Method for controlling a hydrocarbons production installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9234410-B2
Application number	US-70553510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2010
Priority date	Feb 13, 2009
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

For controlling a hydrocarbons production installation, comprising at least one hydrocarbons production string activated by a gas injection using a gas injection choke, and a production choke on the string, a method comprises a production phase during which the position of at least one of the chokes is adjusted by cascaded control loops. The loops are driven according to continuously or sequentially developing setpoint parameters. The installation can be controlled more accurately and quickly than in the prior art, as a cascade control loop architecture makes it possible to simplify each of the loops in order to increase the speed of implementation, while still taking account of a greater number of setpoint parameters.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a hydrocarbons production installation, the installation comprising:
at least one hydrocarbons production string activated by a gas injection using a gas injection choke, and
a production choke on the hydrocarbons production string, wherein the method comprises a production phase comprising the step of:
adjusting a position of the production choke by control loops that are carried out successively, the control loops being driven according to sequentially developing setpoint parameters, whereby the position of the production choke is adjusted by the control loops also according to a final setpoint aperture of the production choke or according to a setpoint aperture of the production choke that increases sequentially, the step of adjusting the position of the production choke comprising the steps of:
using a first loop for continuously adjusting a setpoint pressure in the production string according to a measured aperture of the production choke and of a reference aperture of the production choke;
using a second loop for continuously adjusting the setpoint pressure at a string head according to the setpoint pressure in the production string adjusted by the first loop and a pressure in the production string obtained by calculation or by measurement; and
using a third loop for continuously adjusting the aperture of the production choke according to the setpoint pressure at the string head adjusted by the second loop and according to a measured pressure at the string head.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, the production phase further comprises the step of:
adjusting a position of the gas injection choke continuously by control loops, the loops being driven according to continuously or sequentially developing setpoint parameters.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to the production phase, a startup phase comprising the steps of:
adjusting a position of the production choke sequentially; and
adjusting the position of the gas injection choke continuously by a control loop driven according to a setpoint parameter developing continuously or sequentially.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a step of:
driving the loops also according to parameters measured on the installation or calculated.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
choosing setpoint parameters from a group consisting of the pressure at the head of the hydrocarbons production string, the pressure in the hydrocarbons production string, the pressure at the top of the injection string, the flow rate of gas injected by the gas injection choke and the gas flow rate at the point of gas injection into the hydrocarbons production string.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises using a loop for:
adjusting a reference gas flow rate according to the setpoint pressure at a point of gas injection into the production string and of a pressure in the string obtained by calculation or by measurement.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises using a loop for continuously:
adjusting an aperture of the gas injection choke according to the reference gas flow rate and according to a setpoint gas flow rate.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises a step of:
adjusting a position of the gas injection choke by the control loops also according to a setpoint gas flow rate at a point of gas injection into the production string, the setpoint gas flow rate at the point of gas injection into the production string increasing sequentially.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises using a loop for continuously:
adjusting an aperture of the gas injection choke according to the setpoint gas flow rate and according to the gas flow rate measured or calculated at the point of gas injection into the production string.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises using a loop for:
adjusting a maximum setpoint aperture of the production choke according to a measured pressure downstream of the production choke and of a reference pressure downstream of the production choke.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises using a loop for:
adjusting a maximum setpoint aperture of the production choke according to a measured pressure downstream of the production choke and of a reference pressure downstream of the production choke.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises a step of:
opening the production choke according to a smallest aperture between the maximum setpoint aperture and an aperture obtained in the loop for continuously adjusting the aperture of the production choke.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the installation comprises a plurality of strings.

Assignees

• Lemetayer Pierre
• Total Sa

Inventors

• Lemetayer Pierre

Classifications

• 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

• E21B43/00

  Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells (applicable only to water E03B) · CPC title

• E21B43/122 Primary

  Gas lift · CPC title