Plunger lift controller and method
AssigneeVinson Process Controls Company, L.P.
InventorDavid Daniel Mudry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of controlling a plunger lift system for a well. The method including the steps of: defining a threshold value for a trigger event, the trigger event initiating operation of the control valve by the controller; defining event-value conditions upon which adjustment of the trigger event is adjusted; determining, upon a calling-event, if the event-value conditions have been satisfied; and adjusting the trigger event threshold value upon satisfaction of the event-value conditions.
Claims15
A method of controlling a plunger lift system for a well and adjusting an operational threshold, the plunger lift system having a tubing positioned in a cased well, a plunger in the tubing moveable from the bottom of the tubing to a top of the tubing, a control valve in functional connection with the tubing, a plunger arrival sensor, a tubing pressure sensor, a casing pressure sensor, and a sales line pressure sensor, a controller in operational connection with the control valve and functional connection with the sensors for receiving signals from the sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining a threshold value for a trigger event the trigger event initiating operation of the control valve by the controller, wherein the trigger event is a rate of change of tubing pressure over time;
- defining an event-value condition upon which adjustment of the threshold value is adjusted;
- determining, upon a calling-event, if the event-value condition has been satisfied;
- and
- adjusting the threshold value by an adjustment factor upon satisfaction of the event-value condition.
A method of controlling a plunger lift system for a well and adjusting an operational threshold, the plunger lift system having a tubing positioned in a cased well, a plunger in the tubing moveable from the bottom of the tubing to a top of the tubing, a control valve in functional connection with the tubing, a plunger arrival sensor, a tubing pressure sensor, a casing pressure sensor, and a sales line pressure sensor, a controller in operational connection with the control valve and functional connection with the sensors for receiving signals from the sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining a threshold value for a load factor percentage at which threshold value the control valve will be operated to an open position, wherein the load factor percentage is the shut-in casing pressure minus the shut-in tubing pressure divided by the shut-in casing pressure minus the sales-line pressure;
- opening the control valve upon the threshold value being obtained;
- defining an event-value condition upon which adjustment of the threshold value is adjusted;
- determining, upon a calling-event, if the event-value condition has been satisfied;
- and
- adjusting the threshold value by an adjustment factor upon satisfaction of the event-value condition.
A method of controlling a plunger lift system for a well and adjusting an operational threshold, the plunger lift system having a tubing positioned in a cased well, a plunger in the tubing moveable from the bottom of the tubing to a top of the tubing, a control valve in functional connection with the tubing, a plunger arrival sensor, a tubing pressure sensor, a casing pressure sensor, and a sales line pressure sensor, a controller in operational connection with the control valve and functional connection with the sensors for receiving signals from the sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining a threshold value for a calculated critical flow rate at which threshold value the control valve will be operated to a closed position;
- opening the control valve upon the actual flow rate crossing the threshold value;
- defining an event-value condition upon which adjustment of the threshold value is adjusted;
- determining, upon a calling-event, if the event-value condition has been satisfied;
- and
- adjusting the threshold value by an adjustment factor upon satisfaction of the event-value condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.