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US 5,634,522 AGranted
Liquid level detection for artificial lift system control
OwnerMichael D. Hershbergerinventor
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OwnerMichael D. Hershbergerinventor
Estimating the term…
A method of producing gas through liquid level detection in oil or gas wells uses various types of artificial lift systems that include sub surface gas lift, beam pumps, progressive cavity pump and submersible pumps. The artificial lift systems are controlled in response to a known liquid level within the well bore to prevent the well from pumping off and damaging the artificial lift system or from reducing the liquid level in the well bore to an unnecessarily low level to thereby increase the energy required by the artificial lift system to remove the liquid from the well bore. The liquid level detection method includes the detection of at least the pressure on a side string tube in the well bore to determine the level of liquid in the well bore for automated control of liquid removal from the well bore to be removed to the surface through a production tube to allow improved gas or oil production, increase artificial lift efficiency and to allow for control of the artificial lift system to prevent damage to the system. Another method measures production from the well in conjunction with automated liquid level control to maximize liquid level in the well bore without interfering with production. A timing method allows for control of the quantity of gas injected during the injection cycle of a sub surface gas lift artificial lift system.
In a method of producing gas from a gas and liquid containing underground stratum in which a well bore extends between a ground surface and the underground stratum and the well bore has a casing and a production tube defining an annulus through which the gas from the underground stratum passes and is collected at the ground surface through a production line connected to the annulus, the production tube extending from the ground surface and into fluid communication with the gas and liquid containing stratum and through which the liquid is collected from the well bore and removed to the ground surface by the step of artificially raising the liquid in the production tube to the ground surface to thereby release the gas from the gas and liquid containing underground stratum to the casing and production line and wherein a side string tube extends from the ground surface downwardly through the annulus and below a level of liquid in the well bore, the improvement comprising the steps of:
In a method of producing gas from a gas and liquid containing underground stratum in which a well bore extends between a ground surface and the underground stratum and the well bore has a casing and a production tube defining an annulus through which the gas from the underground stratum passes and is collected at the ground surface through a production line connected to the annulus, the production tube extending from the ground surface and into fluid communication with the gas and liquid containing stratum and through which the liquid is collected from the well bore and removed to the ground surface by the injection of gas at a predetermined rate down a side string tube which extends down through the annulus from the ground surface and is connected to a lower portion of the production tube to thereby release the gas from the gas and liquid containing underground stratum to the casing and production line, the improvement comprising the steps of:
In a method of producing gas from a gas and liquid containing underground stratum in which a well bore extends between a ground surface and the underground stratum and the well bore has a casing and a production tube defining an annulus through which the gas from the underground stratum passes and is collected at the ground surface through a production line connected to the annulus, the production tube extending from the ground surface and into fluid communication with the gas and liquid containing stratum and through which the liquid is collected from the well bore and removed to the ground surface by the injection of a volume of gas down a side string tube which extends through the annulus from the ground surface and is connected to a lower portion of the production tube to thereby release the gas from the gas and liquid containing underground stratum to the casing and production line, the improvement comprising the steps of:
In a system for producing gas from a gas and liquid containing underground stratum in which a well bore extends between a ground surface and the underground stratum and the well bore has a production tube and a casing defining an annulus through which the gas from the stratum passes and is collected at the ground surface through a production line connected to the annulus, the production tube extending from the ground surface and being in fluid communication with the gas and liquid containing underground stratum and adapted to collect the liquid from the well bore and to remove the liquid from the well bore by an artificial lift system for artificially raising the liquid in the production tube to the ground surface to thereby release the gas from the gas and liquid containing underground stratum to the casing and production line and wherein a side string tube extends from the ground surface downwardly through the annulus and below a level of liquid in the well bore, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.