Gas wellhead extraction system and method

• US 7,748,450 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bret M. Mundell
• Original Assignee: Bret M. Mundell
• Inventors: Mundell, Bret M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder; William P
• Application Number:
  US11/643,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20090166034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250.15, 166/53, 702/50
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automating control, remotely monitoring, and controlling a gas extraction assembly, coupled to a gas pipeline section. The gas extraction assembly may be used to increase gas volume, and/or overall gas flow from productive low or high pressure wells, as well as “wake-up” or recover lowered production from depleting wells. Two features of the gas extraction assembly of the present invention is the capability of creating substantial differential pressure, along with the ability to create substantial vacuum pressure on the suction inlet.

Claims

1. A method of automating control, remotely monitoring, and controlling, a gas extraction assembly coupled to gas pipeline section, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling said gas extraction assembly to either a gas wellhead or a first pipeline section to receive gas from said gas wellhead or said first gas pipeline section;

coupling said gas extraction assembly to either the outlet of a gas wellhead or a second pipeline section and providing gas to either the said outlet of a gas wellhead or the said second gas pipeline section;

coupling a control panel to a variable frequency drive of said gas extraction assembly and to a plurality of sensors configured to measure a plurality of operating parameters and to a sensor configured to measure an output parameter of said variable frequency drive;

measuring an output parameter of said variable frequency drive and said plurality of operating parameters at selected intervals and supplying signals reflective thereof to said control panel;

determining the diurnal condition at the location of said gas extraction assembly;

adjusting said output parameter of said variable frequency drive in response to said determined diurnal condition and said measured plurality of operating parameters;

repeating adjusting and measuring to maintain said output parameter of said variable frequency drive and said plurality of operating parameters at optimum values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording said output parameter of said variable frequency drive said plurality of operating parameters and said diurnal condition in memory storage system coupled to said control panel; and

transmitting said output parameter of said variable frequency drive said diurnal condition and said plurality of operating parameters over secure communication system coupled to said control panel to a remote computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting said output parameter of said variable frequency drive, said diurnal condition, and said plurality of operating parameters over a secure communication system further comprises:

encrypting said output parameter of said variable frequency drive, said diurnal condition, and said plurality of operating parameters; and

transmitting said encrypted output parameter of said variable frequency drive, said diurnal condition, and said plurality of operating parameters over wireless communication system.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting at least one of commands and software upgrades to said control panel from said remote computer system; and

receiving confirmation at said remote computer system from said control panel acknowledging receipt of said commands and said software upgrades at said control panel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said output parameter of said variable frequency drive, said diurnal condition, and said plurality of parameters are measured at selected intervals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the repeating adjusting and measuring to maintain said plurality of parameters at optimum values further comprises maintaining said plurality of parameters at values at which at least one of a maximum gas production rate, a maximum return on investment, a maximum productive life of well, a maximum mean time between failure of the gas extraction assembly, and producing minimum amount of water is achieved.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring said plurality of parameters comprises measuring suction pressure, discharge pressure, and further comprises measuring at least one of a discharge gas temperature, gas extraction device case temperature, gas flow rate, a gas composition, and a rotational velocity of gas extraction assembly.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining differential pressure by calculating a difference between said measured suction pressure and said measured discharge pressure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting and measuring further comprises providing said gas extraction device with a bypass between an inlet to and an outlet from said gas extraction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first pipeline section further includes an inlet flange.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring an output parameter of said variable frequency drive and said plurality of operating parameters at selected intervals further comprises measuring, at a selected time interval, a selected clock time of a processor coupled to said control panel and total gas flow over selected time interval.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing power to said gas extraction assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing said power further comprises providing power from at least one of an electrical distribution system, a power system configured to convert portion of gas in said pipeline to electrical or hydraulic power, a solar power system and wind power system.

14. A gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system comprising:

a gas extraction assembly having

a gas extraction device,

an inlet connection and an outlet connection configured to couple said gas extraction device in a gas pipeline, and

a plurality of sensors configured to measure plurality of operating parameters, and

a bypass valve assembly configured to allow gas contained within said pipeline to bypass said gas extraction device, said bypass valve assembly being coupled to said inlet connection and said outlet connection;

a control panel system operably coupled to said gas extraction assembly, said control panel system comprising;

a touch screen for manually or remotely programming said control panel system;

a variable frequency drive operably coupled to said gas extraction device,

a processor operably coupled to said variable frequency drive, said bypass valve assembly, and said plurality of sensors;

a memory storage system operably coupled to said processor, to said plurality of sensors, to said variable frequency drive and to said bypass assembly and configured to store and retrieve data measured by said plurality of sensors, an operating condition of said variable frequency drive, and an operating condition of said bypass valve assembly; and

a secure communication system operably coupled to said processor for communicating data to and from said control panel system from a remote location to monitor and control said gas extraction assembly.

15. The gas wellhead extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein said pipeline includes a first pipeline section connected to a wellhead.

16. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 15, wherein the gas extraction device is a rotary blower.

17. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a transducer configured to measure suction pressure, a transducer configured to measure discharge pressure, and further comprising at least one of:

a transducer configured to measure discharge gas temperature, a transducer configured to measure gas wellhead extraction device internal case temperature, a gas flow rate sensor, a gas composition sensor a sensor configured to measure the diurnal condition at the location of said gas extraction assembly, and a sensor to measure the frequency of said variable frequency device.

18. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 17, further comprising a sensor configured to measure concentration of selected component of the gas passing through said gas extraction device.

19. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 17 wherein said sensor configured to measure the diurnal condition of the location of said gas extraction assembly is a photo-eye.

20. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein said gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system is configured to be at least one of explosion resistant, intrinsically safe, and pressurized.

21. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein the memory storage system further comprises one of a flash memory, an externally erasable programmable read only memory, non-volatile random access memory, and a removable memory card.

22. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein said secure communication system further comprises at least one of a satellite communication receiver/transmitter, an Ethernet connection, a wireless local area network and a wireless cellular network configured to transmit and to receive encrypted and non-encrypted data software updates, operating commands, and communications from said remote computer system.

23. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 22, wherein said secure communication system is configured to transmit and receive software updates, operating commands, and communications from at least one of cellular phone, satellite phone, VoIP phone, computer enabled for wireless area network communication, and another gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system proximate to said gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system.

24. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein said remote computer system further comprises a remote computer server hosting at least one of a secure Internet-Protocol address and a secure web site, said secure Internet Protocol address and said secure web site being configured to securely communicate with at least one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheld personal digital assistant, and an internet enabled cellular phone.

25. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, wherein the processor further comprises a computer and an operating software configured to control the operation of said gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system.

26. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 14, further comprising a power supply system configured to provide power to said gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system.

27. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 26, wherein said power supply system further comprises at least one of a connection to an electrical distribution system, a power system configured to convert portion of said gas in said pipeline to electrical or hydraulic power, a solar power system, and a wind power system.

28. The gas extraction assembly, monitoring and control system of claim 15, wherein said secure communication system broadcasts a WiFi signal utilized for at least one of general high speed internet access, VoIP or ISP in nontraditional manner.