Apparatus, system and method for reducing gas to liquid ratios in submersible pump applications
First Claim
1. A method for reducing a gas to liquid ratio (GLR) in a pumped fluid comprising:
- pumping a gas laden fluid to a surface of a subsurface formation using a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly comprising an ESP pump and an ESP motor,monitoring one of a load of the ESP motor, intake pressure of the ESP pump, temperature of the gas laden fluid, or a combination thereof to obtain ESP assembly condition data;
determining whether a GLR of the gas laden fluid exceeds a predetermined allowable maximum based on the ESP assembly condition data;
injecting liquid from an external source into the gas laden fluid; and
varying a rate that the external liquid is injected based on the GLR so determined;
wherein the load of the ESP motor is monitored and the GLR is determined to exceed the predetermined allowable maximum when the ESP motor is under-loaded.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, system and method for reducing gas to liquid ratios in submersible pump applications are described. A method for reducing a gas to liquid ratio (GLR) in a pumped fluid includes pumping a gas laden fluid to a surface of a subsurface formation using a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly including an ESP pump and an ESP motor, monitoring one of a load of the ESP motor, intake pressure of the ESP pump, temperature of the gas laden fluid, or a combination thereof to obtain ESP assembly condition data, determining whether a GLR of the gas laden fluid exceeds a predetermined allowable maximum based on the ESP assembly condition data, injecting liquid from an external source into the gas laden fluid, and varying a rate that the external liquid is injected based on the GLR so determined.
37 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for reducing a gas to liquid ratio (GLR) in a pumped fluid comprising:
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pumping a gas laden fluid to a surface of a subsurface formation using a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly comprising an ESP pump and an ESP motor, monitoring one of a load of the ESP motor, intake pressure of the ESP pump, temperature of the gas laden fluid, or a combination thereof to obtain ESP assembly condition data; determining whether a GLR of the gas laden fluid exceeds a predetermined allowable maximum based on the ESP assembly condition data; injecting liquid from an external source into the gas laden fluid; and varying a rate that the external liquid is injected based on the GLR so determined; wherein the load of the ESP motor is monitored and the GLR is determined to exceed the predetermined allowable maximum when the ESP motor is under-loaded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification