Real-time onsite internet communication with well manager for constant well optimization

• US 9,013,322 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lufkin Gears LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Lufkin Industries LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Dorado, Doneil M., Pinnell, David L., Oestreich, Eric S., Roberson, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/733,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,934 Days
• Field of Search: 340/854.4, 340/679, 702/2, 702/6, 702/12, 702/15
• US Class Current: 340/854.4
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/00 Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting; Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13 Plc programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

An apparatus and method for well control and monitoring including an independent web server computer integrated with a pump controller located at each well in an oil field. The well controller locally controls the well pump, processes well and pump data, generates surface and downhole cards, and communicates production reports, recommendations for production improvements, and production statistics to remote sites via the internet. The controller can be queried remotely to provide production reports, etc. Furthermore, the controller can initiate alerts via email, text messaging, or internet messaging, for example, during fault conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a rod pump (10), said rod pump characterized by having a rod (32) that is reciprocated by a prime mover (12), the apparatus comprising:

a pump controller (100) coupled to and disposed near said rod pump, said controller arranged and designed to control the speed of said prime mover, to receive and record measurements of a plurality of parameters of said rod pump, and to generate an operational report therefrom; and

a web server (102, 210, 230) integrated with said pump controller and operatively connected to an internet (1000), said web server arranged and designed to handle a request from and transmit said operational report to a remote client computer (91) via said internet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises:

a computer system (102);

data acquisition input circuitry (110) operatively coupled said computer system and a sensor (93, 94) and arranged to measure a parameter of said rod pump;

a well manager software application (220) structured for execution by and residing on said computer system and designed and arranged to calculate a desired speed of said prime mover as a function of a measurement of said parameter; and

control output circuitry (112) operatively coupled between said computer system and said prime mover and arranged and designed to cause said prime mover to move at said desired speed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said controller further comprises:

first and second sensors (93, 94) and arranged to measure a stroke position of said rod (32) and a load acting on said rod pump (10), respectively;

said well manager software application (220) arranged to generate a downhole pump card from measurements of said first and second sensors (93, 94) and to calculate a desired speed of said prime mover (12) as a function of said downhole pump card.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said web server comprises:

a web server software application (230) structured for execution by and residing on said computer system (102).

5. In a well produced by a pump (10) having a pump controller (100) operatively coupled to said pump for controlling the speed of said pump, the improvement comprising:

a web server (102, 210, 230) integrated with said pump controller (100), said web server coupled to an internet (1000) and arranged and designed to allow communications between said pump controller and a remote client computer (91) via said internet.

6. A method for controlling a pump (10) having a prime mover (12), the method comprising the steps of:

integrating a web server (102, 210, 230) with a controller (100) that is arranged and designed to control the speed of said prime mover;

disposing said controller (100) and said web server integrated therewith near said pump (10);

operatively coupling said web server to an internet (1000);

measuring a parameter of said pump by said controller;

calculating by said controller (100) a desired speed of said prime mover (12) as a function of a measurement of said parameter;

storing in said controller said measurement as data;

controlling the speed of said prime mover at said desired speed by said controller;

receiving a request for a report from a remote client (91) via said internet (1000) by said controller (100); and

transmitting said report by said controller to said remote client via said internet.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

generating said report by said controller from said data.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

formatting said report by said controller in a hypertext markup language; and

displaying said report by said remote client as a web page (181).

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

authenticating said remote client (91) by said controller (100).

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said pump (10) is a rod pump characterized by having a rod (32) that is reciprocated by said prime mover (12), the method further comprising the steps of:

measuring a load of said rod pump (10) and a position of said rod (32) by said controller (100);

generating a downhole pump card from load and position measurements by said controller;

storing in said controller said load and position measurements as said data; and

controlling the speed of said rod pump by said controller as a function of said downhole pump card.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

pushing a notification of a condition of said pump to a remote user (91) over said internet (1000) by said controller (100).

12. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

configuring said controller (100) by a remote user (91) over said internet (1000).

13. A method for managing production of an oil reservoir produced by first and second wells having first and second pumps (10A, 10B), respectively, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing first and second pump controllers (100A, 100B) at said first and second pumps, respectively, said first controller operatively coupled to said first pump so as to control the speed thereof, and said second controller operatively coupled to said second pump no as to control the speed thereof;

integrating a first web server with said first controller (100A), said first web server arranged and designed for receiving a first request from a remote client (91) and transmitting a first response to said remote client via an internet (1000);

coupling said first web server to said internet;

integrating a second web server with said second controller (100B), said second web server arranged and designed for receiving a second request from said remote client (91) and transmitting a second response to said remote client via said internet (1000), said second controller independent of said first controller; and

coupling said second web server to said internet.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

generating said first response by said first controller (100A) from data of said first pump (10A); and

generating said second response by said second controller (100B) from data of said second pump (10B).

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

formatting said first response by said first controller (100A) in a hypertext markup language;

displaying said first response by said remote client (91) as a first web page (181);

formatting said second response by said second controller (100B) in a hypertext markup language; and

displaying said second response by said remote client (91) as a second web page.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

authenticating said remote client (91) by said first controller (100A); and

authenticating said remote client (91) by said second controller (100B).

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said first and second pumps (10A, 10B) are first and second rod pumps, respectively, the method further comprising the steps of:

measuring a first load of said first rod pump (10A) and a first position of a rod of said first rod pump by said first controller;

generating a first downhole pump card from first load and position measurements by said first controller (100A);

storing in said first controller said first load and position measurements as said first data;

controlling the speed of said first rod pump (10A) by said first controller (100A) as a function of said first downhole pump card;

measuring a second load of said second rod pump (10B) and a second position of a rod of said second rod pump by said second controller;

generating a second downhole pump card from second load and position measurements by said second controller (100B);

storing in said second controller said second load and position measurements as said second data; and

controlling the speed of said second rod pump (10B) by said second controller (100B) as a function of said second downhole pump card.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

pushing a first notification of a first condition of said first pump (10A) to a remote user (91) over said internet (1000) by said first controller (100A); and

pushing a second notification of a second condition of said second pump (10B) to said remote user (91) over said internet (1000) by said second controller (100B).

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

configuring said first controller (100A) by a remote user (91) over said internet (1000); and

configuring said second controller (100B) by said remote user (91) over said internet (1000).