U.S. patent application number 12/267865 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-21 for flush-by system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Naralta Technologies Inc.. Invention is credited to Wayne MUIR, Wendell YOUNG, Cameron ZAROWNY.
Application Number | 20090126924 12/267865 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40620921 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090126924 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZAROWNY; Cameron ; et
al. |
May 21, 2009 |
FLUSH-BY SYSTEM
Abstract
A flushing apparatus for flushing a downhole pump having a rotor
and a stator includes a lifting device forming part of a wellhead
assembly. The lifting device is attached to the rotor, such that
when activated, the lifting device applies a lifting force to lift
the rotor out of the stator. There is a fluid connection on the
wellhead assembly for flushing fluid through the stator once the
rotor has been removed from the stator.
Inventors: |
ZAROWNY; Cameron;
(Streamstown, CA) ; MUIR; Wayne; (Lloydminster,
CA) ; YOUNG; Wendell; (Lloydminster, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS & BUJOLD, P.L.L.C.
112 PLEASANT STREET
CONCORD
NH
03301
US
|
Assignee: |
Naralta Technologies Inc.
Lloydminster
CA
|
Family ID: |
40620921 |
Appl. No.: |
12/267865 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60986313 |
Nov 8, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/68 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 2230/80 20130101;
E21B 43/126 20130101; F04C 2/1073 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/68 |
International
Class: |
E21B 21/00 20060101
E21B021/00 |
Claims
1. A flushing apparatus for flushing a downhole pump having a rotor
and a stator, the flushing apparatus comprising: a lifting device
forming part of a wellhead assembly, the lifting device being
attached to the rotor, such that when activated, the lifting device
applies a lifting force to lift the rotor out of the stator; and a
fluid connection on the wellhead assembly for flushing fluid
through the stator once the rotor has been removed from the
stator.
2. The flushing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting device
and the source of fluid are controlled by a controller.
3. The flushing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is
activated manually.
4. The flushing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is
activated in response to an input signal, the input signal being
generated by a condition of high torque, low efficiency, low flow
rate, base solids and water, time, completion of coil tubing work,
or completion of well maintenance.
5. The flushing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller
receives input signals locally or by a remote input.
6. The flushing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting device is
a telescopic ram.
7. The flushing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting device is
hydraulically driven.
8. The flushing apparatus of claim I, wherein the lifting device is
gear driven.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a system for performing a
flush-by of a pump, and a method of performing the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] When pumps, such as downhole pumps, become sanded-in,
waxed-in or otherwise clogged, a flush-by truck must be called
onsite to remove the rotor from the stator and then flush diluent
through the stator to clear the blockage.
SUMMARY
[0003] A flushing apparatus for flushing a downhole pump having a
rotor and a stator comprises a lifting device forming part of a
wellhead assembly. The lifting device is attached to the rotor,
such that when activated, the lifting device applies a lifting
force to lift the rotor out of the stator. There is a fluid
connection on the wellhead assembly for flushing fluid through the
stator once the rotor has been removed from the stator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] These and other features will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended
drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and
are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic view in partial cross-section of the
flushby system.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a schematic view in partial cross-section of the
flushby system with the rotor lifted from the stator.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a schematic view in partial cross-section of the
flushby system with an alternative lifting device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] A flush-by system generally identified by reference numeral
10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 3.
Structure and Relationship of Parts
[0009] Referring to FIG. 1, a progressive cavity pump 12, such as a
progressive cavity pump, having a rotor 14 and stator 16 is driven
by a drive head 18 at surface. Referring to FIG. 2, when resistance
against the movement of rotor 14 within stator 16 increases, such
as by sand, wax, or other substances, a lifting device 20
associated with drive head 18 is used to lift rotor 14 out of
stator 16. An on-site tank of fluid 22, or other convenience source
of fluid, is then used to flush the stator using any suitable
flushing fluid through a connection 23 on the wellhead assembly 26
that is known in the art. Tank of fluid 22 may be a tank that is
currently used to keep a small flow of fluid down to pump 12, in
which case, a modification must be made to allow for a greater flow
of fluid from tank 22 to attain the necessary flow rate and
pressure of the fluid being used to flush pump 12.
[0010] Lifting device 20 may be a multi-stage hydraulic ram 24 as
shown, or other type of piston, such as mechanical or electric.
Referring to FIG. 3, the mechanical means may include a gear box 28
that, when engaged, causes rotor 14 to lift out of stator 16. For
size considerations, a multistage ram is preferred, however it will
be understood that any suitable extendable design could be used,
such as a single ram 30 as shown in FIG. 3. Lifting device 20 forms
part of a wellhead assembly 26 in which it may be directly mounted
to the wellhead, or indirectly through other wellhead equipment,
such as drive head 18 as shown. In each of these examples, lifting
device 20 rotates or allows rotor 14 to rotate in order to allow it
to be removed from stator 16.
[0011] Lifting device 20 and fluid flow from tank 22 may each be
controlled by a controller (not shown), which may be operated
manually, automatically, locally or remotely. The operation of
lifting device 20 and fluid flow from tank 22 may be initiated by:
high torque, low efficiency or flow rate from the wellhead, base
solids and water, a certain period of time, completion of coil
tubing work, or completion of well maintenance. These indicators
may be sensed using sensors or input manually into the controller,
either remotely or locally.
[0012] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are
included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A
reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not
exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is
present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and
only one of the elements.
[0013] The following claims are to be understood to include what is
specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually
equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in
the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications
of the described embodiments can be configured without departing
from the scope of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been
set forth only as examples and should not be taken as limiting the
invention. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the
following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as
specifically illustrated and described.
* * * * *