Gas-lift system with paired controllers
AssigneeEpic Lift Systems
InventorJason Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling operation of a well, of which the method includes receiving an operation setting for operation of a system that provides lift gas into and produces gas from the well, monitoring operation of the system using a first controller, determining, using the first controller, that the system is not operating at the operation setting, and in response to determining that the system is not operating at the operation setting, sending, using a two-way communication link from the first controller to a second controller, a control signal to the second controller. The control signal is configured to cause the second controller to modify an operation of a compressor of the system.
Claims20
A method for controlling operation of a well, comprising:
- receiving an operation setting for operation of a system that provides lift gas into and produces gas from the well;
- monitoring operation of the system using a first controller;
- determining, using the first controller, that the system is not operating at the operation setting;
- and
- in response to determining that the system is not operating at the operation setting, sending, using a two-way communication link from the first controller to a second controller, a control signal to the second controller, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the second controller to modify an operation of a compressor of the system.
A system, comprising:
- a compressor configured to compress gas;
- a compressor controller configured to control an operation of the compressor;
- a wellhead configured to receive compressed gas from the compressor;
- a wellhead controller coupled to the wellhead and configured to measure one or more operation settings;
- and
- a communication two-way link between the wellhead controller and the compressor controller, wherein the wellhead controller is configured to send one or more control signals to the compressor controller via the two-way communication link, and wherein the compressor controller is configured to adjust the operation of the compressor in response to the one or more control signals.
A method for controlling operation of a well, comprising:
- introducing a gas into a separator;
- removing particles from the gas using the separator to produce a clean gas;
- introducing the clean gas into a compressor;
- determining when a plunger is at a predetermined position in the well;
- transmitting a first signal to a controller when the plunger is at the predetermined position in the well;
- causing the compressor to not compress the clean gas flowing therethrough in response to the first signal;
- actuating a valve into a first position in response to the first signal, thereby allowing the plunger to descend in the well;
- transmitting a second signal to the controller a predetermined amount of time after the plunger is determined to be at the predetermined position in the well;
- compressing the clean gas using the compressor in response to the second signal;
- and
- actuating the valve into a second position in response to the second signal, thereby causing the plunger to ascend in the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.