Density gas separation appartus for electric submersible pumps

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525448-B2
Application number	US-201916614611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2019
Priority date	Nov 15, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A system includes an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path. An autonomous inflow control device (AICD) is included in fluid communication with the flow path to separate one of gas or liquid out of the flow path. A method includes producing liquid from a wellbore using an electric submersible pump (ESP) in the wellbore. The method includes bypassing gas from a headspace the wellbore using an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) to prevent gas locking the ESP.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path, wherein the ESP includes a rotary shaft; and
an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) comprising a set of rotary fins in fluid communication with the flow path configured to at least partially restrict one of gas or liquid flow in the flow path, wherein the AICD is independent of the rotary shaft, and wherein the set of rotary fins are exposed to the flow path for driving rotation of the AICD in response to fluid flow through the flow path.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and an outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path upstream of the inlet.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and a discharge outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path downstream of the outlet to remove gas or drop the pressure for gas relief.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ESP includes at least two stages connected together in series in the flow path, wherein the AICD is in the flow path in series between the two stages.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the AICD is a first AICD, and further comprising a second AICD connected in series in the flow path with the two stages, wherein the first AICD is in series between the two stages, and wherein the second AICD is in series upstream or downstream of the two stages.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ESP is a first ESP, further comprising a second ESP connected in series with the first ESP, wherein the AICD is connected in series between the first and second ESPs.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the AICD is a first AICD and further comprising a second AICD connected in series in the flow path with the first and second ESPs, wherein the first AICD is in series between the first and second ESPs, and wherein the second AICD is in series upstream or downstream of the first and second ESPs.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow path is in a wellbore, wherein the ESP and flow path are connected to drive flow of production fluids from a formation in which the well bore is formed, to a surface of the wellbore.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the wellbore includes the ESP therein, with a pump inlet in the flow path, with a dip tube extending from the pump inlet downward to an inlet of the dip tube below a liquid level in the well bore.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the wellbore includes a headspace above the liquid level and below the pump inlet, wherein the AICD is positioned in the headspace, with an inlet of the AICD below an outlet of the AICD, wherein the AICD is configured to vent gas from the headspace to the surface through a bypass stream that bypasses the ESP, and to inhibit liquids entering the bypass stream.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the AICD includes at least one float within a housing of the AICD, wherein the at least one float is configured to rotate about a rotation axis of the AICD which is aligned parallel to the wellbore.

12. A method comprising:
producing liquid from a wellbore through a flow path using an electric submersible pump (ESP) in the wellbore, wherein the ESP includes a rotary shaft;
driving rotation of an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) in response to fluid flowing through the flow path; and
bypassing gas from a headspace in the wellbore using the AICD to prevent gas locking the ESP, wherein the AICD comprises a set of rotary fins in fluid communication with the flow path configured to at least partially restrict one of gas or liquid flow in the flow path, and wherein the set of rotary fins are independent of the rotary shaft.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising rotating the AICD to generate centrifugal forces for discriminating between liquid and gas.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the AICD rotates at a different speed from the ESP.

15. A system comprising:
an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path; and
an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) in fluid communication with the flow path configured to at least partially restrict one of gas or liquid flow in the flow path, wherein the AICD includes at least one float member and a valve opening, wherein the float member is connected to occlude the valve opening or unocclude the valve opening based on fluid density of fluid flowing through the AICD under centrifugal forces from rotation of the float member within the AICD.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the float member is configured to occlude the valve opening in the absence of gas within a housing of the AICD, impeding liquid flow through the valve opening, and to unocclude the valve opening in the presence of gas within the housing to vent gas through the valve opening and thereby divert the gas from the flow path and avoid gas lock interruption of the ESP.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and an outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path upstream of the inlet.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and a discharge outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path downstream of the outlet to remove gas or drop the pressure for gas relief.

19. A system comprising:
an electric submersible pump (ESP) configured for pumping fluid through a flow path; and
an autonomous inflow control device (AICD) in fluid communication with the flow path configured to at least partially restrict one of gas or liquid flow in the flow path;
wherein the flow path is in a wellbore, wherein the ESP and flow path are connected to drive flow of production fluids from a formation in which the well bore is formed, to a surface of the wellbore;
wherein the wellbore includes the ESP therein, with a pump inlet in the flow path, with a dip tube extending from the pump inlet downward to an inlet of the dip tube below a liquid level in the well bore;
wherein the wellbore includes a headspace above the liquid level and below the pump inlet, wherein the AICD is positioned in the headspace, with an inlet of the AICD below an outlet of the AICD, wherein the AICD is configured to vent gas from the headspace to the surface through a bypass stream that bypasses the ESP, and to inhibit liquids entering the bypass stream; and
wherein the AICD includes at least one float within a housing of the AICD, wherein the at least one float is configured to rotate about a rotation axis of the AICD which is aligned parallel to the wellbore.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and an outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path upstream of the inlet.

21. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the ESP includes an inlet in fluid communication with the flow path, and a discharge outlet in the flow path downstream of the inlet, wherein the AICD is in the flow path downstream of the outlet to remove gas or drop the pressure for gas relief.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Brown Donn J
• Fripp Michael L
• Greci Stephen M
• Ornelaz Richard D

Classifications

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• F04D15/0005 Primary

  by using valves · CPC title

• F04D13/12

  Combinations of two or more pumps (combinations with priming pumps or booster pumps to counteract vapour-lock F04D9/04) · CPC title

• F04D7/045

  with means for comminuting, mixing stirring or otherwise treating · CPC title