Patents by Inventor Arthur I. Watson

Arthur I. Watson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11585355
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hao Lam, Arthur I. Watson, Jacques Orban, Lauro De Camargo, David Milton Eslinger
  • Patent number: 11168551
    Abstract: A technique facilitates removal of gas from a gas-sensitive region in an electric submersible pumping system. A gas purging system is integrated into the electric submersible pumping system. During operation of the electric submersible pumping system, the gas purging system also is operated to move gas away from the gas-sensitive region, e.g. a thrust bearing region, and to a collection region or other suitable region. In some embodiments, the gas which accumulates in a collection region may be discharged to a region external of the electric submersible pumping system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, Grant T. Harris
  • Patent number: 10968918
    Abstract: Wear rings for electric submersible pump (ESP) stages are provided. An example ESP has one or more running clearance seals reinforced with high-hardness wear rings. Ceramics and carbides may provide the high hardness for the wear rings, but such substances are more brittle than metals and have different coefficients of thermal expansion than metals. For protection, each high-hardness wear ring may be mounted with an elastic cushioning scheme. The elastic mounting preserves each wear ring from shock, stress, and breakage from thermal expansion and contraction of an adjacent pump part. Each high-hardness wear ring may also have a low-stress driving mechanism that cushions the rotational force imparted to the wear ring when the ESP pump is being powered. In some implementations, the elastic mounting scheme may also serve as the low-stress driving mechanism for the high-hardness wear ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, David Milton Eslinger
  • Publication number: 20200116164
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Hao Lam, Arthur I. Watson, Jacques Orban, Lauro De Camargo, David Milton Eslinger
  • Publication number: 20190271324
    Abstract: A technique facilitates removal of gas from a gas-sensitive region in an electric submersible pumping system. A gas purging system is integrated into the electric submersible pumping system. During operation of the electric submersible pumping system, the gas purging system also is operated to move gas away from the gas-sensitive region, e.g. a thrust bearing region, and to a collection region or other suitable region. In some embodiments, the gas which accumulates in a collection region may be discharged to a region external of the electric submersible pumping system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, Grant T. Harris
  • Patent number: 10385875
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hao Lam, Arthur I. Watson, Jacques Orban, Lauro De Camargo, David Milton Eslinger
  • Patent number: 9720424
    Abstract: A system can include an interface to receive sensed data and economic data; a production control framework that includes a module for modeling motor efficiency of an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling gas composition of a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling solid dynamics in a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module to update one or more of the modules for modeling in response to receipt of data via the interface; and an interface to output control commands to a controller for an electric submersible pump based at least in part on data received by the interface and analyzed by the production control framework. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adunola Ige, Obinna Ilochonwu, Arthur I Watson, Grant T Harris, Ian Roberge
  • Patent number: 9482233
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump device has a pump and a motor. The motor can be adjacent to the pump. A support member supports the sensor and has a length so that the sensor is located a first distance downhole from a downhole distal end of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, John A. Booker, Kenneth Armstrong, John David Rowatt
  • Publication number: 20160222976
    Abstract: Wear rings for electric submersible pump (ESP) stages are provided. An example ESP has one or more running clearance seals reinforced with high-hardness wear rings. Ceramics and carbides may provide the high hardness for the wear rings, but such substances are more brittle than metals and have different coefficients of thermal expansion than metals. For protection, each high-hardness wear ring may be mounted with an elastic cushioning scheme. The elastic mounting preserves each wear ring from shock, stress, and breakage from thermal expansion and contraction of an adjacent pump part. Each high-hardness wear ring may also have a low-stress driving mechanism that cushions the rotational force imparted to the wear ring when the ESP pump is being powered. In some implementations, the elastic mounting scheme may also serve as the low-stress driving mechanism for the high-hardness wear ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, David Milton Eslinger
  • Publication number: 20160222984
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Hao Lam, Arthur I. Watson, Jacques Orban, Lauro De Camargo
  • Patent number: 9394750
    Abstract: A collet coupling for electric submersible pump shafts is provided. An example coupling for joining two shafts includes a tubular coupling member, and collet for fixing the coupling to a shaft via expandable fingers with ribs for latching into a groove on each shaft. Shoulders in the groove transmit axial load forces between the two shafts through the ribs, fingers, and collet. An example method includes attaching one end of the coupling to a shaft of an ESP unit already installed in a well, adjusting an axial reach of a threaded collet for attachment to a second shaft of an upper ESP unit, and engaging ribs of the collet into a groove of the second shaft to couple the two shafts. A sliding retainer allows quick release. An axial deviation distance may be factory-stamped on the ESP units for quick length adjustment and installation of collet couplings in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Pisetskiy, Arthur I Watson
  • Publication number: 20150241881
    Abstract: A system can include an interface to receive sensed data and economic data; a production control framework that includes a module for modeling motor efficiency of an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling gas composition of a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling solid dynamics in a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module to update one or more of the modules for modeling in response to receipt of data via the interface; and an interface to output control commands to a controller for an electric submersible pump based at least in part on data received by the interface and analyzed by the production control framework. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Adunola Ige, Obinna Ilochonwu, Arthur I Watson, Grant T Harris, Ian Roberge
  • Patent number: 9083101
    Abstract: A technique is provided for connecting a power cable to a submersible component. A connector system is used to form the connection and comprises a plurality of individual connectors for connecting power carrying conductors to the submersible component. Each of the individual connectors is separately connectable to the submersible component which enables improved sealing with respect to the submersible component. In multi-phase power applications, individual connectors can be used for each phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur I Watson, Gregory H Manke, Wayne L Costa, Kevin T Scarsdale, Chris E Featherby
  • Patent number: 9057256
    Abstract: A system can include an interface to receive sensed data and economic data; a production control framework that includes a module for modeling motor efficiency of an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling gas composition of a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module for modeling solid dynamics in a fluid being pumped by an electric submersible pump, a module to update one or more of the modules for modeling in response to receipt of data via the interface; and an interface to output control commands to a controller for an electric submersible pump based at least in part on data received by the interface and analyzed by the production control framework. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Adunola Ige, Obinna Ilochonwu, Arthur I. Watson, Grant T. Harris, Ian Roberge
  • Patent number: 8910718
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for producing a hydrocarbon fluid from a subterranean environment. The system and method utilize an electric submersible pumping system having a motive unit comprising a combined submersible motor section and protector section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, Steven Dornak, Michael W. Miller, Parveen Sayela, Cody Casey, Gregory H. Manke, Mark McCorry, John D. Rowatt, Mark E. Allen, Diego A. Narvaez
  • Publication number: 20140322038
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump device having a motor part, a pump part, and a protector part. The protector part includes redundant shaft seal parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Hui Du, Arthur I. Watson, John David Rowatt, Chad Bremner, Arunkumar Arumugam, David Garrett, Christopher E. Featherby, Ramez Guindi
  • Publication number: 20140242825
    Abstract: A technique is provided for connecting a power cable to a submersible component. A connector system is used to form the connection and comprises a plurality of individual connectors for connecting power carrying conductors to the submersible component. Each of the individual connectors is separately connectable to the submersible component which enables improved sealing with respect to the submersible component. In multi-phase power applications, individual connectors can be used for each phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, Gregory H. Manke, Wayne L. Costa, Kevin T. Scarsdale, Chris E. Featherby
  • Patent number: 8807966
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump device having a motor part, a pump part, and a protector part. The protector part includes redundant shaft seal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Hui Du, Arthur I. Watson, David Rowatt, Chad Bremner, Arunkumar Arumugam, David Garrett, Christopher Featherby, Ramez Guindi
  • Publication number: 20140209292
    Abstract: A submersible pump can include a male part that includes an outer diameter; a female part that includes an inner diameter; an elastomeric seal element disposed between the male part and the female part; and a non-elastomeric seal element disposed between the male part and the female part. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur I. Watson, Boyle Suwono, Bernard Kee Buck Tong, Christopher E. Featherby
  • Publication number: 20140209323
    Abstract: A collet coupling for electric submersible pumps is provided. An example coupling for joining two shafts includes a tubular coupling member, and collet for fixing the coupling to a shaft via expandable fingers with ribs for latching into a groove on each shaft. Shoulders in the groove transmit axial load forces between the two shafts through the ribs, fingers, and collet. An example method includes attaching one end of the coupling to a shaft of an ESP unit already installed in a well, adjusting an axial reach of a threaded collet for attachment to a second shaft of an upper ESP unit, and engaging ribs of the collet into a groove of the second shaft to couple the two shafts. A sliding retainer allows quick release. An axial deviation distance may be factory-stamped on the ESP units for quick length adjustment and installation of collet couplings in the field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Pisetskiy, Arthur I Watson