Piston-Based Intensifier Pump System for High-Pressure Downhole Operations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pumping systems used in hydrocarbon exploration and production face challenges in maintaining high pressure outputs over extended durations while minimizing wear and tear, leading to increased costs and reduced life expectancy due to their large footprint and susceptibility to corrosive and abrasive effects.
Innovation Solution
A compact piston-based intensifier pumping system is introduced, which reduces the number of strokes required, incorporates a disposable or repairable cylinder system, and utilizes advanced piston seals to withstand harsh conditions, allowing for efficient high-pressure operations within a smaller footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional pumping systems are operated at high pressure requirements (exceeding 18,000 psi), then the required pressure output is achieved, but the life expectancy of the pumping system decreases and repair costs increase due to wear and tear
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping system is divided into two distinct components: a conventional pump and an intensifier. The pump handles volume delivery while the intensifier handles pressure multiplication. This segmentation allows each component to operate within its optimal performance range, reducing wear on the pump and extending system life expectancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The intensifier acts as an intermediary device between the pump and the downhole operation. It receives hydraulic fluid from the pump and uses it to generate the required high pressure (exceeding 18,000 psi) through its piston mechanism, protecting the pump from direct exposure to extreme pressure conditions.
2Reliability
If an intensifier with a 60 inch stroke is used to reduce pump strokes by six-to-one, then the life expectancy of the conventional pump increases by about six times, but the footprint of the equipment increases to 18 to 25 feet in length
Solution Approach 1:
The intensifier is designed with a nested structure where the piston shaft section is positioned within the hydraulic power section, and the flow section is integrated with the piston shaft section. This nesting allows the 60-inch stroke intensifier to be compacted into a much smaller overall footprint, eliminating the need for 18-25 feet of equipment length.
Solution Approach 2:
The intensifier utilizes a vertical arrangement of its components, stacking the hydraulic power section, piston shaft section, and flow section in a vertical dimension rather than extending horizontally. This dimensional reorganization achieves the required 60-inch stroke while maintaining a compact horizontal footprint.
3Area of stationary object
If a piston-based intensifier system is used to reduce footprint, then the equipment size is minimized, but the system must withstand corrosive and abrasive effects in harsh downhole conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the intensifier are designed with specific material properties suited to their local conditions. The piston seals are made from abrasion-resistant materials to withstand the abrasive effects of downhole fluids, while the cylinder and piston body use corrosion-resistant alloys to withstand corrosive environments. This localized material optimization protects the compact intensifier from harsh downhole conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The intensifier employs composite construction combining multiple materials with complementary properties. The piston assembly uses a combination of corrosion-resistant metals and abrasion-resistant seal materials, creating a composite structure that simultaneously resists both corrosive and abrasive effects while maintaining the compact footprint required for modern well sites.
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 piston-based intensifier system extends the life expectancy of pumping systems, reduces maintenance and operational costs, and enhances reliability by minimizing wear and tear, while enabling efficient high-pressure operations with a smaller footprint.
Implementation Method 1
A compact piston-based intensifier pumping system is introduced, which reduces the number of strokes required
Implementation Method 2
a piston assembly translates between the hydraulic power section and the piston shaft section
Implementation Method 3
the intensifier pressurizes the fluid to be pumped downhole
Data Source
AI summary
A pumping system pumps material or fluid downhole, for example, to perform a stimulation operation. The pumping system can include a hydraulic pump coupled to an intensifier. The intensifier may have a piston which allows for a small footprint as compared to an intensifier with a plunger. The hydraulic cylinder of the intensifier may be protected from the corrosive, erosive and/or abrasive effects of the material or fluid to be pumped by one or more seals. Using the intensifier that includes a piston may provide for a greater reliability of the overall pumping system, as fewer strokes are required, and a compact pumping system, as the stroke length of the intensifier with a piston is less than the stroke length required for a plunger.