Downhole induction heater and coupling system for oil and gas wells
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
E21B-043/24
E21B-036/04
E21B-043/12
H05B-006/10
F16H-025/20
F16L-053/34
출원번호
US-0606266
(2017-05-26)
등록번호
US-10125589
(2018-11-13)
발명자
/ 주소
Zowarka, Raymond C.
Sharma, Mukul M.
Werst, Michael D.
Hearn, Clay
Worthington, Michael
Hahne, Jon
Liu, Hsing-Pang
Bunkowski, Bryan
Pratap, Siddharth
출원인 / 주소
Board of Regents of the University of Texas System
대리인 / 주소
Meyertons, Hood, Kivlin, Kowert & Goetzel, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
14
초록▼
Described herein are methods and system that use electromagnetic heating to heat wellbores and the fluids therein. The heating is achieved by placing one or more permanent magnets in the wellbore and moving a metallic component and/or the one or more permanent magnets relative to each other. This ge
Described herein are methods and system that use electromagnetic heating to heat wellbores and the fluids therein. The heating is achieved by placing one or more permanent magnets in the wellbore and moving a metallic component and/or the one or more permanent magnets relative to each other. This generates eddy currents in the metallic component, which heat the metallic component. This heat is transferred to the fluids in the wellbore from the metallic component by convection. In some embodiments, permanent magnets are installed in the tubing to induce eddy current heating in a well by converting the linear motion of a sucker rod to rotary motion of a conducting tube using a lead or ball screw. The heater may directly integrate with existing pump jack equipment with little or no additional infrastructure required.
대표청구항▼
1. An electromagnetic heating system for heating a wellbore and the fluids therein, comprising: one or more permanent magnets coupled to a down-well component of the wellbore;a metallic component positioned within the wellbore and magnetically coupled to the one or more permanent magnets;wherein, du
1. An electromagnetic heating system for heating a wellbore and the fluids therein, comprising: one or more permanent magnets coupled to a down-well component of the wellbore;a metallic component positioned within the wellbore and magnetically coupled to the one or more permanent magnets;wherein, during use, the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets are moved in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component, causing the temperature of the wellbore and the fluids therein to increase;wherein the metallic component is coupled to a pump, positioned within the wellbore, such that a reciprocating motion of the pump causes the metallic component to rotate with respect to the one or more permanent magnets;a drive mechanism coupled to the pump, wherein the drive mechanism translates the linear motion of the pump into rotational movement of the metallic component, wherein the drive mechanism comprises: an engager comprising an opening which couples, during use, to a portion of an elongated member coupled to the pump, wherein the opening of the engager is threaded, wherein the portion of the elongated member comprises a threaded portion complementary to the threaded opening of the engager, and wherein the threaded portion is self-starting during use when the threaded portion engages the threaded opening. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the engager comprises a lead in taper cut into an inner diameter of the threaded opening. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the threaded portion comprises a tapered threading such that the threaded portion is self-starting during use when the threaded portion engages the threaded opening. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the threaded portion comprises a tapered threading such that the threaded portion is self-starting during use when the threaded portion engages the threaded opening, and wherein threads along the taper diminish in height and come to a rounded point at their ends. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the engager comprises at least one aligner which assists the threaded portion to self-start threading when engaging the engager. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the engager comprises at least one aligner which assists the threaded portion to self-start threading when engaging the engager, and wherein the at least one aligner comprises a bullet catch. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising bearings used to fix the engager. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism translates the linear motion of the pump into rotational movement of the metallic component when the pump is moving in a first direction only. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the during use, the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets are moved in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component, causing the temperature of the metallic component to increase. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the metallic component rotates with respect to the one or more permanent magnets. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more permanent magnets rotate with respect to the metallic component. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprises a plurality of permanent magnets placed in a cylindrical arrangement having alternately placed north-south poles. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are placed in a Halbach array. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprises a plurality of permanent magnets placed in a linear arrangement having alternately placed north-south poles. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are placed in a Halbach array. 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a downhole motor coupled to the metallic components and/or the magnets, wherein the downhole motor moves the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets, wherein the drive mechanism utilizes fluid pressures within the wellbore to move the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets, wherein the drive mechanism utilizes fluid velocities within the wellbore to move the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more permanent magnets are coupled to a tubing string of a downhole pump. 20. The system of claim 1, the one or more permanent magnets are magnetically coupled to a casing of a wellbore. 21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a torque coupling coupled to the pump, wherein the torque coupler transfers torque applied to the elongated member to a tubing string coupled to the drive mechanism. 22. A method of heating components within a wellbore comprising: placing an electromagnetic heating system into a wellbore; wherein the electromagnetic heating system comprises: one or more permanent magnets coupled to a down-well component of the wellbore; anda metallic component positioned within the wellbore and magnetically coupled to the one or more permanent magnets;moving the metallic component and/or the permanent magnets in a manner such that a current is generated in the metallic component causing the temperature of the wellbore and the fluids therein to increase;conveying a pump in a reciprocating manner such that the pump causes the metallic component to rotate with respect to the one or more permanent magnets, wherein the metallic component is coupled to the pump, positioned within the wellbore;translating, using a drive mechanism coupled to the pump, the linear motion of the pump into rotational movement of the metallic component, wherein translating the linear motion comprises: coupling an opening of an engager to a portion of an elongated member coupled to the pump, wherein the opening of the engager is threaded, wherein the portion of the elongated member comprises a threaded portion complementary to the threaded opening of the engager, and wherein the threaded portion comprises a tapered threading such that the threaded portion is self-starting during use when the threaded portion engages the threaded opening.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (14)
Evans James O. (P.O. Box 876 Pampa TX 79066-0876), Apparatus and method of magnetic well stimulation.
Beck Thomas ; Garnall Stephen J.,CAX ; Kahn David Seemab ; McGee Bruce C. W.,CAX ; Sallwasser Alan J. ; Stapleton ; II George T. ; Wassell Mark W., Downhole induction heating tool for enhanced oil recovery.
Van Meurs Peter (Houston TX) Van Egmond Cor F. (Houston TX), Formation-tailored method and apparatus for uniformly heating long subterranean intervals at high temperature.
Eastlund Bernard J. (Spring TX) Schmitt Kenneth J. (The Woodlands TX) Bass Ronald M. (Houston TX) Harrison John M. (Houston TX), Method and system for introducing electric current into a well.
Harms Herbert L. (Alden IA) Moeckly Charles R. (Britt IA) Reed Donald (Commerce City CO) Reed April A. (Commerce City CO) Kaiser Peter A. (New Castle WY), Oil tool and method for controlling paraffin deposits in oil flow lines and downhole strings.
Bridges Jack E. (Park Ridge IL) Bajzek Thomas J. (Wood Dale IL) Hofer Kenneth E. (Chicago Ridge IL) Spencer Homer L. (Calgary CAX) Smith Larry G. (Calgary CAX) Young Vincent R. (Calgary CAX), Robust electrical heating systems for mineral wells.
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