Downhole Pump Production Estimation via Leakage Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Downhole pumps face challenges in accurately determining production due to leakage and pump fillage issues, which affect the volume of fluid produced and require complex and expensive instrumentation for pressure measurement.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining a pump fillage factor and leakage proportionality constant using data from a downhole reciprocating pump, which estimates production based on the area of a pump card and stroke distance, accounting for factors like pump fillage and leakage, and uses these variables to control pump speed and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clearance is provided between the piston and the bore to prevent debris interference, then reliability is improved, but leakage increases reducing production accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the clearance by introducing a compressible material (such as foam or elastomer) that can be compressed to reduce the clearance gap. This dynamic parameter change allows the system to maintain reliability by preventing debris interference while reducing leakage losses by adjusting the clearance dimension under operating conditions.
2Productivity
If pump fillage is increased to improve production volume, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of controlling pump operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by measuring the actual pump fillage through production data and using this information to adjust pump operation parameters. The system continuously monitors fillage levels and provides feedback control to optimize productivity while managing the complexity through automated closed-loop control rather than complex mechanical adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical control systems with data-driven computational methods. By using production measurements and computational algorithms to determine optimal pump operation, the system achieves high productivity without requiring complex mechanical control mechanisms, thus substituting mechanical complexity with informational processing.
3Measurement precision
If traditional pressure measurement instrumentation is used to accurately measure production, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational model that translates easily measurable parameters (such as pump stroke data and production volume) into accurate production measurements. Instead of directly measuring pressure with complex instrumentation, the system uses the intermediary calculation approach based on pump card analysis and production data to achieve measurement precision without the complexity of traditional pressure measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy or model of the pump system operation through computational simulation. By modeling the pump behavior and using this virtual representation to infer production measurements, the system achieves measurement accuracy without requiring physical pressure measurement instruments, thus copying the measurement function through information processing rather than physical sensing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatus to determine production of a downhole pump are described herein. An example method includes measuring a first amount of liquid produced from a well by a pump during a first stroke of the pump, computing a first pump card based on the first stroke, determining a first area of the first pump card and determining a leakage proportionality constant of the pump based on the first amount of liquid produced and the first area. The example method also includes computing a second pump card based on a second stroke of the pump, determining a second area of the second pump card and determining a second amount of liquid produced by the pump during the second stroke based on the leakage proportionality constant and the second area.