Wireless Simultaneous Acquisition and Analysis of Dynamometer and Fluid-Level Data

Abstract

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 165023, “Wireless Simultaneous Acquisition and Analysis of Dynamometer and Fluid-Level Data for Real-Time Monitoring of Well Performance,” by James N. McCoy and Dieter Joseph Becker, Echometer Company; Gustavo Fernandez, Upco de Venezuela; and Anthony L. Podio, The University of Texas at Austin, prepared for the 2013 SPE Artificial Lift Conference—Americas, Cartagena, Colombia, 21–22 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Real-time analysis and visualization of the performance of a rod-pumped well are achieved by use of multiple small and compact wireless sensors that simultaneously transmit acquired data to a digital laptop manager that integrates the measurements, displays performance graphs, and provides advanced tools for analysis and troubleshooting of the pumping system. The paper describes the hardware and user interface, the procedures for installation and acquisition, and several examples of field data and well-performance analysis for a variety of rod-pumping installations. Introduction The new generation of software and hardware discussed in this paper takes advantage of the tremendous increase in laptop processing speed, memory size, and screen resolution to generate in real time a quantitative visualization of the downhole rod-pumping operation, plunger motion, valve action, and fluid flow. This animation is presented simultaneously with the corresponding fluid distribution in the wellbore obtained from the acoustic fluid-level survey to let the user see the complete performance of the well and lift system without having to interpret the conventional dynamometer card or fluid-level record for the majority of monitored wells (Fig. 1). Hardware The preferred configuration of the system includes a wireless base station connected to the universal serial bus (USB) port of a laptop computer that communicates with multiple wireless sensors and manages data transfer and communications. Fig. 2 shows the base station with two radio antennae next to the wireless polished-rod transducer (PRT). Included in the base station is a global- positioning-system (GPS) chip that monitors the base station’s present location. The current location coordinates of the base station are used by the software to access and interrogate the database that contains information about the wells and other assets and to indicate to the user his or her current position in relation to nearby wells or facilities.