Patent Grant
12258954
This disclosure relates to pumping fluid, and specifically to pumping fluid through wellbores.
In many wellbore applications, pumps are used to lift fluids such as hydrocarbons or water from a subterranean zone to the surface from within the wellbore. In some cases, positive displacement pumps are used to provide the lift.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a downhole magnetic pump system. The system includes a tube positioned within a wellbore that is at least partially filled with a fluid. A conductive wire coil is helically wrapped around an outer surface of the tube and is configured to generate a magnetic field in response to an electrical current passing through the coil. The system further includes a standing valve assembly including a one-way valve positioned within the tube, and a travelling valve assembly including a one-way valve positioned in the tube uphole of the standing valve assembly. The traveling valve is axially movable within the tube and is configured to travel in an uphole direction in response to the magnetic field and to repetitively cycle between a first position uphole of the standing valve assembly and a second position uphole of the first position in response to the electrical current repetitively switching between a first state to a second state. In this way, a portion of the fluid is displaced in an uphole direction from a location within the wellbore or the tube downhole of the standing valve assembly to a location within the tube uphole of the traveling valve assembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The tube can be or can include coiled tubing.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Switching the electrical current from the first state to the second state can include switching the electrical current on and off.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Switching the electrical current from the first state to the second state can include reversing the electrical current.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The standing valve can include a gripping assembly. Actuation of the gripping assembly can prevent axial movement of the standing valve assembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Actuating of the gripping assembly can include displacing a first portion of the standing valve assembly axially towards a second portion of the standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The first portion of the standing valve assembly can include a magnet.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The traveling valve assembly can include a magnet.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The conductive wire coil can be a lower conductive wire coil and the standing valve assembly and the traveling valve assembly can include a lower valve pair. An upper conductive wire coil helically can be wrapped around the outer surface of the tube uphole of the lower conductive wire coil and can be conductively connected to the first conductive wire coil. An upper valve pair can be positioned in the tube uphole of the lower valve pair. The upper valve pair can include an upper standing valve assembly and an uphole traveling valve assembly. The upper traveling valve assembly can be configured to travel in an uphole direction in response to the magnetic field and to repetitively cycle between a first upper traveling valve assembly position uphole of the upper standing valve assembly and a second upper traveling valve assembly position uphole of the first upper traveling valve assembly position in response to the electrical current repetitively switching between the first state and the second state. A portion of the fluid can be therefore displaced in an uphole direction from a location within the tube downhole of the upper standing valve assembly to a location within the tube uphole of the upper traveling valve assembly.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a downhole pump. The pump includes a tube configured to be positioned within a wellbore and having a downhole end and an uphole end and a conductive wire coil helically wrapped around an outer surface of the tube and configured to generate, in response to an electrical current passing through the coil, a magnetic field. The pump further includes a standing valve assembly positioned within the tube and comprising a first one-way valve, and a travelling valve assembly positioned in the tube between the standing valve assembly and the uphole end and comprising a second one-way valve. The traveling valve is axially movable within the tube and is configured to travel towards the uphole end in response to the magnetic field and to repetitively cycle between a first position proximate the standing valve assembly and a second position closer to the uphole end than the first position in response to the electrical current repetitively switching between a first state to a second state. A fluid is thereby displaced through the tube from the downhole end to the uphole end.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The traveling valve assembly can include a magnet.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a method. The method includes positioning a tube within a wellbore that is at least partially filled with a fluid. A conductive wire coil is helically wrapped around an outer surface of the tube and the coil is configured to generate, in response to an electrical current passing through the coil, a magnetic field. The method also includes positioning in the tube a standing valve assembly comprising a first one-way valve, and positioning a traveling valve assembly in the tube. The traveling valve includes a second one-way valve and is configured to travel axially relative to the standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field. The method further includes repetitively cycling the electrical current between a first state and second state, thereby repetitively cycling the traveling valve assembly between a first position uphole of the standing valve assembly and a second position uphole of the first position, and thereby displacing a portion of the fluid in an uphole direction from a location within the wellbore or the tube downhole of the standing valve assembly to a location within the tube uphole of the traveling valve assembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The tube can be or can include coiled tubing.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Switching the electrical current from the first state to the second state can include switching the electrical current on and off.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Switching the electrical current from the first state to the second state can include reversing the electrical current.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Positioning the standing valve assembly in the tube can be after the positioning the tube within the wellbore.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Positioning the standing valve assembly in the tube is can be before positioning the tube within the wellbore.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. A gripping assembly of the standing valve assembly can be actuated to prevent axial movement of the standing valve assembly within the tube.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. Actuating of the gripping assembly can include displacing a first portion of the standing valve assembly axially towards a second portion of the standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The first portion of the standing valve assembly can include a magnet.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The traveling valve assembly can include a magnet.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The conductive wire coil can be a lower conductive wire coil and the standing valve assembly and the traveling valve assembly can include a lower valve pair. An upper conductive wire coil conductively connected to the first conductive wire coil can be helically wrapped around the outer surface of the tube uphole of the lower conductive wire coil. An upper valve pair can be positioned in the tube uphole of the lower valve pair. The upper valve pair can include an upper standing valve assembly and an uphole traveling valve assembly, and the upper traveling valve assembly can be configured to travel in an uphole direction in response to the magnetic field. The method can further include repetitively cycling the upper traveling valve assembly between a first upper traveling valve assembly position uphole of the upper standing valve assembly and a second upper traveling valve assembly position uphole of the first upper traveling valve assembly position in response to the electrical current repetitively switching between the first state and the second state. In this way, a portion of the fluid is displaced in an uphole direction from a location within the tube downhole of the upper standing valve assembly to a location within the tube uphole of the upper traveling valve assembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The method can further include actuating a gripping assembly of the lower standing valve assembly to prevent axial movement of the lower standing valve assembly by displacing a first portion of the lower standing valve assembly axially towards a second portion of the lower standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field. The method can further include actuating a gripping assembly of the upper standing valve assembly to prevent axial movement of the standing valve assembly by displacing a first portion of the upper standing valve assembly axially towards a second portion of the upper standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The tube can be or can include coiled tubing.
The details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description that follows. Other features, objects, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
The present disclosure is directed to a downhole pumps used in artificial lift systems.
Downhole pumps are widely used for pumping oil, water, or other liquids from wellbores. Such pumps can be utilized as part of an artificial lift system or for other applications. Artificial lift systems generally comprise of a string of tubing or pipe known as a production string that suspends the downhole pump device near the bottom of the well bore proximate to the producing formation. The downhole pump is used to retrieve production zone fluid, impart a higher pressure into the fluid and discharge the pressurized production zone fluid into production tubing. Pressurized well bore fluid rises towards the surface motivated by difference in pressure.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a downhole pump system includes a positive displacement pump that is operated by cycling an electric current through a coil around the outside of a tube, thereby moving a traveling valve assembly within the tube up and down relative to a standing valve assembly. The system may have fewer moving components than a conventional system and can minimize frictional losses downhole. The system can reduce or eliminate the need for surface stuffing boxes or other surface equipment, thereby reducing or eliminating certain risks such as leak hazards or equipment malfunction, particularly in the presence of corrosive fluid components such as H2S. The pump of the present system can be assembled with the tube at the surface either at the wellsite or at another surface location, and/or can be assembled or partially assembled after placing the tube in the wellbore. The system can be deployed along with, or in a similar fashion as with, coiled tubing applications, and can provide uninterrupted deployment, i.e. fewer or no pauses to screw additional sections of tubing or rods.
Wellbore 110 can be an oil and/or gas well, water well, or other wellbore drilled into subterranean zone 102 for purposes of oil and/or gas production, water extraction, geothermal resource exploitation, or other purpose or application, and can be drilled from a surface (land) location or an offshore location. Wellbore 110 can be a substantially vertical well or can be other-than-vertical (such as substantially horizontal), and/or can include both vertical and other-than-vertical (such as substantially horizontal) portions, and can comprise a single wellbore or can include multiple lateral wellbores. Wellbore 110 is at least partially filled with a fluid 112. Fluid 112 can be, for example, oil, gas, water, or a mixture of different fluids.
Pump 120 is connected to surface tubing 118 at the downhole end of surface tubing 118. Pump 120 includes a pump tube 124. In some embodiments, pump tube 124 and surface tubing 118 are not separate tube segments but instead are part of one continuous tubing such as continuous coiled tubing. In other embodiments, pump tube 124 can be a separate tube segment connected to the bottom end of surface tubing 118, via a threaded connection or other suitable connection. Like surface tubing 118, pump tube 124 can be composed of steel or another suitable metal, plastic, elastomer, composite, or a combination of these materials, as may be suitable for the particular operational environment. A downhole end of pump 120 (along with some or all of the remaining length of pump 120) is immersed within fluid 112.
A conductive wire coil 122 is helically wrapped around an outer surface of pump tube 124. A conductive control wire 126 conductively connects the wire coil 122 to a control module 128. As described in more detail in reference to
In some embodiments, coil 122 and control wire 126 are formed from a single conductive wire strand. In other embodiments, coil 122 and control wire 126 are formed from separate wire strands in conductive communication. Coil 122 and control wire 126 can be composed of copper, aluminum, or another suitable conductive material.
Control module 128 can comprise computer system comprising one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations can comprise transmitting current through control wire 126 and to coil 122. Control module 128 can alternate the current on or off and/or reverse the current, either in response to direct instructions from an operator or as part of a programmed sequence. As described in more detail in reference to
Referring to
Standing valve assembly 210 also includes a gripping assembly 330. Gripping assembly 330 can include one or more grips or slips that, when actuated (for example, pushed radially in an outward direction) can grip an inner surface of a tube within which standing valve assembly 210 is positioned. In the illustrated embodiment, lower portion 306 can be a female end and upper portion 308 can be a male end, such axial movement of lower portion 306 and upper portion 308 towards each other lower portion 30 into upper portion 308 or within each other causes axially gripping assembly 330 to extend radially in an outward direction. In the illustrated embodiment, lower portion 306 is composed of a metallic and/or magnetic material and/or includes one or more magnets 320, such that application of magnetic field 206 (shown in
In some embodiments, a pump system (such as pump system 100 with pump 120 of
Referring to
Pump system 500 also includes an upper downhole pump 520 that includes (upper) conductive wire coil 522, (upper) standing valve assembly 532, and (upper) traveling valve assembly 534, which again are similar in design and function as wire coil 122, standing valve assembly 210, and traveling valve assembly 220 of
In the illustrated embodiment, both lower coil 504 and upper coil 522 are connected by a single conductive wire 540 which (like wire 126 of
Proceeding to step 604, a standing valve assembly that includes a one-way valve is positioned within the tube. In some embodiments, the standing valve assembly is positioned in the tube after the tube is positioned in the wellbore; in other embodiments, the standing valve assembly is positioned in the tube before the tube is positioned in the wellbore. In some embodiments, the decision of whether to place the standing valve assembly the tube before insertion of the tube in the wellbore or after insertion of the tube in the wellbore can be made at the wellsite.
Proceeding to step 606, when the standing valve assembly reaches a desired or suitable location, the gripping assembly of the standing valve assembly is actuated, thereby fixing the standing valve assembly at that location and or limiting further axial movement of the standing valve assembly.
Proceeding to step 608, a traveling valve assembly is positioned in the tube. The traveling valve includes a second one-way valve and is configured to travel axially relative to the standing valve assembly in response to the magnetic field.
Proceeding to step 610, the electrical current is cycled on and off (or between a first current direction and a second current direction), thereby repetitively cycling the traveling valve assembly between a first position uphole of the standing valve assembly and a second position uphole of the first position. In this way, a portion of the fluid is displaced in an uphole direction from a location within the wellbore or the tube downhole of the standing valve assembly to a location within the tube uphole of the traveling valve assembly.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented, in combination, in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations, separately, or in any sub-combination. Moreover, although previously described features may be described as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
As used in this disclosure, the terms “a,” “an,” or “the” are used to include one or more than one unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated. The statement “at least one of A and B” has the same meaning as “A, B, or A and B.” In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed in this disclosure, and not otherwise defined, is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation. Any use of section headings is intended to aid reading of the document and is not to be interpreted as limiting; information that is relevant to a section heading may occur within or outside of that particular section.
Particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations, alterations, and permutations of the described implementations are within the scope of the following claims as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While operations are depicted in the drawings or claims in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed (some operations may be considered optional), to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking or parallel processing (or a combination of multitasking and parallel processing) may be advantageous and performed as deemed appropriate.
Moreover, the separation or integration of various system modules and components in the previously described implementations should not be understood as requiring such separation or integration in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together or packaged into multiple products.
Accordingly, the previously described example implementations do not define or constrain the present disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
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