Shell Oil Comapny

John Michele Hirsch

Frederick Gordon Carl, Jr

William Mountjoy Savage

Robert Rex Burnett

Harold J Vinegar

George Leo Stegemeier

James William Hall

Ronald Marshall Bass

Robert G Stapleton

Peter Anthony Crossley

An apparatus and method for operating an electrically powered device in a packer using the piping structure of the well as an electrical conductor for providing power and/or communications. The electrically powered device may comprise an electrically controllable valve, a communications and control module, a modem, a sensor, and/or a tracer injection module.

Controllable production well packer

A reservoir production control system includes a plurality of wells for producing a reservoir linked to a central computer over a downhole communication network and a surface communication network. Both the downhole and the surface communication networks are wireless communications paths for transmitting downhole data and surface data to the central computer. Both networks include a series of interconnected tubing or pipe that allows transmission of data over electrically isolated portions of the pipe and tubing. After integrating and analyzing all relevant data and comparing the data with a reservoir model, the central computer initiates changes in a plurality of downhole control devices associated with the wells, thereby optimizing the production of the reservoir.

Wireless reservoir production control

A power supply apparatus is provided for supplying power and communications within a first piping structure. An external power transfer device is positioned around the first piping structure and is magnetically coupled to an internal power transfer device. The internal power transfer device is positioned around a second piping structure disposed within the first piping structure. A main surface current flowing on the first piping structure induces a first surface current within the external power transfer device. The first surface current causes a second surface current to be induced within the internal power transfer device.

Oil well casting electrical power pick-off points

A gas-lift petroleum well and method for producing petroleum products using downhole pressurized gas to provide lift. The gas-lift well having a well casing, a production tubing, a packer, and a gas-lift valve. The well casing extends within a wellbore of the well, and the wellbore extends through oil and gas zones. The production tubing extends within the casing. The tubing having an opening formed therein, which is in fluid communication with an oil zone. The packer is located downhole in the casing and coupled to the tubing. The packer can have an electrically controllable packer valve, which is adapted to control a flow of downhole pressurized gas from one side of the packer to another. The downhole pressurized gas is provided by a gas zone that the wellbore passes through. The downhole gas-lift valve is coupled to the tubing and is adapted to control a flow of downhole pressurized gas into oil in the tubing for lifting the oil. The gas-lift valve can be an electrically controllable valve. The tubing and casing are used as electrical conductors for supplying power and/or communications downhole. The current in the tubing is routed using a ferromagnetic induction choke to create a voltage potential, which provides electrical power to downhole electrical devices. Also, there may be a bypass passageway to route downhole gas to gas-lift valves. There may also be downhole sensors to measure physical quantities (e.g., pressure). Such measurements can be used for feedback control of downhole electrically controllable valves.

Use of downhole high pressure gas in a gas-lift well and associated methods

A petroleum well for producing petroleum products that incorporates a system adapted to provide power to a downhole device in the well. The system includes a current impedance device and a downhole power storage device. The current impedance device is positioned such that when a time-varying electrical current is transmitted through the portion of a piping structure and/or a voltage potential forms between one side of the current impedance device and another side of the current impedance device. The device is adapted to be electrically connected to the piping structure and/or across the voltage potential formed by the current impedance device, is adapted to be recharged by the electrical current, and is adapted to be electrically connected to the downhole device to provide power to the downhole device as needed.

Power generation using batteries with reconfigurable discharge

An apparatus and methods of electrically controlling downhole well interval inflow and/or injection. The downhole controllable well section having a communications and control module, a sensor, an electrically controllable valve and an induction choke. The electrically controllable valve is adapted to regulate flow between an exterior of the tubing and an interior of the tubing. Power and signal transmission between surface and downhole is carried out via the tubing and/or the casing. When there are multiple downhole controllable well sections, flow inhibitors separate the well sections.

Wireless downhole well interval inflow and injection control

A petroleum well having a well casing, a production tubing, a source of time-varying current, a downhole chemical injection device, and a downhole induction choke. The casing extends within a wellbore of the well. The tubing extends within the casing. The current source is located at the surface. The current source is electrically connected to, and adapted to output a time-varying current into, the tubing and/or the casing, which act as electrical conductors for providing downhole power and/or communications. The injection device having a communications and control module, a chemical container, and an electrically controllable chemical injector. The communications and control module is electrically connected to the tubing and/or the casing. The chemical injector is electrically connected to the communications and control module, and is in fluid communication with the chemical container. The downhole induction choke is located about a portion of the tubing and/or the casing. The chemical injector is electrically connected to the communications and control module, and is in fluid communication with the chemical container. The downhole induction choke is located about a portion of the tubing and/or the casing. The induction choke is adapted to route part of the electrical current through the communications and control module by creating a voltage potential between one side of the induction choke and another side of the induction choke. The communications and control module is electrically connected across the voltage potential. Also, a method is provided for controllably injecting a chemical into the well downhole, which may be used to: improve lift efficiency with a foaming agent, prevent deposition of solids with a paraffin solvent, improve a flow characteristic of the flow stream with a surfactant, prevent corrosion with a corrosion inhibitor, and/or prevent scaling with scale preventers.

Controlled downhole chemical injection

A system and method of communicating among devices via a piping structure using at least one induction choke about the piping structure to route a time-varying current carrying communication signals between the devices. A communications system comprises a piping structure, a first communication device, a second communication device, and an induction choke. The piping structure comprises a first location, a second location, and an electrically conductive portion extending between the first and second locations. The first and second locations are distally spaced along the piping structure. The first and second communication devices are each electrically connected to the electrically conductive portion of the piping structure along the first location and second location, respectively, and each is adapted to send and receive communication signals via time-varying current. The induction choke is located about an electrically choked portion of the electrically conductive portion of the piping structure, such that the induction choke is adapted to route time-varying current within the piping structure between the electrical connection location for the first communication device and the electrical connection location for the second communication device, and such that the first communication device can communicate with the second communication device via the piping structure. A preferred application of the present invention is a well for producing petroleum products (e.g., oil, natural gas), comprising a communication system as described above.

Permanent downhole, wireless, two-way telemetry backbone using redundant repeaters

A petroleum well having a well casing, a production tubing, a source of time-varying current, a downhole tracer injection device, and a downhole induction choke. The casing extends within a wellbore of the well. The tubing extends within the casing. The current source is located at the surface. The current source is electrically connected to, and adapted to output a time-varying current into, the tubing and/or the casing, which act as electrical conductors for providing downhole power and/or communications to the injection device. The injection device having a communications and control module, a tracer material reservoir, and an electrically controllable tracer injector.

Tracker injection in a production well

A method for optimizing the production of a petroleum well is provided. The petroleum well includes a borehole, a piping structure positioned within the borehole, and a tubing string positioned within the borehole for conveying a production fluid. Production of the well is optimized by determining a flow rate of the production fluid within the tubing string and determining a lift-gas injection rate for the gas being injected into the tubing string. The flow rate and injection rate data is communicated along the piping structure of the well to a selected location, where the data is collected and analyzed. After analysis of the data, an optimum operating point for the well can be determined.

Wireless downwhole measurement and control for optimizing gas lift well and field performance

A current impedance device for routing a time-varying electrical current in a piping structure comprising an induction choke. The induction choke is generally concentric about a portion of the piping structure such that during operation a voltage potential forms between the piping structure and an electrical return when the time-varying electrical current is transmitted through and along the piping structure, and such that during operation part of the current can be routed through a device electrically connected to the piping structure due to the voltage potential formed. The induction choke may be unpowered and may comprise a ferromagnetic material. A system for defining an electrical circuit in a piping structure using at least one unpowered ferromagnetic induction choke, comprises an electrically conductive portion of the piping structure, a source of time-varying current, at least one induction choke, a device, and an electrical return. The system can have various configurations and embodiments to define a plurality of possible electrical circuits formed using at least one induction choke to route time-varying current. An electric power transformer can also be incorporated. The system is adapted to provide power and/or communications for the device via the piping structure. One possible application of the system is in a petroleum well where a downhole device can send or receive power and/or communication signals via a piping structure of the well.

Induction choke for power distribution in piping structure

A petroleum well ( ) for producing petroleum products that incorporates a system adapted to controllably measure a formation resistivity using induction chokes ( - ) to form electrically isolated piping structure sections that can be used as the formation contact electrodes for time-varying current, and methods of producing petroleum products while measuring formation resistivity, are provided by the present invention. The system comprises a first induction choke ( ), a second induction choke ( ), and a device ( ). The first induction choke ( ) is located about a piping structure ( ) of the well ( ). The second induction choke ( ) is also located about the piping structure ( ) of the well ( ), but the first induction choke ( ) is distally spaced from the second induction choke ( ). The device ( ) is located outside of the piping structure ( ) and comprises two terminals ( ). A first of the terminals ( ) extending from the device ( ) is electrically connected to the piping structure ( ) on one side ( ) of the first induction choke ( ). A second of the terminals ( ) extending from the device ( ) is electrically connected to the piping structure ( ) on another side ( ) of the first induction choke ( ), between the first and second induction chokes ( ), such that the downhole device ( ) is electrically connected across an outside of the first induction choke ( ). The system can further comprise other induction chokes ( ), other terminals ( ) extending from the device ( ), a current sensor ( ), a surface power source ( ), a power transformer ( ), a communications transformer ( ), a surface modem ( ), a downhole modem ( ), a direct current power supply ( ), and/or a power amplifier ( ). The piping structure can comprise at least a portion of a well casing ( ), such that the well casing ( ) acts as an electrode for making formation resistivity measurements due to the induction chokes ( ).

Measuring focused through-casing resistivity using induction chokes and also using well casing as the formation contact electrodes

A method and apparatus for identifying the fluid in a vessel, such as, a storage tank or pipeline using ultrasonic techniques. The method uses a transducer to project ultrasonic energy through the vessel and a second transducer positioned opposite the first to receive the energy that has been transmitted through the vessel and fluid. The transducers are included in a circuit whose parameters are adjusted to cause the circuit to resonate with the magnitude of the adjusted parameter being related to the fluid in the vessel.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

John Michele Hirsch