Devices, systems, and methods for detecting the rotation of one or more components for use with a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460537-B2
Application number	US-202117549519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2021
Priority date	Dec 13, 2021
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Sensor systems and methods for downhole pumping systems include a sensor subsystem for detecting movement of at least one component of the downhole pumping system. The sensor subsystem includes an axial motion sensor to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to detect axial movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and a rotational sensor to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to detect rotational movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system by sampling rotational velocity values with the rotational sensor generated by rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor system for a downhole pumping system, comprising:
a sensor subsystem for detecting movement of at least one component of the downhole pumping system, the sensor subsystem comprising:
an axial motion sensor subsystem comprising a magnetometer, the magnetometer to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to measure axial movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system based on variations in a magnet field detected by the magnetometer generated by movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system;
a rotation sensor subsystem comprising a gyroscope, the gyroscope to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to detect rotational movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system by detecting rotational velocity values with the gyroscope generated by rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system; and
a vibration sensor subsystem for monitoring vibration of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system in three axes; and
a processor subsystem to receive data from the axial motion sensor subsystem and the rotation sensor subsystem, the processor subsystem to:
detect axial movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system with the magnetometer of the axial motion sensor subsystem, the detecting axial movement comprising:
sensing a direction change in the at least one component of the downhole pumping system to determine when a stroke of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system has been completed and to determine that a new stroke is beginning; and

after the direction change in the at least one component of the downhole pumping system has been detected, begin to determine rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system with the rotation sensor subsystem by sampling rotational values generated by the rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system, the determining the rotational values of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system comprising:
continuing sampling the rotational values through a second direction change of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system; and
ceasing sampling the rotational values at a third direction change of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system.

2 . The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to detect movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system comprising at least one rod of the downhole pumping system extending from a surface location into a wellbore.

3 . The sensor system of claim 2 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to verify the axial movement and the direction change of the at least one rod before determining the rotation.

4 . The sensor system of claim 2 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to determine the direction change of the at least one rod to indicate that a previous stoke has been completed and that a new stroke is beginning.

5 . The sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to begin sampling the rotational values comprising rotational velocity after determining the direction change of the at least one rod.

6 . The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured receive the rotational values from only a gyroscope.

7 . The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to compare the sampled rotational values with previously sampled rotational values detected by the rotation sensor subsystem during a previous stroke of the downhole pumping system to determine if rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system has occurred.

8 . The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to detect movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system comprising a tubing rotator of the downhole pumping system.

9 . The sensor system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to detect rotation of the tubing rotator while detecting axial movement of a polished of the downhole pumping system.

10 . The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to determine the rotational values of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system by summing both positive and negative samples of the rotational values sensed by the rotation sensor subsystem.

11 . The sensor system of claim 10 , wherein the processor subsystem is configured to compare the determined rotational values of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system with an expected amount of rotational values to determine a failure in the rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system.

12 . The sensor system of claim 1 , further comprising a vibration sensor subsystem for monitoring vibration of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system in three axes over a vibrational baseline.

13 . A sensor system for a downhole pumping system, comprising:
a sensor subsystem for detecting movement of at least one component of the downhole pumping system, the sensor subsystem comprising:
an axial motion sensor subsystem comprising an axial motion sensor, the axial motion sensor to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to measure axial movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system based on variations detected by the axial motion sensor generated by movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system; and
a rotation sensor subsystem comprising a rotational sensor, the rotational sensor to be coupled to the at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to detect rotational movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system by sampling rotational values with the rotational sensor generated by rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system; and
a processor subsystem to receive data from the axial motion sensor subsystem and the rotation sensor subsystem, the processor subsystem to:
verify the axial movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system with the axial motion sensor subsystem;
when the axial movement has been verified, detecting the rotational values with the rotation sensor subsystem during a current stroke of the downhole pumping system; and
comparing the rotational values with previously sensed rotational values detected by the rotation sensor subsystem during a previous stroke of the downhole pumping system to determine if rotation of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system has occurred.

14 . The sensor system of claim 13 , wherein the axial motion sensor subsystem comprises a magnetometer and the rotation sensor subsystem comprises a gyroscope.

15 . The sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the sensor subsystem is configured to detect movement of the at least one component of the downhole pumping system comprising at least one rod of the downhole pumping system extending from a surface location into a wellbore, and wherein the processor subsystem is configured to continue sampling the rotational values of the at least one rod over a stroke of the at least one rod.

16 . A sensor system for a downhole pumping system, comprising:
an axial motion sensor subsystem comprising a magnetometer to measure axial movement of at least one component of the downhole pumping system and to determine a c

Assignees

• Championx Llc

Inventors

• Treiberg Terry
• Wright Terry
• Larson Eric

Classifications

• E21B43/127

  Adaptations of walking-beam pump systems · CPC title

• E21B47/092

  by detecting magnetic anomalies · CPC title

• E21B47/009 Primary

  Monitoring of walking-beam pump systems · CPC title