Patent Document ID: 20100222911
Application ID: 12704025
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A multivariable model predictive controller (MPC) for controlling a coalbed methane (CBM) production process involving a CBM well field that includes a plurality of CBM wells, said multivariable MPC comprising: a plurality of input ports for receiving a plurality of measurement signals that are indicative of measured process parameters including measured process parameters from said plurality of CBM wells; a control loop comprising an optimizer and a dynamic mathematical model for controlling said CBM gas production system, said dynamic model including individual production characteristics obtained for each of said plurality of CBM wells that predicts a behavior for a plurality of controlled variables (CVs) with respect to changes in a plurality of manipulated variables (MVs) and disturbance variables (DVs) for said plurality of CBM wells, wherein said control loop calculates future set points for said plurality of MVs based on said dynamic mathematical model and said measured process parameters to result in said CBM production process achieving at least one control objective for said CBM well field, and a plurality of output ports for providing a plurality of control signals generated by said MPC for implementing said future set points, wherein said control signals when coupled to physical process equipment at said plurality of CBM wells controls said physical equipment to reach said future set points.