Elf Exploration Production

Michel Casagrande

Pierre Lemetayer

Christian Fouillout

The invention relates to the production of hydrocarbons in the form of oil and gas, by means of a plant comprising several wells, a system for collecting the hydrocarbons produced and a downstream unit for treating the hydrocarbons produced, it being possible for this plant to additionally comprise a pressurized-gas system for activating the wells. According to the invention, the systems and the downstream unit having sensors for measuring physical quantities representative of their operation, each well being controlled according to an individual procedure using modifiable control parameters and data representative of the operating status of the single controlled well, the control parameters used by the individual procedure for controlling each of the wells are automatically modified, depending on the value of at least one of the measured physical quantities and on the data representative of the operating status of all the wells. The application of the invention is in the petroleum industry.

Method of operating a plant for the production of hydrocarbons

The invention relates to the production of hydrocarbons in the form of oil and gas, from a well activated by a pumping system. According to the invention, a hydrocarbon production well comprising a submerged pump (5) driven by an electric motor (6), an oil outlet choke (17) and a gas venting choke (22) is operated by acting, during the various production phases, on the chokes and on the speed of the electric motor (6) either in turn or simultaneously. Furthermore, correct operation of the well is constantly checked and it is also checked that the current drawn by the motor (6) does not cross thresholds that vary as a function of the speed of the motor (6). The invention finds its application in the oil industry.

Growing community of inventors

Serres Ste Marie, France

Michel Casagrande