Patent Application
20130340245
An electric submersible pumping system is used to pump fluids, e.g. hydrocarbon-based fluids, from wells. The electric submersible pumping system comprises a plurality of components, such as submersible motors, submersible pumps, motor protectors, gas separator devices, gauges, various transition components, and other components. The components are assembled together during installation in a well, and the components are joined by corresponding flanges held together by a plurality of bolts. Joining components with the multiple bolts involves substantial time and the flange type connector often consumes substantial radial space, thus reducing the space available for functional features of the pumping system. The reduced diameter of the neck proximate each flange also can create a weaker area that allows bending and thus higher bearing loading.
In general, the present disclosure provides a system and methodology that facilitate connection between components of an electric submersible pumping system. The technique utilizes at least one connector designed to connect a first component to a second component of an electric submersible pumping system. The connector is designed as a flangeless connector which secures engagement of the two components without relative rotation between the first component and the second component. Additional flangeless connectors may be positioned between other pairs of components to provide the enhanced connection throughout the electric submersible pumping system.
However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein, and:
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
The present disclosure generally relates to a system and methodology for connecting components of an electric submersible pumping system. For example, one or more connectors may be employed to couple sequential components of the pumping system, such as the submersible motor, motor protector, and submersible pump. The connector is a flangeless connector which secures engagement of adjacent pumping system components without relative rotation between the pumping system components. In other words, the adjacent pumping system components are not threaded together by rotating one of the components relative to the other. The connector is designed to function without using bolted flanges.
As described in greater detail below, an embodiment of the connector may comprise a threaded coupler, such as a threaded collar or ring, rotatably trapped on the head or base of one component. When two of the system components are joined, the threaded coupler, e.g. threaded collar, is rotated and threaded onto the base or head of the adjacent, mating component. A threaded ring variation inverts the threads but the threaded ring is similarly rotated into threaded engagement with the mating component.
In certain embodiments, a shoulder ring is used to facilitate assembly of a threaded collar or ring onto an end, e.g. head or base, of an electric submersible pumping system component. The shoulder ring creates a shoulder on the head or base after the threaded collar is installed. In this example, the shoulder is of a larger diameter than would otherwise allow the threaded collar or ring to be assembled were the shoulder integral with the head or base. Each connector may comprise a variety of other components or features, such as various attachment mechanisms, anti-rotation mechanisms, seals, seal types, and seal locations.
By way of example, the shoulder ring and the threaded collar may be assembled from the joint end of the head or base instead of the housing end (although other embodiments are assembled from the housing end). Consequently, the shoulder for retaining the threaded collar can be much more robust while allowing the balance of the head or base to be a variety of sizes or shapes. The shoulder ring can be secured to the head or base by threads, welding, or other suitable fasteners. The shoulder ring also may be split into pieces, e.g. halves, which are joined in a groove by a retainer, such as a retaining ring. To prevent spinning and unscrewing, factory joints can be locked welded or otherwise secured and field joints can utilize pins, lugs, castellations, or other suitable anti-rotation mechanisms.
Referring generally to
In the example illustrated in
By way of example, at least two adjacent pumping system components 32 are engaged and coupled to each other by a connector 48. In the specific embodiment illustrated, connectors 48 are disposed between several pumping system components 32, e.g. between submersible motor 34 and motor protector 36; between motor protector 36 and submersible pump 38; and between pump 38 and connector sub 44. The connectors 48 are designed to enable engagement and coupling of adjacent pumping system components 32 without relative rotation of those pumping system components 32 and without the use of bolted flanges. In other words, the connectors 48 are flangeless connectors.
The pumping system 30 may be deployed in a variety of wellbores, such as vertical wellbores (as illustrated) or deviated wellbores, e.g. horizontal wellbores. Generally the wellbore 31 is drilled into a geological formation 50. In some applications, wellbore 31 is lined with a casing 52 deployed along the rock borehole wall 54. However, the electric submersible pumping system 30 may be utilized in a variety of other types of wellbores, including open wellbores, and also in caverns, tanks, collection features, and other spaces from which fluid is pumped and/or into which fluid is injected.
Referring generally to
Once threaded coupler 56 is slid over end 58, the threaded coupler 56 is secured in place by a shoulder ring 64. Shoulder ring 64 may be separately assembled onto end 58 after positioning of the coupler 56 over end 58. Shoulder ring 64 also may comprise a variety of attachment mechanisms 66 by which the shoulder ring 64 engages end 58. By way of example, shoulder ring 64 may comprise attachment mechanism 66 in the form of a threaded region positioned to engage a corresponding threaded region 68 located on end 58. However, attachment mechanism 66 also may comprise a metal melting attachment member/technique, e.g. welding or soldering, for attaching shoulder ring 64 to component 32. Additionally, the attachment mechanism 66 may comprise a separate threaded fastener or fasteners, e.g. screws. The attachment mechanism 66 also may comprise a retainer ring or an interference fit designed to affix the shoulder ring 64 to end 58 in a manner which secures coupler 56. In some applications, the shoulder ring 64 also may be secured against release by an additional fastening mechanism, such as a lock weld 70, used in combination with one or more of the other attachment mechanisms 66.
The shoulder ring 64 presents an abutment surface or shoulder 72 which engages a corresponding abutment surface or shoulder 74 of threaded coupler 56. The shoulder ring 64 secures the threaded coupler 56 while allowing the threaded coupler 56 to be rotated for engagement with the second component 32. In the embodiment illustrated, the second component 32 comprises a threaded region 76 which is engaged by a corresponding threaded region 78 of threaded coupler 56. In this example, threaded coupler 56 is a threaded collar having threaded region 78 positioned internally for engagement with externally oriented threaded region 76 of the second component 32. The threaded region 76 may be located along the exterior of a head 79, of the second component 32, which engages the base 60 of the adjacent, first component 32. It should be noted that the coupler 56 and shoulder ring 64 may be mounted on either of the base 60 or head 79 depending on the specifics of a given application.
After the adjacent pumping system components 32 are moved axially into engagement with each other, the threaded coupler 56 is simply rotated about end 58 to threadably engage threaded region 76 and corresponding threaded region 78. As a result, the adjacent components 32 may be securely coupled together without relative rotation and without utilizing bolted, flange type connectors. After threaded regions 76, 78 are securely engaged, the threaded coupler 56 may be locked against further rotation by a suitable locking mechanism 80, such as a setscrew. The connector 48 also comprises a seal 82, such as a spring-loaded seal, positioned between adjacent pumping system components 32.
Depending on the application and the design of components 32, the connector 48 may comprise or work in cooperation with a variety of other features. For example, alignment features 84 may be used to ensure a desired alignment of head 79 with base 60 of the adjacent pumping system components 32 as the components 32 are moved axially into engagement with each other. In the example illustrated, alignment features 84 comprise at least one pin 86 extending from one component 32 and received in a corresponding slot 88 of the adjacent component 32. Other features may comprise a ring 90, such as a metal E-ring, positioned circumferentially around end 58 between base 60 and head 79. A test port 92 also may be positioned as illustrated or in other suitable locations. Additionally, a retraction groove 94 may be located to facilitate temporary retraction of threaded coupler 56 along end 58.
Referring generally to
In
Referring generally to
The shoulder ring 64 may again comprise threaded region 66 for engagement with corresponding threaded region 68. As illustrated, threaded region 68 is extended and positioned for engagement with housing portion 106. In other words, the shoulder ring 64 shares the same thread 68 as housing portion 106. The shoulder ring 64 also may be welded to base 60 alone or in combination with the threaded engagement. However, other types of suitable fastening mechanisms may be used to secure shoulder ring 64. To connect the first component 32 with the second component 32, the threaded collar 56 is again rotated to threadably engage the second component 32 via threaded regions 76 and 78.
Referring generally to
If a split shoulder ring 112 (or other type of shoulder ring 64) is employed, the shoulder ring may be positioned to engage shoulder 72 via its corresponding shoulder 74. Coupler 56, e.g. a threaded collar, is slid over shoulder 72 and into engagement with, for example, split shoulder ring 112. The coupler 56 may be attached to the split shoulder ring 112 (or other shoulder ring 64) by a suitable fastener 115. Examples of suitable attachment methods include threaded engagement, metal melting techniques, e.g. welding or soldering, a threaded fastener or fasteners, e.g. screws, a retainer ring, an interference fit, or other suitable attachment members and/or techniques (e.g. see the illustrated threaded region and weldment combination). The threaded coupler 56 also may be attached to shoulder ring 64 by a variety of combinations of fasteners 115.
Another embodiment of connector 48 is illustrated in
Referring generally to
Following engagement of the adjacent components 32, the threaded coupler 56 is slid into engagement with threaded region 76 and the threaded coupler 56 is rotated until threaded region 78 fully engages the corresponding threaded region 76. The threaded coupler 56 may then be rotationally and axially locked in place along the reduced outside diameter section 124 via a suitable fastener 130, e.g. set screws. It should be noted that in some applications, coupler 56 may be designed without threaded region 78 and the coupler 56 may be secured to the adjacent components 32 by other suitable types of fasteners, such as set screws or other locking mechanisms.
Depending on the application, the embodiment of connector 48 illustrated in
Referring generally to
In this embodiment, if groove 140 is located in the base 60, then the coupler 56 is designed to threadably engage internally threaded region 68 of head 79. As illustrated, the portion of coupler 56 comprising threaded region 66 is positioned between portions of the base 60 and corresponding head 79 of adjacent pumping system components 32. Axially, the coupler 56 is trapped between an abutment surface 144 on split shoulder ring 138 and an abutment surface 146 of the same base 60 or head 79 containing groove 140 (see
Another embodiment of connector 48 is illustrated in
Another aspect of the embodiments described herein is that upon coupling components 32 of electric submersible pumping system 30, an improved seal between joints is created. Each connector 48 may be designed to help remove the gap that would otherwise be created between flanges and through which a seal would otherwise tend to extrude under high pressure. A variety of features and variations in the designs described herein may further be utilized to reduce or prevent extrusion of seals by creating an interference gland to reduce seal extrusion between pumping system components.
By way of example, interference glands may comprise mating surfaces which are tapered or conical in shape so that assembly or movement in one direction produces interference in another direction. Axial assembly of male and female conical surfaces, for instance, removes the radial gap between the surfaces and thus between the corresponding components. Mating surfaces also may be stepped or shouldered so that during assembly or movement, one portion causes definite contact or deformation with respect to another portion. Additionally, at least one of the interfering surfaces may feature an inner or outer recess, such as a groove, to contain the sealing element which may be formed of elastomer, polymer, graphite, metal, or composite. Similarly, the two parts sealed with respect to each other may feature integral interfering surfaces that mate with each other.
Other options for providing an interference gland 160 and for thus improving sealing include, for example, use of a third intermediate part bridge located between the two parts being sealed with respect to each other. As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the sealing may be improved by creating interference of the surfaces during assembly. The interference is designed to elastically or plastically deform at least one of the parts to conform to the other part and to remove the potential for an extrusion gap which would allow extrusion of the seal. In some applications, the pressure acting on the seal area can be used to elastically or plastically deform at least one of the parts to conform to the other part, thus removing the extrusion gap. In some embodiments, the extrusion gap may be removed by effectively creating rigid contact between two surfaces that are accurate enough, e.g. appropriately toleranced, so that deformation of components can be avoided. Additionally, various combinations of these techniques may be employed to prevent creation of an extrusion gap and to thus prevent extrusion of seals between adjacent components 32. Each of these methods for limiting or preventing extrusion of seals utilizes some type of interference gland, e.g. bridge 160, to protect and maintain the seal between pumping system components 32.
Depending on the environment and the parameters of a given application, the components of the electric submersible pumping system and the design of the connector or connectors between components can vary. For example, additional pumping system components may be incorporated into the system. Various embodiments of the connector may be used between each adjacent pair of components or between some adjacent pairs while other types of connectors are employed between other adjacent pairs. The threaded coupler and/or the shoulder ring may be formed as individual pieces or as assemblies of split pieces depending on the design of the overall connector. Additionally, a variety of individual or plural seals may be incorporated into the connector to provide the desired sealing. Various types of interference glands and techniques also may be employed to reduce or prevent extrusion of such seals. A number of alignment features, engagement features, locking features, shoulder features, and other features also may be utilized in each of the connectors to facilitate coupling of adjacent pumping system components.
Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
The present document is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.: 61/662,350, filed Jun. 20, 2012, incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61662350 | Jun 2012 | US |
