Submersible Pump Foaming Agent Injection for Gas Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal pumps face efficiency, capacity, and gas lock issues when handling well fluids with high gas content due to gas separation and slippage between liquid and gas phases, which existing solutions like upstream gas separators cannot fully address.
Innovation Solution
A downhole submersible pumping system with a gas separator and a foaming agent injection system that uses a surfactant to coalesce vapor and liquid phases, reducing fluid gradient and enhancing pumping efficiency by mechanical mixing and chemical foaming agent injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a gas separator is installed upstream of the pump, then gas removal is improved, but the pump still experiences gas lock and efficiency reduction when gas content exceeds separator capability
Solution Approach 1:
A foam generator is introduced as an intermediary device between the gas separator and pump inlet. The foam generator creates a foam mixture that acts as a mediator to transport gas and liquid phases together, preventing gas accumulation that would cause pump gas lock while maintaining effective gas separation upstream.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and distribution parameters of the fluid by generating foam. This foam structure alters how gas and liquid phases interact and move through the pump, allowing the pump to handle high gas content fluids without experiencing traditional gas lock problems.
2Reliability
If centrifugal pump design is modified to handle gas, then gas tolerance is improved, but pump efficiency, capacity, and head are still reduced by gas separation and slippage
Solution Approach 1:
The foam generator creates a foam intermediary that prevents direct gas-liquid separation within the pump. This foam structure allows gas and liquid to move together as a unified phase, eliminating slippage between phases and maintaining pump head and capacity even with high gas content fluids.
3Productivity
If submergence pressure is increased above bubble point pressure, then gas remains in solution and pump performance is improved, but this is typically not possible in existing well conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the pressure parameter to keep gas in solution, the system changes the physical state of the fluid by generating foam. This allows the pump to handle gases that would normally separate at existing well pressures, achieving improved pump performance without requiring increased submergence pressure.
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 produces a homogeneous fluid with reduced density, minimizing gas lock and improving fluid flow by reducing buoyant force, thereby enhancing pumping capabilities and fluid quality.
Implementation Method 1
The foaming agent may comprise a surfactant
Implementation Method 2
The foaming agent plus liquid and gas, combined with the inherent turbulence in fluid flow, forms a low gradient mix as the fluid flows upward in the tubing
Implementation Method 3
minimizing gas lock and improving fluid flow by reducing buoyant force
Data Source
AI summary
A submersible pumping system for use downhole that includes a housing, a pump and gas separator within the housing, a motor for driving the pump and separator, and a foaming agent injection system. The foaming agent injection system injects a foaming agent upstream of the pump and optionally upstream of the separator. The foaming agent injection system comprises a foaming agent supply, an injection pump, and foaming agent injection line.