a pressure transducer on the common sales line side of the motor valve, for sensing the common sales line pressure, and transmitting that pressure to the micro controller; and

e. the micro controller receptive to signals from the plunger arrival sensor and the pressure transducer, and having firmware that periodically monitors the pressure transducer to determine an average common sales line pressure, keeps the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extends the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems,

wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.

12. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem including a plunger arrival sensor, a wellhead connected to the first well, a motor valve connected to the wellhead and to the common sales line, and a pressure transducer on the common sales line side of the motor valve, a method for efficiently producing oil or gas comprising the steps of:

a. sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well, and transmitting notice of that arrival to a micro controller;

b. monitoring the pressure transducer, and transmitting the sales line pressure to the micro controller; and

c. keeping the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extending the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user presets the motor valve off time.

14. The method as in claim 12 or 13, wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.