Lubricating downhole rotating machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859474-B2
Application number	US-202016913642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

An electric machine is configured to be positioned within a wellbore. The electric machine enclosed within a housing isolates the electric machine from fluids within the wellbore. A first lubrication circuit includes a lubrication reservoir within the housing. The lubrication reservoir is fluidically connected to the electric machine. The first lubrication circuit is configured to provide lubrication to a bearing within the electric machine. A fluid rotor is configured to move or be moved by a fluid within the wellbore. A magnetic coupling couples the fluid rotor and a rotor of the electric machine to rotate in unison. A second lubrication circuit is configured to provide lubrication to a bearing supporting the fluid rotor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well tool comprising:
an electric machine configured to be positioned within a wellbore, the electric machine enclosed within a housing isolating the electric machine from fluids within the wellbore;
a first lubrication circuit comprising a lubrication reservoir within the housing, the lubrication reservoir fluidically connected to the electric machine, the first lubrication circuit comprising a downhole lubrication pump connected to the lubrication reservoir and configured to provide lubrication to a first bearing within the electric machine;
a fluid rotor configured to move or be moved by a fluid within the wellbore;
a magnetic coupling that couples the fluid rotor and a rotor of the electric machine to rotate in unison; and
a second lubrication circuit configured to provide lubrication to a second bearing supporting the fluid rotor.

2. The well tool of claim 1 , where the lubrication pump is configured to be driven by a hydraulic motor, the hydraulic motor being driven by a fluid flow provided by the second lubrication circuit.

3. The well tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electric motor that is separate from the electric machine; and
the lubrication pump is coupled to and driven by the electric motor.

4. The well tool of claim 1 , further comprising a speed reducer between the electric machine and the lubrication pump.

5. The well tool of claim 1 , where the lubrication reservoir comprises a pressure relief valve configured to release fluid into the wellbore when a pressure within the lubrication reservoir exceeds a pressure within the wellbore.

6. The well tool of claim 1 , where the fluid rotor and a first portion of the magnetic coupling are configured to be retrieved from the wellbore while the electric machine and a second portion of the magnetic coupling remain within the wellbore.

7. An artificial lift system comprising:
an electric machine configured to be positioned within a wellbore;
a housing configured to pressurize and isolate the electric machine from fluid within the wellbore;
a first lubrication circuit comprising a lubrication reservoir within the housing, the lubrication reservoir fluidically connected to the electric machine, the first lubrication circuit comprising a downhole lubrication pump connected to the lubrication reservoir and configured to provide a first lubricant to a first bearing within the electric machine;
a fluid rotor configured to move or be moved by fluid within the wellbore;
a magnetic coupling that couples the fluid rotor and a rotor of the electric machine to rotate in unison; and
a second lubrication circuit configured to provide a second lubricant to a second bearing supporting the fluid rotor, the second lubrication circuit comprising a topside lubrication pump.

8. The artificial lift system of claim 7 , where the topside lubrication pump drives the second lubricant to a hydraulic motor driven by the second lubricant, the hydraulic motor driving the downhole lubrication pump.

9. The artificial lift system of claim 7 , where the fluid rotor and a portion of the magnetic coupling are configured to be retrieved from the wellbore while the electric machine remains within the wellbore.

Assignees

• Upwing Energy Inc
• Upwing Energy Llc

Inventors

• Biddick David
• Mcmullen Patrick
• Sellers Christopher Matthew
• Artinian Herman

Classifications

• E21B43/128 Primary

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

• F04D13/024

  a magnetic coupling · CPC title

• F04D13/0606

  Canned motor pumps · CPC title

• F04D13/086

  the pump and drive motor are both submerged · CPC title

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title