# US 11,994,018 B2 · Geothermal production monitoring systems and related methods

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,994,018 B2
- Document ID: US11994018B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/601,131
- Filed: 2020-04-03
- Published: 2022-06-09
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-04
- Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
- Applicants: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
- Inventors: Charles Toussaint; You Cheng Jee; Guillaume Jolivet; Cheng-Gang Xie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994018B2

## CPC

- E21B 47/008: Monitoring of down-hole pump systems, e.g. for the detection of "pumped-off" conditions
- E21B 43/121: {Lifting well fluids (monitoring of down-hole pump systems E21B47/008)}
- E21B 47/07: Temperature
- F17D 3/01: for controlling, signalling, or supervising the conveyance of a product
- F17D 5/02: Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
- F24T 10/20: using underground water as working fluid; using working fluid injected directly into the ground, e.g. using injection wells and recovery wells
- F24T 50/00: Geothermal systems (for producing mechanical power from geothermal energy F03G4/00)
- G01F 1/66: by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
- G01F 1/74: Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
- F24T 2010/56: {Control arrangements}
- G01F 1/44: Venturi tubes
- Y02P 80/10: Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- F17D: PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES (pumps or compressors F04; fluid dynamics F15D; valves or the like F16K; pipes, laying pipes, supports, joints, branches, repairing, work on the entire line, accessories F16L; steam traps or the like F16T; fluid-pressure electric cables H01B9/06)
- F24T: GEOTHERMAL COLLECTORS; GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Geothermal production monitoring systems and related methods are disclosed herein. An example system includes a production well, an injection well, a downhole pump or a downhole compressor to control a production of a multiphase fluid including steam from the production well, a first fluid conduit to transport the multiphase fluid away from the production well, a surface pump disposed downstream of the first fluid conduit, and a second fluid conduit. The surface pump is to inject water into the injection well via the second fluid conduit. A flowmeter is fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit. The example system includes a processor to control at least one of (a) the downhole pump or the downhole compressor or (b) the surface pump in response to fluid property data generated by the first flowmeter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a production well;
an injection well;
a downhole pump or a downhole compressor to control a production of a multiphase fluid including steam from the production well;
a first fluid conduit to transport the multiphase fluid away from the production well;
a surface pump disposed downstream of the first fluid conduit;
a second fluid conduit, the surface pump to inject water into the injection well via the second fluid conduit;
a flowmeter fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit; and
a processor, the processor to control at least one of (a) the downhole pump or the downhole compressor or (b) the surface pump in response to fluid property data generated by the flowmeter,
wherein the flowmeter includes a radioactive source and a radioactive photon signal detector, the radioactive source to emit a radioactive photon signal through the first fluid conduit, the processor to determine an operational condition of the first fluid conduit based on an intensity of the radioactive photon signal detected by the radioactive photon signal detector, and
wherein the operational condition of the first fluid conduit is indicative of scale deposition in the first fluid conduit or corrosion of the first fluid conduit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further including a heater coupled to the first fluid conduit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising a second flowmeter, the multiphase fluid to flow through the second flowmeter after exposure to the heater, the processor to adjust an amount of heat generated by the heater in response to one or more of the fluid property data generated by the flowmeter or in response to fluid property data generated by the second flowmeter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is to determine one or more of a flow rate of the steam in the multiphase fluid, a flow rate of liquid water in the multiphase fluid, a steam quality of the multiphase fluid, or an enthalpy of the multiphase fluid based on the fluid property data.