초록 ▼

The level of petroleum accumulating from a production zone as it is pumped from a lower elevation in a wellbore is remotely monitored by using the energy of a sucker rod driven pump. One or more sensors are interposed between sections of the sucker rod between the production zone and the pump level.

The level of petroleum accumulating from a production zone as it is pumped from a lower elevation in a wellbore is remotely monitored by using the energy of a sucker rod driven pump. One or more sensors are interposed between sections of the sucker rod between the production zone and the pump level. The sensors include trigger mechanisms moving with the sucker rod string within spring loaded and slidable pistons. Over a short span the reciprocating triggers engage deformable sleeve actuators which slide and spring load the pistons. When the triggers pass through the sleeve actuators, they release the piston which impacts against a pressure wave or sonic signal generator. The impacted elements transmit a signal up to the wellhead indicative of the presence or absence of petroleum at that elevation. One or two sensors, and optionally other inputs as well, can be used in adjusting the pumping rate to maximize production.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for monitoring pumping conditions in a petroleum well, said system comprising in combination: at least one signaling device interposed at an intermediate position in coextensive strings of sucker rod and tubing; the signaling device including a trigger element,

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for monitoring pumping conditions in a petroleum well, said system comprising in combination: at least one signaling device interposed at an intermediate position in coextensive strings of sucker rod and tubing; the signaling device including a trigger element, mounted in the sucker rod string and movable therewith throughout its reciprocation span; a piston element encompassing the trigger element and spaced therefrom; a cylinder about the piston element and attached between tubing sections, the cylinder retaining the piston element in sliding relation; a resilient sleeve coupled to the interior of the piston and dimensioned to resiliently and peripherally engage the trigger element as the trigger element reciprocates with the sucker rod, the length of the sleeve being short relative to the reciprocation span of the sucker rod; a compression spring engaging the bottom end of the piston and coupled fixedly to the cylinder at its lower end; the piston being driven down against the compression spring by the trigger element and released when the trigger element slides through the sleeve; wherein the sensor element also includes an impact element configured to generate a signal transmissible in fluid to the wellhead when impacted by the piston, the signal differing when the signaling device is in the presence of fluid relative to when there is no fluid. 2. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the impact element includes means defining a chamber about the piston for receiving the impact of the piston, the chamber including fluid inlets open to the accumulated petroleum from the production zone. 3. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the impact element comprises an element including an acoustic frequency emitting groove operative on impact. 4. A system for transmitting signals from downhole locations in a petroleum well as to the presence of liquid at elevations below the production zone, wherein the system pumps a column of liquid up from below the production zone through a tubing string that encompasses a reciprocating sucker rod, comprising: at least one sensor section having a length substantially shorter than the reciprocation span of the sucker rod interposed in the sucker rod string below the production zone elevation, said sensor section comprising a cylindrical trigger element mounted along the central axis of the sucker rod and reciprocable therewith, the trigger element having a predetermined outer diameter for a selected length; the sensor section including a hollow cylindrical barrel concentric with the sucker rod axis about and at least coextensive in length with the trigger element, the barrel being fixed longitudinally relative to the tubing; a hollow cylindrical piston slidable in the barrel and at least partially coextensive with the trigger when in alignment; a resilient actuator sleeve element secured circumferentially within the signal piston and having an inner diameter sized along a part of its length of engage the outer diameter of the trigger element and dimensioned and structured to deform responsively in response to movement of the trigger therethrough as the sucker rod reciprocates; a compression spring coaxial with the sucker rod and disposed to engage the piston at its upper end and the barrel at its lower end to compress momentarily under sucker rod motion and to drive the piston upwardly when the trigger element is released; the signal piston being slidable in the barrel and the spring being compressed by downward movement of the sucker rod during engagement of the trigger element, the resilient actuator element; a signal emitter positioned adjacent and above the piston and spaced therefrom to be engaged by the piston when released from the trigger after it passes through the actuator element, and the piston is driven upward by the compression spring to impact the signal emitter, and a flow arrangement coupling liquid from exterior to the tubing into the path of the piston to modify the impact. 5. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said signal emitter comprises a pressure wave generator actuated by the upper end of the signal piston. 6. A system as set forth in claim 5 above wherein the pressure wave generator comprises an impact surface, said surface defining part of a shock wave chamber and said generator including ports therein establishing flows which blunt the impact of the piston dependent on the presence or absence of fluid. 7. A system as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the signal emitter comprises a signal anvil having an impact face that is engaged by the piston when released, the anvil including a groove therein generating a sonic signal at a selected frequency when impacted. 8. A system as set forth in claim 4 above wherein the system also includes top and bottom connectors coupling the top and bottom ends of the sensor section to the adjacent ends of the tubing. 9. A system as set forth in claim 8 above, wherein the sensor section further includes fixed lugs extending radially from the barrel and engaging the bottom of the compression spring and a piston slide tube interior to the piston and in fixed relation to the carrier barrel, and pressure equalizing piston elements below the piston and between the carrier barrel and the piston slide tube. 10. A system as set forth in claim 9 above, wherein the trigger element has different diameters along its length and the trigger element spacing relative to the sensor structure provides sufficient clearance for the passage of signal indicating perturbations along the column of fluid within the tubing. 11. A signaling element for petroleum wells which can be interposed at a selected elevation in a sucker rod string to use the reciprocation of the sucker rod string to signal through the fluid column in the tubing to the wellhead, as to whether there is petroleum collection in that level in the tubing/casing annulus, comprising: a hollow connecting coupling between two adjacent tubing elements concentric about the sucker rod axis that are to be joined; a central element along the sucker rod axis and concentric with the hollow connecting coupling, the central element having a varying diameter and being joined to and movable with the sucker rod; a piston surrounding the sucker rod axis and slidable in the coupling; an actuator element within the piston and secured thereto, the actuator element being dimensioned to receive and resiliently retain the central element for a limited length of travel of the sucker rod; a spring mounted in the coupling in engagement at one end of the piston driving the piston up when the central element is free of the actuator, and a signal emitter receiving fluid from exterior to the tubing, the signal emitter being positioned above the piston to be engaged by the piston when released. 12. A method of remotely indicating the presence or absence of collected petroleum along a petroleum column from at least one selected downhole level, below a production zone and above a sucker rod driven pump, utilizing the energy of a reciprocating sucker rod string that has a substantial reciprocating span, comprising the steps of: installing at least one spring-loaded mechanically triggered device having a much shorter triggering span than the reciprocating span of the sucker rod string; using the energy of the sucker rod string to spring load the at least one installed device and thereafter release the device; generating an impact on release of the installed device, and transferring signal energy along the column of fluid in the tubing which varies to indicate the presence or absence of collected fluid at the downhole elevation. 13. A method as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein impact generating devices are located at two different elevations between the production zone and the pumping zone, and further including the step of using signals from the two sensors to determine the rate of pumping, so as to vary the rate to increase the flow rate over a period of time. 14. A method as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein the signal energy that is transferred is a pressure wave in the petroleum. 15. A method as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein the signal energy that is transferred is an acoustic transmission in the petroleum. 16. A method of using impact capable fluid responsive devices in a system to respond to fluid conditions at different downhole elevations below an oil producing zone in a petroleum well, using a reciprocating sucker rod system to improve production in the use of pumping equipment comprising the steps of: installing at least one spring loaded impactable fluid responsive device in the sucker rod string at least one selected elevation zone below the production zone level and above the pumping level in the well; where fluid has been collected at the selected elevation zone about the column of fluid, feeding fluid therefrom into the fluid responsive device; using the reciprocating action of the sucker rod to load and then release the at least one device to provide a signal indication as to the presence or absence of fluid at that elevation; transmitting the signal indication through the column of fluid in the well to the wellhead, and using the received signal indication at the wellhead to effect changes in the pumping operation. 17. A method as set forth in claim 16, further including the step of installing two spring loaded impact capable devices in the sucker rod string at different elevations below the production zone and above the pumping level, and further including the steps of computing the rate of withdrawal of fluid from the well and varying the pumping rate in response thereto to seek to maximum the rate of production over time. 18. The method of claim 17 above, including the steps of monitoring the pumping rate and shutting down the pumping operation before the pumped off condition arises. 19. The invention as set forth in claim 17, including the step of transmitting a signal indication as a pressure wave through the column of fluid to the wellhead. 20. A method as set forth in claim 17 above, including the step of transmitting an acoustic signal to the wellhead which varies in frequency dependent upon the presence or absence of fluid at the sensing level. 21. A method as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein the sensor device is installed at a predetermined level between the production zone and the pumping equipment, and the method further includes the step of effecting changes in the pumping operation by using externally derived indications of pumping status.