Systems and methods for optimization of wellbore operations of producing wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12584388-B2
Application number	US-202318490262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2023
Priority date	Oct 19, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing a gas lift operation using gas to increase production of production fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore. Included is an optical bubble sensor usable to detect bubbles per unit volume of the production fluid in the production tubing. Also included is a pump operable to pump gas into an annulus in the wellbore outside the production tubing, a valve operable to control whether gas from the pump enters the annulus, and a controller comprising a processor. The controller is operable to automatically convert the detected bubbles per unit volume into a gas/liquid saturation index (GLSI) using a transformation function; automatically execute, at designated intervals, a decision function based on the GLSI to either pump or not pump gas into the wellbore; and automatically control the pump and the valve to pump gas into the annulus when indicated by the decision function.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for performing a gas lift operation using gas to increase production of production fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore from a subterranean formation, the system comprising:
an optical bubble sensor usable to detect bubbles per unit volume of the production fluid in the production tubing; a pump operable to pump gas into an annulus in the wellbore outside the production tubing; a valve operable to control whether gas from the pump enters the annulus; and a controller comprising a processor, wherein the controller is operable to automatically:
convert the detected bubbles per unit volume into a gas/liquid saturation index (GLSI) using a transformation function;
execute, at designated intervals, a decision function based on the GLSI to either pump or not pump gas into the wellbore; and
control the pump and the valve to pump gas into the annulus when indicated by the decision function.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the GLSI is greater than zero and GLSI∈ .

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the GLSI is categorized into one of high saturation, moderate saturation, or low saturation.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the decision function is further based on a density of the production fluid, a number of gas lift valves, and a well type constant.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the GLSI at each designated interval comprises an effective GLSI comprising an average of GLSIs over a sampling frequency period, F, such that:

GLSi
effective

=

(

∑

k
=
1

F

⁢

GLSi
k

)

×

1
F

.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a hammer arrestor operable to control a change in pressure downstream of the valve.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to automatically minimize the amount of gas pumped into the annulus by controlling the pump and the valve to not pump gas into the annulus when indicated by the decision function.

8 . A method of performing a gas lift operation to increase production of production fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore from a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
flowing production fluid, including reservoir fluid from a reservoir in the subterranean formation, through the production tubing; detecting bubbles in the production fluid per unit volume of production fluid using an optical bubble sensor; automatically, using a controller comprising a processor, converting the detected bubbles per unit volume into a gas/liquid saturation index (GLSI) using a transformation function; automatically, using the controller, executing, at designated intervals, a decision function based on the GLSI to either pump or not pump gas into the wellbore; automatically, using the controller, controlling a pump and a valve to pump gas into an annulus in the wellbore outside the production tubing when indicated by the decision function; and combining the pumped gas in the annulus with reservoir fluid downhole in the production tubing to decrease a density of the production fluid and increase the flow of reservoir fluid from the subterranean formation through the production tubing.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the GLSI is greater than zero and GLSI∈ .

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising automatically, using the controller, categorizing the GLSI into one of high saturation, moderate saturation, or low saturation for use in the decision function.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the decision function is further based on a density of the production fluid, a number of gas lift valves, and a well type constant.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the GLSI at each designated interval comprises an effective GLSI comprising an average of GLSIs over a sampling frequency period, F, such that:

GLSi
effective

=

(

∑

k
=
1

F

⁢

GLSi
k

)

×

1
F

.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising controlling a change in pressure in a flow line downstream of the valve due to operating the valve using a hammer arrestor.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising automatically, using the controller, minimizing the amount of gas pumped into the annulus by controlling the pump and the valve to not pump gas into the annulus when indicated by the decision function.

15 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions which when processed by at least one processor perform a method of performing a gas lift operation using gas to increase production of production fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore from a subterranean formation, comprising:
determining bubbles in the production fluid per unit volume of production fluid based on detection data from an optical bubble sensor; automatically converting the bubbles per unit volume into a gas/liquid saturation index (GLSI) using a transformation function; automatically executing, at designated intervals, a decision function based on the GLSI to either pump or not pump gas into the wellbore; and automatically controlling a pump and a valve to pump gas into an annulus in the wellbore outside the production tubing when indicated by the decision function.

16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the GLSI is greater than zero and GLSI ∈ .

17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further comprise automatically categorizing the GLSI into one of high saturation, moderate saturation, or low saturation for use in the decision function.

18 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the decision function is further based on a density of the production fluid, a number of gas lift valves, and a well type constant.

19 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the GLSI at each designated interval comprises an effective GLSI comprising an average of GLSIs over a sam

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Ogundare Oluwatosin
• Yusubakhmedova Bustona
• Nicholson Jeremy C
• Jantz Eric Lynn
• Taylor Adeyemi
• Youmou Haivany Marlene

Classifications

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B43/123 Primary

  Gas lift valves · CPC title

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B21/08

  Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10) · CPC title

• E21B43/122 Primary

  Gas lift · CPC title