Deploying seals to a downhole blower system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10844685-B2
Application number	US-201615392276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

This disclosure describes various implementations of a downhole-blower system that can be used to boost production in a wellbore. The downhole-blower system includes a blower and an electric machine coupled to the blower that can be deployed in a wellbore, and that can, in cooperation, increase production through the wellbore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating power using production fluids flowed in an uphole direction through a downhole blower positioned in a wellbore;
receiving the power generated using the production fluids at an electromagnetic actuator positioned downhole in the wellbore, the electromagnetic actuator connected to a seal configured to seal an outer surface of the downhole blower to an inner surface of the wellbore, the downhole blower coupled to an electric machine to power the downhole blower to move fluid in an uphole direction;
conducting heat, by a motor housing surrounding the electric machine, from the electric machine to the fluid moving in the uphole direction, thereby increasing the temperature of the fluid;
actuating the electromagnetic actuator using the received power; and
responsive to actuating the electromagnetic actuator, deploying the seal to seal the outer surface of the downhole blower with the inner surface of the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a solenoid.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator and the seal are attached to an uphole end of the downhole blower.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising lowering the downhole blower into the wellbore using one or more sucker rods or using a wireline.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the downhole blower is lowered into the wellbore using the wireline, wherein the wireline comprises an electrical cable, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting power to the electromagnetic actuator through the electrical cable from a surface of the wellbore.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting power to the electromagnetic actuator from the downhole blower.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising generating power using an uphole blower positioned in the wellbore uphole of the downhole blower, wherein receiving the power at the electromagnetic actuator comprises receiving the power generated using the uphole blower.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising boosting, by the downhole blower, flow of hydrocarbons directly through the wellbore without production tubing.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving power at the electromagnetic actuator from the electric machine.

10. A downhole wellbore system comprising:
a blower;
an electric machine connected to the blower, the electric machine configured to
in a motor mode, power the blower to move fluid in an uphole direction; and
in a generator mode, generate power in response to production fluids flowing through the blower;

a motor housing surrounding the electric machine, the motor housing configured to conduct heat from the electric machine to the fluid moving in the uphole direction, thereby increasing the temperature of the fluid;
a power input port configured to receive power;
a seal surrounding at least a portion of an outer surface of the blower, the seal configured to seal at least the portion of the outer surface of the blower with an inner surface of a wellbore in which the blower is configured to be deployed; and
an electromagnetic actuator connected to the seal and electrically coupled to the power input port and the electric machine, the electromagnetic actuator configured to receive the power generated from the production fluids through the power input port to deploy the seal to seal at least the portion of the outer surface of the blower housing with the inner surface of the wellbore.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a solenoid.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least the portion of the outer surface of the blower is downstream of an inlet to the blower.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the seal comprises an annular packer seal comprising a drive ring configured to be pushed by the electromagnetic actuator to seal at least the portion of the outer surface of the blower housing with the inner surface of the wellbore.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the annular packer seal is downstream of a blower inlet.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator is configured to be actuated in response to power transmitted from the port.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator and the electric machine are electrically connected in parallel at the power input port.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator is configured to be actuated in response to power transmitted from the electric machine.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein at the power input port, the electric machine and the electromagnetic actuator are electrically connected in series.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electric machine and the electromagnetic actuator are configured to receive the power from the same port.

20. A method comprising:
deploying a downhole wellbore gas blower downhole in a gas well, the blower comprising a seal attached to an outer surface of the downhole wellbore gas blower and an electromagnetic actuator connected to the seal, the electromagnetic actuator configured to deploy the seal, and the downhole wellbore gas blower coupled to an electric machine configured to power the downhole wellbore gas blower to move hydrocarbons in an uphole direction;
generating power using production fluids flowed in an uphole direction through the blower;
transmitting the power using the production fluids to the electromagnetic actuator, causing the electromagnetic actuator to deploy the seal to seal the outer surface of the blower with an inner surface of the wellbore;
conducting heat, by a motor housing surrounding the electric machine, from the electric machine to the hydrocarbons moving in the uphole direction, thereby increasing the temperature of the hydrocarbons; and
producing hydrocarbons through the wellbore free of production tubing.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising transmitting electrical power to the electromagnetic actuator from the electric machine.

Assignees

• Upwing Energy Llc

Inventors

• Krishnan Venkateshwaran
• Stout John
• Mcmullen Patrick
• Andonian Archie A T

Classifications

• E21B47/13

  by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency · CPC title

• E21B41/0085

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title

• E21B33/12 Primary

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title

• E21B43/122

  Gas lift · CPC title