Multi-well Chemical Injection Manifold with Sequential Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chemical injection systems for oil wells require multiple units for each bore, leading to increased equipment costs and maintenance, and lack efficient control over fluid flow rates and valve operation.
Innovation Solution
A multi-well chemical injection manifold system with a controller that regulates the flow of pressurized fluid from a motor-driven pump to multiple wells using electric valves, optimizing flow rates and duty cycles to minimize equipment needs and detect valve failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single chemical injection system supports multiple well bores, then equipment cost is reduced and maintenance is minimized, but control over fluid flow rates and valve operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple chemical injection functions into a single manifold system that serves multiple well bores. The manifold integrates multiple outlets and electric valves into one unified structure, allowing a single pump and control system to distribute chemicals to multiple wells, thereby reducing overall equipment cost and maintenance requirements while maintaining individual control over each well's flow rate through the controller.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold system is designed with multi-functionality to handle various chemical injection requirements for different well bores simultaneously. The controller can independently regulate flow rates to each outlet, making the single system universally applicable to multiple wells with different chemical injection needs, thus reducing the number of separate systems required.
2Productivity
If multiple electric valves are operated simultaneously, then fluid distribution to multiple wells is efficient, but pressure drops and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The controller operates electric valves in a sequential or periodic manner rather than simultaneously, opening and closing valves in a controlled sequence. This periodic operation allows the pump to maintain stable pressure between valve actuations, preventing pressure drops that would occur if multiple valves opened simultaneously, while still achieving efficient fluid distribution to multiple wells over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts valve operation timing and sequence based on flow rate requirements. The controller monitors and regulates each valve's opening/closing timing to optimize fluid distribution while maintaining pressure stability, adapting the operation schedule to match the dynamic needs of different wells.
3Manufacturing precision
If duty cycles are optimized for each well, then chemical injection precision is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller adjusts operational parameters such as duty cycle percentages and timing sequences for each electric valve to achieve precise chemical injection control. By varying these parameters, the system can optimize injection precision for each well's specific requirements while using a relatively simple control architecture that manages multiple valves through standardized parameter adjustment.
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 reduces equipment costs and maintenance by efficiently managing fluid distribution to multiple wells with a single manifold and controller, ensuring only one valve is open at a time and detecting failures to maintain operation.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of electric valves downstream of and fluidly connected, respectively, to the plurality of outlets, each of the plurality of electric valves being configured to selectively open and close to regulate a flow of the fluid
Implementation Method 2
injecting a pressurized fluid from a pump that is driven by a motor
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid handling system suitable for injecting a pressurized fluid from a pump that is driven by a motor into an oilfield network includes a manifold fluidly connected to the pump and a controller. The manifold includes an inlet for receiving the fluid from the pump, a plurality of outlets downstream of and fluidly connected to the inlet, and a plurality of electric valves downstream of and fluidly connected, respectively, to the plurality of outlets, each of the plurality of electric valves being configured to selectively open and close to regulate a flow of the fluid from the plurality of outlets to a plurality of wells fluidly connected, respectively, to the plurality of electric valves. The controller is configured to receive a plurality of flow rate values of the plurality of wells, determine a plurality of duty cycles for the plurality of electric valves based on the plurality of flow rate values, and determine a schedule for the plurality of duty cycles so that only one of the plurality of electric valves is controlled open at a given time.