Bottom Sensor Signal Regeneration for SCP Cable Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication loss between surface equipment and bottom sensors in submerged centrifugal pumping (SCP) systems due to leakage currents caused by deteriorated cable insulation, leading to operational inefficiencies and safety risks in oil production.
Innovation Solution
An electronic system comprising three boards: a power supply board, a signal acquisition board, and a signal processing board, which operates in two modes - as a signal regenerator to maintain communication and as an emulator to test equipment, providing enhanced current supply and signal processing capabilities to overcome leakage current issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If communication signal travels through three-phase power cable, then power and communication can be transmitted together, but signal attenuation occurs due to leakage current
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (signal booster/regenerator) installed at the surface that receives the attenuated communication signal from the bottom sensor, amplifies it, and retransmits it to the control system. This intermediary component compensates for signal loss caused by leakage current in the power cable, maintaining reliable communication while utilizing the existing three-phase cable for both power and data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct electrical signal transmission through the degraded cable with an optical or wireless communication system as an alternative pathway. When the electrical signal becomes too attenuated due to cable deterioration, the system switches to using optical fibers or wireless transmission to carry communication data, substituting the degraded electrical pathway with a more reliable transmission medium.
2Device complexity
If direct voltage is used to power bottom sensor, then power supply is simplified, but communication signal suffers from current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power and communication functions into separate channels within the three-phase cable system. While direct voltage continues to power the bottom sensor through one phase, the communication signal is transmitted through a different phase or combination of phases, allowing independent optimization of each function and reducing interference between power delivery and data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surface-mounted signal regeneration equipment that acts as an intermediary between the bottom sensor and the control system. This device receives the communication signal that has traveled through the power cable, regenerates it to full strength, and forwards it to the control system, thereby compensating for signal degradation caused by using the same cable for both power and communication.
3Productivity
If cable insulation deteriorates, then current leakage increases, but system continues to operate without communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the surface-mounted signal regeneration device continuously monitors the quality and strength of the communication signal received from the bottom sensor. When signal degradation exceeds a threshold due to cable insulation deterioration, the system automatically adjusts by increasing amplification gain or switching to alternative communication pathways, ensuring continuous operation despite deteriorating cable conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent installs signal regeneration and boosting equipment in advance at the surface, creating a buffer against future signal loss. This preemptive measure ensures that when cable insulation deteriorates and signal attenuation increases, the system already has the necessary infrastructure in place to compensate for the degradation and maintain communication, rather than waiting for complete failure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reestablishes communication and data retrieval from bottom sensors, increasing oil production efficiency and average time between failures, while allowing for monitoring and testing of SCP systems, thus mitigating the impact of leakage currents on SCP systems.
Implementation Method 1
the decoupling of voltages is promoted by the windings of the electric motor
Implementation Method 2
the communication between the surface panel and the instrumentation installed at the base of the electric motor of the SCP system takes place through a specific protocol and a pulse code modulation (PCM) of direct voltage that uses the three-phase power cable
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic system is capable of assuming the role of master module before the proprietary module of the manufacturer of the SCP system, in the absence of a response to the first request from the supervisory system, or when the proposed module detects that the original module is inappropriately carrying out the PCM signal decoding. The system is further capable of monitoring new variables available at the bottomhole, regardless of the limited set of variables provided by the original module of the SCP system.