ESP MOTOR OIL QUALITY MONITORING GAUGE

Abstract

An assembly for collecting data related to the condition of a lubricant inside of an electric motor including a gauge having an oil condition sensing probe extending into an interior of the electric motor so as to be immersed in the lubricant to determine at least one property of the lubricant and generate an electric signal in response thereto.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present document is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/513,817, filed Jun. 1, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Following discovery of a desired subterranean resource, e.g. oil, natural gas, or other desired subterranean resources, well drilling and production systems may be employed to access and extract the resource or resources. For example, a wellbore may be drilled into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir and then a pumping system may be deployed downhole. The pumping system may be operated to pump oil and/or other fluids to the surface for collection when the natural drive energy of the reservoir is not strong enough to lift the well fluids to the surface. The pumping system may comprise an electric submersible pumping system having a submersible centrifugal pump powered by a separate submersible electric motor. However, monitoring certain pumping system related parameters can be difficult.

SUMMARY

In general, the present disclosure provides an assembly for collecting data related to the condition of a lubricant inside of an electric motor including a gauge having an oil condition sensing probe extending into an interior of the electric motor so as to be immersed in the lubricant to determine at least one property of the lubricant and generate an electric signal in response thereto.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limited the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein, and:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example ESP installation, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an example ESP system with base gauge and remote sensors, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example base gauge, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example motor base interface showing placement of oil condition sensing probe, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments are possible. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but rather made merely for the purpose of describing general principles of the implementations. The scope of the described implementations should be ascertained with reference to the issued claims.

As used herein, the terms “connect”, “connection”, “connected”, “in connection with”, and “connecting” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. Further, the terms “couple”, “coupling”, “coupled”, “coupled together”, and “coupled with” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “top” and “bottom”; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point at the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface.

The disclosure herein generally involves a system and methodology for monitoring motor oil contamination levels in real-time.

Generally, the disclosure may include embodiments having a base gauge connected to a motor base of an ESP string. The base gauge, in addition to housing pressure, temperature, and vibration sensors, may house an oil condition-sensing probe that is periodically or continually in contact with the motor oil. The oil condition-sensing probe may use predetermined dielectric properties of the motor oil to detect abnormal conditions on a periodic or continual basis. The sensor may be triggered by water and/or wear metal debris. The sensor may relay this information to onboard electronics of the base gauge. The base gauge electronics may consolidate measurements from various sensors, including the oil condition sensor, and transmits them via communication link to the surface using, e.g., digital current/voltage modulation. The oil quality data may be fed to a prognostic health monitoring (PHM) system that monitors the health of the ESP system to help determine the optimal time for intervention or workover. In addition, this measurement may be useful when troubleshooting ESP failures downhole.

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical submersible pump (ESP) system 20 deployed in a well 28. Submersible pumping system 20 may comprise a variety of components depending on the particular application or environment in which it is used. The illustrated pumping system 20 includes a pump 22 coupled to an electric motor 24 and a motor protector 26. Pump 22 may include two or more stages 100, e.g., compression stages. The pump stages are characterized by the angle of flow passages in the impellers. The stages may be radial flow, mixed flow, or axial flow. The net thrust load, e.g. downthrust load, resulting from rotation of the impellers may be resisted by a bearing 27 illustrated in FIG. 1 in motor protector 26. For the purpose of clarity, arrow 10 indicates the direction of upthrust and an arrow 12 indicates the direction of downthrust.

In this embodiment, well 28 includes a wellbore 32 drilled into a geological formation 30 containing for example a desirable production fluid 150, such as petroleum. Wellbore 32 may be lined with a tubular casing 34. Perforations 36 are formed through wellbore casing 34 to enable flow of fluids between the surrounding formation 30 and the wellbore 32. Submersible pumping system 20 is deployed in wellbore 32 by a deployment system 38 that may have a variety of configurations. For example, deployment system 38 may comprise tubing 40, such as coiled tubing or production tubing, connected to submersible pump 22 by a connector 42. Power may be provided to the submersible motor 24 via a power cable 44. The submersible motor 24, in turn, powers submersible pump 22 which can be used to draw in production fluid 150 through a pump intake 46. Within submersible pump 22, a plurality of impellers are rotated to pump or produce the production fluid 150 through, for example, tubing 40 to a desired collection location which may be at a surface 48 of the Earth.

Referring generally to FIG. 2, an ESP installation 200, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, is shown. ESP installation 200 includes an ESP string 270 including submersible pump 22, pump intake 46, motor protector 26, electric motor 24, and base gauge 205. Electric motor 24 is in electric communication with, and receives electric power from, surface drive 260 via power cable 44. ESP string 270 is outfitted with one or more sensors, e.g., 210-250. Sensor(s) 210-250 may include pressure, temperature, and/or vibration sensing capabilities. Base gauge 205 may be located at the lower end of ESP string 270. Base gauge 205 may be bolted via a flange connection to the base of electric motor 24. Base gauge 205 may receive power, and communicate with surface equipment, via a connection to the wye-point of motor 24.

Referring generally to FIG. 3, the assembly 300 of electric motor 24 and base gauge 205, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, is illustrated. Base gauge 205 may be affixed to ESP motor base 305 by one or more fastener(s) 320. Fastener(s) 320 may include screws, bolts, rivets or other suitable fasteners. Oil condition sensing probe 310 extends upwardly from base gauge 205 into ESP motor base such that probe 310 is immersed in, and in contact with, motor oil contained in electric motor 24.

Referring generally to FIG. 4, a view 400 of the upper end of base gauge 205, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, is shown. The base gauge 205 may include one or more holes 430 bored through flange 440 to facilitate mounting of the base gauge to ESP motor base 305. Flange 440 may be disposed about or proximate to the upper end of base gauge 205. The upper end of base gauge 205 may include one or more or all of oil condition-sensing probe 310, thermocouple connector 410, and motor wye-point connection 420. Thermocouple connector 410 facilitates measurement of temperature inside electric motor 24. Motor wye-point connection 420 facilitates the delivery of electrical power from electric motor 24 to base gauge 205. One or more sealing elements 450, e.g. O-rings, may be disposed on an exterior surface of the upper end of base gauge 205 to form a seal against an interior surface of ESP motor base 305 when assembled thereto.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, voltage signals from the oil condition-sensing probe 310 may be processed by an electronics package carried within the body of base gauge 205 and subsequently transmitted to surface acquisition systems via digital telemetry. In this example, the electronics package is in electric communication with the oil condition sensing probe 310 such that the electric signal generated by the oil condition sensing probe 310 is received by the electronics package. The electronics package may be used to process the electric signal, e.g. voltage signal, and to transmit a processed signal to a surface acquisition system, e.g. surface drive 260 or other suitable data processing system located at the surface. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the oil condition-sensing probe 310 may be placed remotely above electric motor 24 or motor protector 26 and connected to base gauge 205 via metal armored mono conductors. By way of specific example, remote sensor 210 or 220 may include an oil condition-sensing probe.

Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims. The scope of the invention should be determined only by the language of the claims that follow. The term “comprising” within the claims is intended to mean “including at least” such that the recited listing of elements in a claim are an open group. The terms “a,” “an” and other singular terms are intended to include the plural forms thereof unless specifically excluded. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words “means for” together with an associated function.

Claims

1. An assembly for collecting data related to the condition of a lubricant inside of an electric motor comprising:

a gauge in proximity to the electric motor such that an oil condition sensing probe extending from the gauge into an interior of the electric motor is immersed in the lubricant inside the electric motor, the oil condition sensing probe capable of determining at least one property of the lubricant and generating an electric signal in response thereto.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the electric signal is a voltage signal.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the gauge is mechanically affixed to the electric motor.

4. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an electric submersible pumping system, wherein the gauge is part of the electric submersible pumping system.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the gauge is a base gauge of the electric submersible pumping system.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the electric submersible pumping system comprises a pump and a motor protector, the pump being powered by the electric motor, the gauge being coupled with the electric motor.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the electric submersible pumping system comprises a plurality of sensors in addition to the oil condition sensing probe.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a pressure sensor.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a temperature sensor.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a vibration sensor.

11. A method, comprising:

preparing a base gauge with an oil condition sensing probe;

coupling the base gauge into a downhole pumping system such that the oil condition sensing probe is in contact with oil that flows within an electric motor of the downhole pumping system;

deploying the downhole pumping system, with the base gauge, down into a wellbore;

detecting a property of the oil that flows within the electric motor with the oil condition sensing probe; and

using the oil condition sensing probe to generate an electric signal in response to detecting the property.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein using the oil condition sensing probe to generate an electric signal comprises generating a voltage signal.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the electric signal to an electronics package.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising placing the electronics package in the base gauge.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the electronics package to process the electric signal and to transmit a processed signal to a surface acquisition system to enable evaluation of the property of the oil.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising mechanically affixing the base gauge to the electric motor.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein coupling the base gauge into the downhole pumping system comprises coupling the base gauge into an electric submersible pumping system having a pump powered by the electric motor and a motor protector.

18. A system, comprising:

an electric submersible pumping system having: an electric motor; a pump powered by the electric motor; a motor protector; a gauge in proximity to the electric motor to facilitate collection of data related to a condition of a lubricant inside the electric motor; and an oil condition sensing probe extending from the gauge into an interior of the electric motor, the oil condition sensing probe being immersed in the lubricant inside the electric motor, the oil condition sensing probe being configured to detect at least one property of the lubricant and to generate an electric signal in response thereto.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the electric signal is a voltage signal.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the gauge is mechanically affixed to the electric motor.