Production method with a plunger lift system

A method, comprising:

• deploying a plunger from a wellhead to a downhole location of a production string fluidly coupled to the wellhead and disposed within a wellbore, the plunger comprising a collar detector attached to a body of the plunger and the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two adjacent pipes of the production string to form a joint;
• detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by a circuitry module of the collar detector, a first plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;
• lifting the plunger from the downhole location of the production string to the wellhead to produce hydrocarbons;
• detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in an uphole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by the circuitry module of the collar detector, a second plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;
• determining, as a function of the first and second plurality of timestamps, at least one parameter of the plunger;
• and
• controlling, as a function of the parameter of the plunger, a valve fluidly coupled to the wellhead to control a parameter of a plunger lift cycling operation;
• wherein the collar detector comprises an electromechanical collar detector comprising a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to an electromechanical transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the first plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in a memory of the plunger, and detecting the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction comprises axially extending, at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective joint, the plurality of spring-loaded pins as the plunger moves past each collar.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a system comprising one or more computers in one or more locations, information from a collar detector attached to a plunger configured to move along a production string to produce hydrocarbons during a plunger lift cycle operation, the production string fluidly coupled to a wellhead comprising a valve, the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two consecutive pipes of the production string, the information comprising a plurality of timestamps each associated with a time at which the collar detector detects a respective collar;
• determining, by the system and as a function of the information, a parameter of the plunger during the plunger lift cycle operation;
• and
• controlling, by the system and as a function of the determined parameter, the valve to change at least one parameter of the plunger lift cycle operation;
• wherein the collar detector comprises:
• a housing attached to a downhole end of the plunger;
• a memory disposed within the housing;
• a transducer disposed within the housing;
• and
• a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to the transducer and extending through a side wall of the housing, the transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in the memory, and detecting the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction comprises axially extending, at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective collar, the plurality of spring-loaded pins as the plunger moves past each collar.

A plunger lift system, comprising:

• a production string configured to be disposed within a wellbore, the production string made of a plurality of pipes joined by a plurality of collars;
• a wellhead configured to reside at a terranean surface of the wellbore and be fluidly coupled to the production string;
• a valve configured to be fluidly coupled to the wellhead;
• a plunger configured to move along the production string to produce hydrocarbons during a plunger lift cycle operation, the plunger comprising a collar detector;
• and
• a system at or near the terranean surface of the wellbore, the system comprising one or more computers in one or more locations, the system configured to:
• receive, from the collar detector, information comprising a plurality of timestamps each representing a time at which the collar detector detected a respective one of the plurality of collars;
• and
• determine, as a function of the information, a parameter of the plunger, the parameter comprising at least one of a speed or location of the plunger along the production string, the parameter usable to control at least one parameter of the plunger lift cycle operation;
• wherein the collar detector comprises an electromechanical collar detector comprising a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to an electromechanical transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in a memory of the plunger, the collar detector configured to detect the plurality of collars as the plurality of spring-loaded pins extend at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective joint as the plunger moves past each collar.

A method, comprising:

• deploying a plunger from a wellhead to a downhole location of a production string fluidly coupled to the wellhead and disposed within a wellbore, the plunger comprising a collar detector attached to a body of the plunger and the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two adjacent pipes of the production string to form a joint;
• detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by a circuitry module of the collar detector, a first plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;
• lifting the plunger from the downhole location of the production string to the wellhead to produce hydrocarbons;
• detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in an uphole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by the circuitry module of the collar detector, a second plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;
• determining, as a function of the first and second plurality of timestamps, at least one parameter of the plunger;
• and
• controlling, as a function of the parameter of the plunger, a valve fluidly coupled to the wellhead to control a parameter of a plunger lift cycling operation;
• wherein the determining comprises determining a change of falling or rising speed of the plunger and a location of the falling or rising speed of the plunger and determining, as a function of the change and location of the falling or rising speed, a sealing performance of the plunger.