Patent ID: 7273098
Filing Date: 2007-09-25
Classification: E21B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In a production system for producing oil or gas from multiple wells, the wells including at least a first well and a second well, each well using an artificial lift system that includes a plunger associated with a motor valve off time, and at least first and second identical connecting subsystems that connect their respective wells to a common sales line, the first connecting subsystem comprising: a. a plunger arrival sensor connected to a micro controller for sensing the arrival of the plunger in the first well; b. a wellhead connected to the first well; c. a motor valve connected to the wellhead, for controlling the production of the first well in response to signals from the micro controller; d. first and second pressure transducers on either side of the motor valve, conductively coupled to the micro controller, for sensing the differential pressure across the motor valve, and transmitting that differential pressure to the micro controller; and e. the micro controller receptive to signals from the plunger arrival sensor and receptive to signals from the first and second pressure transducers, and having firmware that periodically measures the common sales line pressure to determine an average common sales line pressure, keeps the motor valve closed during the motor valve off time, and extends the motor valve off time following a determination of the existence of a pressure spike in the common sales line due to opening of a motor valve in another of the identical connecting subsystems, wherein the micro controller uses the average of the common sales line pressure plus a user-entered common sales line dead band pressure to calculate a common sales line pressure level set point, which in turn is used to determine if a common sales line pressure spike has occurred.