Gas assisted plunger lift control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320240-B2
Application number	US-202217945696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2022
Priority date	Sep 5, 2019
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A control system for a gas assisted plunger lift (GAPL) system includes a sensor and a processor circuit. The sensor is configured to measure a plunger speed and/or velocity and the processor circuit is configured to control various parameters of the GAPL based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity. The processor circuit may be configured to adjust a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity, and/or may adjust one or more parameters including: a close time, an afterflow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure. The controller may be further configured to adjust all parameters simultaneously or may sequentially adjust a first sub-set of parameters and then adjust a second sub-set of parameters. The first sub-set may include a gas injection flow rate and the second sub-set may include after-flow and close time parameters.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for a gas assisted plunger lift system, the control system comprising:
a sensor configured to measure a plunger speed and/or velocity; and
a processor circuit, configured to perform operations including:
receiving user input that defines a minimum gas injection rate and a maximum gas injection rate;
automatically adjusting a gas injection rate parameter at a first time based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity and such that the gas injection rate has a value between the minimum gas injection rate and the maximum gas injection rate.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving additional user input that defines one or more set points consisting of a flow rate set point, a flow rate low value, a flow rate high value, a flow rate gain, a flow rate deadband, an open value, a fast arrival rate decrease, a slow arrival rate increase, a cycle skip option, and a simultaneous optimization option; and
controlling one or more parameters based on the received additional user input.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the simultaneous optimization option instructs the control system whether to simultaneously optimize all parameters or to optimize one or more sub-sets of parameters.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
increasing a gas injection rate when a plunger speed is below a first pre-determined value; and
decreasing the gas injection rate when the plunger speed is above a second pre-determined value.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the operations performed by the processor circuit further include adjusting one or more secondary parameters at a second time later than the first time.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the secondary parameters consist of a close time, an after-flow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust multiple parameters simultaneously upon receiving a user instruction to do so.

8. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
adjusting one or more parameters; and
skipping one or more plunger cycles before making further adjustments.

9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving additional input from the user that defines one or a fast arrival rate decrease and a slow arrival rate increase, and
controlling one or more parameters based on the received additional input.

10. A processor-implemented method of controlling a gas assisted plunger lift system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor circuit, a signal from a sensor indicating a measured speed and/or velocity of a plunger; and
performing, by the processor circuit, operations including:
receiving user input that defines a minimum gas injection rate and a maximum gas injection rate;
adjusting a gas injection rate parameter at a first time based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity and such that the gas injection rate has a value between the minimum gas injection rate and the maximum gas injection rate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving additional user input that defines one or more set points consisting of a flow rate set point, a flow rate low value, a flow rate high value, a flow rate gain, a flow rate deadband, an open value, a fast arrival rate decrease, a slow arrival increase, a cycle skip option, and a simultaneous optimization option; and
controlling one or more parameters based on the received additional user input.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the simultaneous optimization option instructs the control system whether to simultaneously optimize all parameters or to optimize one or more sub-sets of parameters.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
increasing a gas injection rate when a plunger speed is below a first pre-determined value; and
decreasing the gas injection rate when a plunger speed is above a second pre-determined value.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operations performed by the processor circuit further include adjusting one or more secondary parameters at a second time later than the first time.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the secondary parameters consist of a close time, an after-flow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to adjust multiple parameters simultaneously upon receiving an instruction to do so.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to perform operations comprising:
adjusting one or more parameters; and
skipping one or more plunger cycles before making further adjustments.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operations performed by the processor circuit further comprises:
receiving additional input from the user that defines one or a fast arrival rate decrease and a slow arrival rate increase, and
controlling one or more parameters based on the received additional input.

19. A control system for a gas assisted plunger lift system, the control system comprising:
a sensor configured to measure a plunger speed and/or well flow rate; and
a processor circuit, configured to perform operations including:
automatically adjusting a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or well flow rate at a first time; and
skipping one or more plunger cycles before making further automatic adjustments to one or more parameters at a second time that is later than the first time.

20. A processor-implemented method of controlling a gas assisted plunger lift system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor circuit, a signal from a sensor indicating a measured plunger speed and/or well flow rate and
performing, by the processor circuit, operations including:
automatically adjusting a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or well flow rate at a first time; and
skipping one or more plunger cycles before making further automatic adjustments to one or more parameters at a second time that is later than the first time.

Assignees

• Flowco Production Solutions Llc
• Flowco Masterco Llc

Inventors

• Boyd Mitchell A
• Boyd Garrett S

Classifications

• G01F1/38

  the pressure or differential pressure being measured by means of a movable element, e.g. diaphragm, piston, Bourdon tube or flexible capsule · CPC title

• E21B43/128

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

• E21B43/122 Primary

  Gas lift · CPC title

• E21B43/121 Primary

  Lifting well fluids (monitoring of down-hole pump systems E21B47/008) · CPC title