System for monitoring linearity of down-hole pumping systems during deployment and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8950472-B2
Application number	US-201113234667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2011
Priority date	Sep 28, 2010
Publication date	Feb 10, 2015
Grant date	Feb 10, 2015

Abstract

Systems, program product, and methods for monitoring linearity of a down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment within a bore of a casing of a well positioned to extract hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir and selecting an optimal operational position for the down-hole pumping system assembly within the bore of the casing, are provided. Various embodiments of the systems allow an operator to ensure that a motor and pump of a down-hole pumping system assembly are installed in an optimal position in a well by ensuring alignment across the pump stages casing and motor casing. The alignment and linearity of the pump and motor can be crucial to run life of the pump and/or motor.

First claim

That claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring linearity of a down-hole pumping system assembly deployed within a bore of a casing of a well positioned to extract hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
deploying a down-hole pumping system assembly connected to production tubing down a bore in a casing of a hydrocarbon well:
monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly to thereby optimize a lifespan of the down-hole pumping system assembly: and
adjusting the operational position of the down-hole pumping system assembly in the response to linearity determinations exceeding a threshold value.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly includes monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly during operational deployment of the down-hole pumping system assembly.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly includes monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly during prolonged operation of the down-hole pumping system assembly.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of monitoring linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly includes detecting linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment to a position below and adjacent to an initial target operational position for the assembly.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
adjusting the target operational position in response to linearity determinations above and below the initial target operational position when the linearity detected at the initial target operational position is less than the linearity at either a position directly above or directly below the initial target operational position.

6. A method of monitoring linearity of a down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment within a bore of a casing of a well positioned to extract hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir and selecting an optimal operational position for the down-hole pumping system assembly within the bore of the casing, the method comprising the steps of:
deploying a down-hole pumping system assembly connected to production tubing down a bore in a casing of a hydrocarbon well;
detecting linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment to a position below and adjacent to an initial target operational position for the assembly; and
adjusting the target operational position in response to linearity determinations above and below the initial target operational position when the linearity detected at the initial target operational position is less than the linearity at either a position directly above or directly below the initial target operational position.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the step of detecting the linearity of the down-hole pumping system assembly is performed for substantially an entire portion of the deployment below a well-head outlet for the well.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the down-hole pumping system assembly is a non-functional down-hole pumping system assembly deployed to detect down-hole casing conditions prior to deployment of a functional down-hole pumping system assembly to reduce incidents of damage to the functional down-hole pumping system assembly occurring when deviations within a bore of the casing of the well exist that would damage the functional down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment thereof.

9. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the down-hole pumping system assembly is a down-hole pumping system assembly simulator deployed to detect down-hole casing conditions prior to deployment of a functional down-hole pumping system assembly to reduce incidents of damage to the functional down-hole pumping system assembly occurring when deviations within a bore of the casing of the well exist that would damage the functional down-hole pumping system assembly during deployment thereof.

10. A system for monitoring linearity of an electrical submersible pump assembly during deployment within a bore of a casing of a well positioned to extract hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir and selecting an optimal operational position for the electrical submersible pump assembly within the bore of the casing, the system comprising:
an electrical submersible pump assembly connected to a distal most end of a line of production tubing, the electrical submersible pump assembly including a pump comprising a plurality of longitudinally stacked pump stages and a motor connected to a distal most portion of the pump with a coupling and configured to function within the bore of the casing of the well to pump hydrocarbons through the line of production tubing,
the motor including a motor outer casing having an outer surface including a groove extending longitudinally along at least a substantial portion of the outer motor casing and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the electrical submersible pump assembly,
the plurality of longitudinally stacked pump stages positioned within a pump outer casing having an outer surface including a corresponding groove extending longitudinally along at least a substantial portion of the pump outer casing and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the electrical submersible pump assembly,
the groove in the outer surface of the motor outer casing further positioned to align with the groove in the outer surface of the pump outer casing;

an optical sensing fiber positioned within the longitudinally extending groove of the pump outer casing and at least partially within the longitudinally extending groove of the motor outer casing, the optical sensing fiber configured to reflect optical signals to provide signals indicating axial strain to one or more of the following: the motor and one or more of the plurality of pump stages;
a strain sensing unit configured to transmit optical signals to the optical sensing fiber and to receive optical signals reflected back from within the optical sensing fiber to detect a deflection in one or more portions of the electrical submersible pump assembly caused by a corresponding deflection in the casing of the well to thereby determine an optimal location for the electrical submersible pump assembly within the bore of the casing that minimizes fatigue to the electrical submersible pump assembly resulting from a deviation in alignment between one or more of the plurality of pump stages and the motor;
a down-hole cable extending through a wellhead outlet and connected to an outer surface of the production tubing to transfer optical signals between the strain sensing unit and the optical sensing fiber;
an opposing ferrite seal connected to the down-hole cable and to the optical sensing fiber to provide an interface therebetween; and
a surface cable extending through the wellhead outlet and connected to the down-hole cable and to the strain sensing unit to transfer optical signals between the strain sensing unit and the optical sensing fiber.

Assignees

• Harman Robert M
• Childers Brooks A
• Legrand Philippe J
• Laing Malcolm S
• Duncan Roger G
• O'Bryan Suresha R
• Sheth Ketankumar K
• Brookbank Earl B
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Harman Robert M
• Childers Brooks A
• Legrand Philippe J
• Laing Malcolm S
• Duncan Roger G
• O'Bryan Suresha R
• Sheth Ketankumar K
• Brookbank Earl B

Classifications

• F04B47/02 Primary

  the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level (F04B47/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/008 Primary

  Monitoring of down-hole pump systems, e.g. for the detection of "pumped-off" conditions · CPC title

• E21B43/12 Primary

  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

• E21B17/003

  with electrically conducting or insulating means (E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/128 Primary

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