Patent · US Active

Gas assisted plunger lift control system and method

US12320240B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 15, 2022
Grant dateJun 3, 2025
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 15, 2042

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01F1/38
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A control system for a gas assisted plunger lift (GAPL) system includes a sensor and a processor circuit. The sensor is configured to measure a plunger speed and/or velocity and the processor circuit is configured to control various parameters of the GAPL based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity. The processor circuit may be configured to adjust a gas injection rate parameter based on the measured plunger speed and/or velocity, and/or may adjust one or more parameters including: a close time, an afterflow time, a flow rate, a load factor, a tubing pressure, a casing pressure, and a tubing/casing differential pressure. The controller may be further configured to adjust all parameters simultaneously or may sequentially adjust a first sub-set of parameters and then adjust a second sub-set of parameters. The first sub-set may include a gas injection flow rate and the second sub-set may include after-flow and close time parameters.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.