Submersible Pump Gas Compressor Separator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Submersible pumping systems face efficiency losses when dealing with high gas content in wellbore fluids, as they are designed for incompressible liquids and struggle to handle gas effectively, leading to reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A fluid production system incorporating a gas-liquid separator, a pump for liquids, and a compressor for gases, all mechanically coupled and disposed within a conduit, allowing for efficient separation and processing of two-phase flows within a modular, self-contained unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electrical submersible pump is used to handle wellbore fluids containing gas, then liquid pumping capability is maintained, but pump efficiency deteriorates due to gas compressibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the two-phase flow handling into separate functional components: a gas-liquid separator that divides the mixture into gas and liquid streams, a pump dedicated to liquid handling, and a compressor dedicated to gas handling. This segmentation allows each component to operate optimally for its specific function without the efficiency losses that occur when a single pump tries to handle both phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas-liquid separator acts as an intermediary device between the wellbore fluid intake and the pump-compressor system. It pre-processes the two-phase flow by separating gas and liquid phases before they reach the dedicated handling components, enabling the pump to receive liquid with minimal gas content and the compressor to receive concentrated gas streams.
2Productivity
If a gas separator is added to extract gas from the pump inlet, then pump efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas-liquid separator, pump, and compressor into a single integrated downhole assembly that operates as one unified system. This combination eliminates the need for separate surface-based separation and compression equipment, reducing overall system complexity despite adding a separator. The integrated design allows all components to be mechanically coupled to a single power source and controlled as one system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated assembly performs multiple functions within a single downhole device: separation of gas and liquid phases, pumping of liquid to surface or storage, and compression of gas for reinjection or storage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate equipment installations and simplifies the overall fluid handling system architecture.
3Stress or pressure
If a centrifugal gas compressor is used to pressurize produced gas, then gas pressure capability is improved, but rotational speed requirements increase compared to liquid pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters of the compressor by using a dedicated gas compression stage with impellers designed for high-speed gas compression rather than liquid pumping. The compressor is specifically configured with appropriate clearance volumes and impeller geometries optimized for compressible gas flow, allowing it to achieve the required pressure increases at feasible rotational speeds while maintaining efficiency.
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 separates and processes two-phase wellbore fluids, enhancing the efficiency of gas and liquid handling by allowing the compressor to operate at optimal speeds, thus improving overall fluid production and management.
Implementation Method 1
A gas separator separates a mixture of liquid and gas typically by centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
ESP's employ centrifugal pumps with multiple stages of impellers/diffusers
Implementation Method 3
An example of a centrifugal gas compressor comprises stages of rotating impellers within stators or diffusers
Data Source
AI summary
A wellbore fluid production system that is disposable in a wellbore comprising a separator, a pump, a compressor, and a motor. The separator segregates the gas and liquid and delivers the gas to the compressor inlet and the liquid to the pump inlet. The pump pressurizes the liquid for delivery to the surface. The compressor pressurizes the gas for reinjection into the wellbore, injection into another subterranean formation, or for delivery to the surface.