ESP string protection apparatus
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsDonn J. Brown, David C. Beck, Trevor A. Kopecky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for protecting an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) string from gas slugs in a downhole well environment. The system comprises an intake tube having a first and second end and one of a packer having a bypass channel and an inverted shroud coupled to the intake tube and the ESP string. The intake tube is independent of a pump and a motor of the ESP string. The system can comprise a bypass tube for channeling the gas slug downstream of the pump. The bypass tube is integrated with the packer. The inverted shroud is coupled with the first end of the intake tube and a section of production tubing downstream from the pump and the motor. The inverted shroud forms a bypass path channel within a casing annulus.
Claims11
A system for protecting an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) string having a pump and a motor, the system comprising:
- an intake tube having a first and second end;
- wherein the intake tube is coupled to and extends below an inverted shroud through a gas pocket and into a liquid from a hydrocarbon reservoir;
- wherein the first end opens below the inverted shroud and within the liquid;
- wherein the second end opens within the inverted shroud and to the ESP;
- wherein the intake tube serves as the only fluid opening within the inverted shroud;
- and
- the inverted shroud coupled to the intake tube;
- wherein the intake tube is not directly coupled to the pump and the motor;
- wherein a casing is adjacent to the inverted shroud to form an annulus;
- wherein the inverted shroud and casing are arranged in close proximity to one another such that the gas pocket accumulates below the inverted shroud;
- wherein the accumulated gas temporarily halts the flow of the liquid past the gas and into the annulus between the inverted shroud and the casing;
- wherein the casing portion adjacent to the inverted shroud is not perforated.
An apparatus for protecting an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) system having a pump and a motor, the apparatus comprising:
- an intake tube having a first and second end;
- wherein the intake tube is coupled to and extends below an inverted shroud through a gas pocket and into a liquid from a hydrocarbon reservoir;
- wherein the first end opens below the inverted shroud and within the liquid;
- wherein the second end opens within the inverted shroud and to the ESP;
- wherein the intake tube serves as the only fluid opening within the inverted shroud;
- and
- a bypass channel extending above the pump;
- wherein the intake tube is not directly coupled to the pump and the motor;
- wherein a casing is adjacent to the inverted shroud to form an annulus;
- wherein the inverted shroud and casing are arranged in close proximity to one another such that the gas pocket accumulates below the inverted shroud;
- wherein the accumulated gas temporarily halts the flow of the liquid past the gas and into the annulus between the inverted shroud and the casing;
- wherein the casing portion adjacent to the inverted shroud is not perforated.
A method of operating an ESP system having a pump and a motor, the method comprising:
- pumping fluid from a downhole reservoir through a gas bypass assembly using the pump and the motor;
- wherein the gas bypass assembly comprises:
- an intake tube having a first and second end;
- wherein the intake tube is coupled to and extends below an inverted shroud through a gas pocket and into a liquid from the downhole reservoir;
- wherein the first end opens below the inverted shroud and within the liquid;
- wherein the second end opens within the inverted shroud and to the ESP;
- wherein the intake tube serves as the only fluid opening within the inverted shroud;
- wherein the intake tube is not directly coupled to the pump and the motor, wherein a casing is adjacent to the inverted shroud to form an annulus;
- wherein the inverted shroud and casing are arranged in close proximity to one another such that the gas pocket accumulates below the inverted shroud;
- wherein the accumulated gas temporarily halts the flow of the liquid past the gas and into the annulus between the inverted shroud and the casing;
- wherein the casing portion adjacent to the inverted shroud is not perforated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.