US3303782A - Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus - Google Patents

Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus Download PDF

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US3303782A
US3303782A US507205A US50720565A US3303782A US 3303782 A US3303782 A US 3303782A US 507205 A US507205 A US 507205A US 50720565 A US50720565 A US 50720565A US 3303782 A US3303782 A US 3303782A
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frequency
sonic
elastic
tubing
oscillator
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Jr Albert G Bodine
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Priority to GB46599/66A priority patent/GB1159616A/en
Priority to DE19661653370 priority patent/DE1653370A1/de
Priority to FR82970A priority patent/FR1498921A/fr
Priority to AT1033066A priority patent/AT275328B/de
Priority to NL6615724A priority patent/NL6615724A/xx
Priority to BR184386/66A priority patent/BR6684386D0/pt
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/003—Vibrating earth formations
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B28/00—Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production

Definitions

  • Sonic pumps of the type to which the invention is applicable utilize sonic wave energy transmission down a long elastic line or column extending from 4ground surface to the bottom of the well, and which may be either the pump tubing string, a rod string inside the pump tubing, or a cable.
  • Patent No. 2,702,559 disclosed the use of the pump tubing string as the elastic column which serves as the transmission line for the sonic energy, and the particular pump chosen for illustrative purposes herein is of that type, but without implied limitation thereto. lt is thus to be understood that the present invention is also ⁇ broadly applicable as well to sonic -pumps of the type in which a rod string or column inside the pump tubing serves as the elastic energy transmission line (Patent No.
  • the sonic energy necessary for the operation of the pump is delivered to the elastic column, whether the column be the tubing string, a rod string, or a cable, from a mechanical oscillator or cyclic force generator which is of a mass reactance type and which is afforded with an acoustic coupling to said column.
  • the simplest form of mass reactive oscillator is one employing a pair of rotating unbalanced weights, such as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,702,559. These unbalanced weights, turning on shafts with support bearings on the oscillator body, exert upon the oscillator body an alternating reactive or inertial force, which is then directly impressed upon the upper end of the sonic column.
  • Such a mass reactive or inertial type force Igenerator or oscillator has the advanage that its output stroke accommodates itself automatically to the impedance of the sonic column driven thereby, and by operating at a frequency approaching resonance, force wastage in reciprocating certain masses of the system is counteracted by elastic compliance reactance of the sonic column, so that useful output from the oscillator is maximized.
  • the alternating force output from the oscillator acts on the upper end of the sonic column to transmit down it successive waves of relative compression and tension.
  • these waves are generated by the oscillator at a resonant standing wave frequency of the sonic column, causing the check vales to undergo cyclic displacements longitudinally of the liquid column such as to impel the liquid column up the tubing, as all set forth in my aforesaid Patent No. 2,702,559, and ywhich is incorporated herein ⁇ for a disclosure of the basic sonic pumping process fby this reference.
  • the usual sonic pump utilizes the pump tubing string, which is composed of steel, and therefore highly elastic, as the sonic column, as aforesaid, and suspends this tubing string from a vertically vibratory patform supported on flexible springs.
  • the oscillator of the massreactive or inertial unbalanced-weight or rotor type, comprises a body or frame which supports the unbalanced weights, and which is mounted -directly onto the upper end of the tubing string.
  • the unbalanced weights by their rotation, create centrifugal forces whose horizontal components are balanced out and whose vertical components are additive.
  • the resultant vertically oriented force or impulse is exterted through the bearings for the unbalanced wei-ghts or rotors and thus impressed on the oscillator body or housing; the oscillator body or housing then, in turn, exerts a cyclic inertial force on the upper end of the pump tubing, whereby the sonic wave action in the latter is established.
  • This sonic wave action in the tubing string involves high accelerations at velocity maximum points spaced a half-wavelength apart therealong, and the check valves which function as iluid impellers, are mounted along the columns such that these accelerations are available for moving the check valves and irnpelling the iiuid -up the conduit of the tubing string.
  • the present invention is effective in a sonic pumping system such as described above to provide stability for the frequency and amplitude of the sonic wave transmitted along the column, to provide reliable automatic phasing for the opening and closing of the lluid-impelling valves, and to provide stable frequency monitoring and control of the mass reactive oscillator. Accordingly, the attainment of these benefits are among the general objects of the invention.
  • the underlying characteristic that most basically controls its performance is the feature of resonance concerned in the sonic wave pattern established along the elastic column.
  • One outstanding property of a sonic pump operated at resonance is that, assuming use of a mass reactive oscillator for the drive of the system, operation in the region of resonance maximizes the amplitude of the elastically vibratory motion produced in the sonic column, i.e. the cyclic strain in the column, and therefore maximizes the fluid-impelling action of the check valves. It also leads to maximized cyclic stress amplitude in the sonic column, and sometimes to strain magnitudes which cannot be tolerated, and which are limited by the present invention as will later appear. Under a given set of conditions, peak resonance, and therefore the maximum of vibration amplitude, or
  • cyclic strain is attained at some particular frequency.
  • the magnitude of this vibration amplitude or strain drops off smoothly but very sharply as the frequency departs either above or below the frequency for peak or maximum amplitude. That is to say, starting with an oscillator frequency below that for peak resonance, and therefore peak cyclic strain amplitude, it will be noted that amplitude of column ⁇ vibration or strain increases with frequency, until a maximum is attained at a peaking frequency. Then, as the frequency is increased still further, the amplitude of vibration falls off again.
  • the present invention is grounded upon the discovery that with such a sonic pump, employing a mass reactive oscillator, the pumping action is especially stable if the drive frequency is held slightly on the low side of one of these resonant humps, either fundamental or overtone.
  • the pumping action, and stroke amplitude of the vibratory column proceed with stability and reliability if the frequency of operation is just slightly less than that of the closest resonance peak.
  • this type of sonic pump operates with unexpected resonant stability and reliability at a frequency such that any increase in frequency causes a Very appreciable increase in amplitude, and where a very substantial increase in frequency would take the operation of the pump over the point of peak amplitude at the next higher frequency for resonance. It is accordingly an object of the invention to achieve a stability factor in this way.
  • the oscillator used in connection with the sonic pump is a type employing a cyclically movable mass, and may be characterized as of a mass reactive or inertial type.
  • the inertia reactance resulting from confinement of the cyclically movable mass to its orbital path creates a cyclic force of inertia within the frame or body of the oscillator, and this force is applied to the above described elastic column.
  • the coupling between the two is a mass-reactive type of acoustic coupling, with characteristics as mentioned hereinabove.
  • I can also easily adjust the actual amplitude of elastic vibration in the elastic column by adjusting t-he prime mover to produce a frequency in the low side resonance range, i.e. in the region of resonance, but below the frequency for the resonance peak, where the desired stroke or strain amplitude is attained. Under these conditions the amplitude tends to stay desirably stable and within reasonable limits of stress application to the sonic column. This purpose and accomplishment is an important object and feature of the invention.
  • the resonantly vibratory col-umn is prevented from dominating the prime lmover, by reason of the above noted increase in amplitude and therefore pick-up of additional load whenever there has been a drop in load.
  • Operation on the low side of resonance thus introduces an 'automatic stabilizing characteristic which is not present at the peak of resonance, nor on the downslope above the peak of resonance.
  • a problem which I have encountered in eld experience with sonic pumps using elastic vibratory pump tubing is that, wit-h large repetitive cyclic stresses set up in the pump tubing when vibrating in a resonant standing wave pattern, ⁇ under conditions permitting frequency rise to the very peak of resonance, the tubing string can be damaged, and sometimes parts, with ensuing complete shut-down of the well until a time-consuming repair can be accomplished.
  • commercially available pump tubing is not designed, nor composed of the necessary highquality alloy steel, to withstand the repetitive stresses likely to be encountered under peak resonance conditions with an adequate factor of safety. In practice, ⁇ under certain environmental conditions, or practical design or setup of equipment, complete tubing failure is sometimes experienced.
  • Tubing can actually fail in either of two ways under high stress.
  • f/A where f is the applied longitudinal force and A is the crosssectional area of the tubing
  • a longitudinal elastic strain equal to AZ YT where Y is Youngs modulus, l is the length of a halfwavelength segment of the tubing string when not undergoing vibration, and Al is the change in length in such segment resulting from the imposed stress.
  • Y Youngs modulus
  • l the length of a halfwavelength segment of the tubing string when not undergoing vibration
  • Al is the change in length in such segment resulting from the imposed stress.
  • aud of an even more serious nature is the problem of an occasional fatigue failure of the tubing string owing to la repetitive stress beyond the endurance limit of the tubing.
  • the endurance limit in the present instance may be defined as the maximum repetitive stress amplitude which the ytubing string can withstand indefinitely without fatigue failure. It has been my experience that the best commercially available pump tubing has, at best, a factor of safety against such fatigue failure that must be considered as inadequate when operation at peak resonance frequency is tolerated, using an oscillator otherwise of no greater output force than is required to assure delivery of sufficient sonic energy to the tubing and 'all the Way down to the lowerrnost valve therein.
  • the endurance limit of the tubing becomes a function of the mechanical condition of the tubing, particularly as regards notches and scratches in the surface of the tubing, as well as of the quality of the steel of which the tubing is composed. Moreover, any corrosive yaction of well fluids tends to lower the endurance limit of the tubing as time passes.
  • the endurance limit of a particular tubing string under particular environmental conditions can easily be determined after some field experience, and, when known, the practice of the present invention is then directed to the limiting of the maximum stress and strain amplitudes in the tubing to 4a level consistent with the determined endurance limit.
  • the invention thus contemplates limitation of the frequency of operation to a level sufficiently below that for peak resonance that the stress exerted in the tubing or other elastic column, and the resulting strain therein, will be no greater than that for the ascertained, or in some cases estimated, endurance limit of the tubing or column in the environment of the well.
  • This contemplates operation in the realm of resonance, i.e. fairly well up the low side of the resonant hump, but safely below the peaking frequency where stresses and strains become resonantiy amplified to values hazardous to the pump tubing or other elastic wave transmission line.
  • the high cyclic stress amplitude has an eect upon the wave transmisison efficiency of the elastic tubing string or other column.
  • the elastic stress value is taken to a fairly high cyclic amplitude, as above 20,000 p.s.i. fiber stress for a steel material, then in such a long transmission line system the internal damping, or elastic hysteresis, in the material of the steel itself becomes very large. This condition results in a considerable attenuation of the sonic Wave in the deep well pumping system, and reduces pumping efficiency accordingly, I have discovered that a stress amplitude of 20,000 p.s.i. is a preferred upper limit, which I establish by correspondingly limit- 6 ing the strain amplitude or elastic stroke at 'a given frequency.
  • the elastic stroke or vibration 'amplitude in the elastic sonic Wave transmission line or column determines the cyclic motion of the fluid-impelling element. Therefore, because of the limiting of the stress amplitude in the column, as described above, the action of the fiuid-impelling element is sometimes limited to a less than desirable amplitude for good pumping efiiectiveness. Actually, the problem arises because the cyclic pumping inliuence applied to the liquid column by each impeller has been curtailed by limitation of strain amplitude. However, it should be noted that this pumping impulse is also influenced by the rigidity of the liquid.
  • the sonic pump benefits from the use of a high-impedance liquid column in the pumping tubing.
  • the impedance Z of the liquid in this sense is equal to pc, where p is the density of the liquid and c is the velocity of sound in the liquid.
  • the invention contemplates a degassing of the liquid before it enters the liquid column, such as by having an initial downfiow path of the liquid over the outside of the vibrating tubing before entry, or by degassinv a region of the liquid column within the pump, such as by having a perforation or vent in the tubing wall for escape of gas.
  • the impeller spacing along the column can be considerably greater.
  • this impeller spacing becomes too great, even for the higher impedance liquids, there will be an intervening length of liquid column little affected by the impellers. This portion of the liquid then has to be pushed along .'by the elastic portion of the liquid column acted upon by the impeller, thus requiring more active impeller motion and correspondingly greater cyclic stress in the transmission line or column.
  • the resonant elastic column With its acoustic load, the resonant elastic column. It accordingly follows that the oscillator tends to run in a non-linear manner, with alternating angular acceleration and deceleration, or in other words, without constant angular velocity. This of course contributes to instability of the sonic wave pattern in the elastic column.
  • this drive shaft assembly then holds the oscillator to relatively constant angular velocity with consequently more linear sonic wave output therefrom, and a more stabilized and effective wave pattern in the elastic column.
  • the desired linear resonant sound wave pattern in the sonic column is hardened, so to speak, or in other language, strongly constrained to maintain itself against deviation in phase or amplitude, or wave form, such as otherwise appear and detract from the effectiveness by which the fluid-impelling elements deliver their kinetic energy to the liquid column.
  • the use of such a drive shaft, in place of the more obvious belt and pulley drive involves considerable additional expense, and is therefore preferably chosen over the simple belt and pulley system for the benefits mentioned, notwithstanding its added expense.
  • a flywheel can of course be mounted directly on the oscillator; however, this undesirably adds mass to the vibrating oscillator, and accordingly, I find it lan advantage to install the flywheel on the drive shaft system rahead of the first or input universal joint.
  • This drive shaft system can then be driven directly from the prime mover, or from the prime mover through a belt and pulley system to the drive shaft portion that carries the flywheel, for example.
  • sonic vibration I mean elastic vibrations, i.e. cyclic elastic deformations, such as longitudinal, lateral, gyratory, torsional, etc., generated in a structure, or which travel through a medium with a characteristic velocity of propagation. If these vibrations travel longitudinally, or create a longitudinal wave pattern in a medium or structure having uniformly distributed constants of elasticity and mass, this is sound wave transmission. Regardless of the vibratory frequency of such sound wave transmission, the same mathematical formulae apply, and the science is called Sonics.
  • mass is mathematically equivalent to inductance (a coil); elastic compliance is mathematically equivalent to capacitance (a condenser); and friction or other pure energy dissipation is mathematically equivalent to resistance (a resister).
  • impedance is the ratio of cyclic force or pressure acting in the media to resulting cyclic velocity or motion, just like the ratio of voltage to current.
  • impedance is also equal to media density times the speed of propagation of the elastic vibration.
  • impedance is important to the accomplishment of desired ends, such as where there is an interface, or a coupling between two structures.
  • a sonic vibration transmitted across an interface between two media or two structures can experience some reflection, depending upon differences of impedance.
  • Impedance is also important to consider if optimized energization of a system is desired. If the impedances are adjusted to be matched somewhat, energy transmission is made very effective.
  • sonic circuits An important feature of these sonic circuits is the fact that they can be made very active, so as to handle substantial power, by providing a high Q factor.
  • this factor Q is the ratio of energy stored to energy dissipated per cycle.
  • the sonic system can store a high level of sonic energy, to which a constant input of energy is respectively added and subtracted.
  • this Q factor is numerically the ratio of inductive reactance to resistance.
  • a high Q system is dynamically active, giving considerable cyclic motion where such motion is needed.
  • impedance in an elastically vibratory system, is, mathematically, the complex quotient of applied alternating force and liner velocity. It is analogous to electrical impedance.
  • the concise mathematical expression for this impedance is where M is vibratory mass, C is elastic compliance (the reciprocal of stiffness, or of modulus of elasticity) and f is the vibration frequency.
  • Resistance is the real part R of the impedance, and represents energy dissipation, as by friction.
  • Reactance is the imaginary part of the impedance, and is the difference of mass reactance and compliance reactance.
  • Mass reactance is the positive imaginary part of the impedance, given by ZafM. It is analogous to electrical inductive reactance, just as mass is analogous to inductance.
  • Elastic compliance reactance is the negative imaginary part of impedance, given by Elastic compliance reactance is analogous to electrical capacitative reactance, just as compliance is analogous to capacitance.
  • Resonance in the vibratory circuit is obtained at the operating frequency at which the reactance (the algebraic sum of mass and compliance reactances) becomes zero. Vibration amplitude is limited under this condition to resistance alone, and is maximized. The inertia of the mass elements necessary to be vibrated does not under/ this condition consume ⁇ any of the driving force.
  • a valuable feature of my sonic circuit is the provision of enough eXtra elastic compliance reactance so that the mass or inertia of various necessary :bodies in the system does not cause the system to depart so far from resonance that a large proportion of the driving force is consumed and wasted in vibrating this mass.
  • a mechanical oscillator or vibration generator of the type normally used in my inventions always has a body, or carrying structure, for containing t-he cyclic force generating means.
  • This supporting structure even when minimal, still has mass, or inertia.
  • This inertia could be a force-wasting detriment, acting as a blocking impedance using -up part of the periodic force output just to accelerate ⁇ and decelerate this supporting structure.
  • the sonic circuit is then functioning addition-ally ⁇ as a transformer, or acoustic lever, to optimize the effectiveness of both the oscillator region and the Work delivering region.
  • My invention employs, as the source of sonic power, a sonic resonant system comprising an elastic member in combination with an orbiting mass oscillator or Vibration generator, as above mentioned.
  • This combination has many unique and desirable features.
  • this orbiting mass oscillator has the ability to adjust its input power and phase to the resonant system so as to accommodate changes in the work load, including changes in either or both the reactive impedance and the resistive impedance. This is a very desirable feature in that the oscillator hangs on to the load even as the load changes.
  • this unique advantage of the orbiting mass oscillator accrues from the combination thereof with the acoustic resonant circuit, so as to comprise a complete acoustic system.
  • the orbiting mass oscillator is matched up to the vresonant part of its system, and the combined system is matched up to the acoustic load, or the job to be accomplished.
  • the combined system has a unique performance which is exhibited in the form of a greater effectiveness and particularly ygreater persistence in a sustained ⁇ sonic action as the work process proceeds or -goes through phases and changes of conditions.
  • the orbiting 'mass oscillator in this matched-up arrangement, is able to hang on to the load and continue to develop power as the sonic energy absorbing environment ch-anges with the variations in sonic energy absorption by the load.
  • the orbiting mass oscillator automatically changes its phase angle, and therefore its power factor, with these chan-ges in the resistive impedance of the load.
  • FIG. 1 shows in section, with longitudinal portions broken away, the underground installation of a sonic pump illustrating the practice of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a view partly in side eleva-tion and partly in longitudinal section, showing the above-ground equipment for the sonic pump of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vibration generator or oscillator of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the oscillator of FIG. 3, being taken in accordance with the arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through a pump tubing coupling aud showing a check valve and fluid-impelling unit installed therein;
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a typical resonance curve, and showing also the range of operation characterized by the invention.
  • FIG. 1 an illustrative sonic oil well pumping installa-tion in accordance with the invention is shown, the well bore being shown to be lined by casing 10, surrounded by a cement annulus 10a, while annularly spaced inside casing 10 is the sonic wave transmission line and production tubing means, in this instance comprised of an elastic steel pump tubing string 12.
  • the casing 10 is perforated as indicated at 13, and these perforations are shown to extend through the cement to the surrounding productive earth formation, all as clearly illustrated.
  • the casing 10 extends downwardly into the well bore through a concrete slab 14 and a base plate 15, and at the top of casing 10, above ground level, is a casing head 16.
  • the pump tubing 12 extends upwardly through the casing head and has mounted on its upper end a flow head 13, which in turn firmly mounts housing 29 of the vibration generator or oscillator designated generally at G.
  • Flow head 18 has an outlet to which is coupled flow line 19, as illustrated.
  • the oscillator G comprises gear housing 20 mounting certain unbalanced rotating weights which generate in said housing a resultant vertically oriented alternating or cyclic inertial force which is applied by the generator housing through the flow head 18 to the upper extremity of the pump tubing string 12.
  • the generator G as here shown comprises gear housing 20 affording bearings for two horizontal parallel shafts 23 and 24, which carry, inside said housing 20, meshing spur gears 25 and 26.
  • Shafts 23 and 24 project from opposite sides of housing 20, and carry eccentric or unbalanced weights or masses 27, and of predetermined mass, and of eccentricity of center of mass, to afford the desired limited periodic elastic stress and strain amplitudes in the elastic column or transmission line (in this case, the elastic pump tubing string 12), when the oscillator is being driven at the predetermined frequency below a selected peak resonant frequency of the transmission line.
  • the shaft 24 has coupled thereto, through universal joint 28, a drive shaft 29, and the latter is driven through universal joint 30 from a second drive shaft or jack shaft 32, which may be directly driven from the output shaft of a prime mover, but is here shown as driven from a prime mover in the form of an electric motor 36 through suitable pulleys and belts 37.
  • the motor is shown mounted on a concrete base 38, which also supports frames 39 carrying bearings for the shaft 32.
  • Shaft 32 preferably carries a flywheel 40.
  • the unbalanced rotary weights 27 are so phased as to move vertically in unison, so that the vertical components of the centrifugal forces generated thereby are additive. Also, the weights on the two shafts rotate in opposite directions, and move hori zontally equally and oppositely, each to its opposite number. Horizontal components of force are thus equalized and cancelled out.
  • a exible spring support device 41 for the tubing string and the oscillator G is mounted on top of casing head 16.
  • This device 41 comprises a lower platform 42, which is mounted on a base flange 44 having a tubular neck portion 45 threaded within the casing head 16, and thus supported thereby.
  • Coil compression springs 46 supported on platform 42 support, at their upper ends, an upper platform 47, and bolts 43 connect the two platforms 42 and 47 and limit their separation, but in an arrangement permitting vibratory movement of the upper platform relative to the lower one.
  • the springs 46 are relatively exible, and effectively isolate the casing from the vibratory movement of the oscillator and tubing string.
  • a velocity antinode of the standing wave should be located at the upper end of the extremity of the tubing string where the oscillator is coupled, with a node one quarter-wavelength down from the upper end.
  • the node rises toward the upper end, and a large stroke amplitude is not available. Accordingly, it is highly desirable, as taught in my Patent No. 2,902,937, to critically tune the vibratory system consisting of the oscillator G, the upper platform 47, and the springs 46, to resonate at the operating frequency of the oscillator G.
  • the neck 45 of base flange 44 is annularly spaced outside the pump tubing, and a threaded port 50 is preferably formed in said neck to provide communication with well annulus 52, for a purpose mentioned later.
  • the annulus 52 is sealed by tubular annulus seal 54 around the tubing above upper platform 42, being screwed tightly into base flange 44, and afforded at the top with a stuffing box or sealing means to the vibratory tubing means as indicated somewhat diagrammatically at 56.
  • the spring mounting device 41 is equipped with a vibratory stroke or strain indicator, designated at 6i), and which comprises an arm 61 mounted on lower platform 42 and reaching to the vicinity of upper platform 47, where it is provided with a pointer 62.
  • the amplitude of the vibratory stroke, i.e. of the vibrating elastic strain, can be ascertained by noting the stroke o'f the platform 47 in relation to this pointer. More accurate means for this purpose can be provided, but form no part of the present invention.
  • the tubing string comprises usual joints or stands of tubing joined by couplings 7G, each such stand being surrounded by one or more rubber centralizers 72 which are fitted snugly to the tubing, are provided with ample passages 73 for passage of the well fluid, and which engage the tubing walls to centralize the tubing therein.
  • tubing couplings 7% are provided with check valve and fluid-impelling elements, being within a predetermined spacing range as explained hereinabove.
  • Such a coupling is shown in typical enlarged detail in FIG. 5.
  • the coupling collar 70 screw-threadedly joins the upset end portions on the adjacent ends of two lengths of tubing.
  • a generally tubular valve body 74 is positioned within tubing collar 70 and within the upset end portions of the adjacent lengths of tubing.
  • Valve body 74 is recessed on the outside to accommodate rubber ring 75 which is compressed when the coupling is made, in an obvious fashion, to position the valve body.
  • the valve body has a central bore 78, which slidably receives a tubular stem 79 formed with a central longitudinal bore 8() to receive a long bolt S1 which clamps upper and lower rubber valve heads or disks 82 and 83, respectively, against the corresponding ends of the stem 79.
  • Longitudinal passageways 84 are formed through valve body 74, opening into the lower end of the valve body outside rubber head 83, and opening at the top inside the rubber head S2.
  • the conical upper surface S of the valve body through which ⁇ opens the passage 84 is, as here shown, formed on an angle which conforms to the angular lower surface of the rubber disk S2, and the latter, in moving onto and olf of surface 85, acts as a valve.
  • the oscillator G is driven by the prime mover at a frequency such as will create -a resonant standing wave in the elastic transmission line, here the elastic tubing string 12.
  • the oscillating force applied to the generator launches alternating wave of tension and compression down the tubing, traveling in the tubing with the speed of sound, and these are reflected back up the tubing and, if the frequency of the oscillator is a resonant frequency of the tubing, the reflected wave interferes with the oncoming wave so as to produce velocity antinodes (regions of large vibratory amplitude) spaced a half-wavelength apart, and nodes (regions of minimized vibration amplitude) between the antinodes.
  • the check valve assembly 79, ⁇ 80, 82, 83 reciprocates automatically by the influence of the standing wave action in the tubing, closing the fluid passages on the up-stroke, whereby the liquid column above the unit is accelerated upwardly, and opening these passages on the down-stroke, to permit upward passage of liquid through passages 84 at this time.
  • wave in the tubing occur with an acceleration many times that of gravity, and well fluids are thus pumped.
  • the oscillator is driven by the prime mover, in this case an induction motor 36, at a frequency which is just on the low side of the frequency for peak vibration amplitude with a sonic resonant harmonic standing wave set up in -the tubing string by the oscillator.
  • FIG. 6 shows the relationship between cyclic strain amplitude in the tubing (the vibratory stroke) and the frequency of the oscillator for a frequency range starting below and continuing past resonance.
  • the hump in the curve denotes the range of resonance
  • the point at which strain amplitude attains its peak maximum magnitude is denoted variably as peak resonance, peak vibration or vibratory stroke amplitude, or peak strain.
  • each half-wavelength of the vibrating member undergoes alternating elastic elongation and contraction.
  • the strain is the amplitude of elastic elongation, or of contraction, and reaches its peak value at the peak resonance frequency, where vibration stroke amplitude attains its maximum magnitude.
  • the yoscillator G is driven at -a frequency to set up a resonant standing wave in the tubing, i.e. at a frequency to give performance within the region of the resonant hump of the curve as earlier described, but also, and more particularly, in a region of this hump that is below peak resonance, i.e.
  • the periodic strain amplitude is limited to -a range such as n, well down from the peak of resonance, and yet strongly in the realm of resonance.
  • n is a frequency range r, which is held close to but safely below the resonant peak.
  • the tubing couplings containing the check valve and fluid-impelling units are located with a spacing more than ve feet and less than one hundred feet, by choosing tubing lengths, as already mentioned.
  • a preferred feature in the practice of the invention when gassy well fluids are pumped, is to de-gas the well fluids, either prior to entry of the ywell fluids into the pump tubing, or during transit up the pump tubing.
  • the electric drive motor 36 which may be an induction motor, is karranged to drive the oscillator and tubing string at that frequency, i.e. just below the resonance peak, where the elastic stress and strain in the tubing are just under the resonantly amplified maximum that would occur at peak resonance.
  • An induction motor has a sufficient degree of inverse speed responsiveness to load to behave as desired in the system.
  • the sonic wave in the tubing string is, -rst of all, arranged to be near that of a harmonic of the fundamental resonant frequency of the tubing.
  • the process is carried out by using a prime mover, with a speed rating and a drive ratio land power output to the oscillator, such that, whatever the load on the prime mover involved in vibrating the tubing string and elevating the column of Well duid, the prime mover drives the oscillator in the desired harmonic frequency range, on the low side of the resonance peak.
  • the motor owing to its inverse speed responsiveness to load, tends to increase its speed, thereby increasing the frequency of the oscillator, and the frequency of the standing wave in the elastic column, i.e., in this case, the pump tubing.
  • the well liquid is pumped up the tubing at faster rate, and the oscillator regains loading. 'This increase in loading takes place sharply and rapidly, and the operation stabilizes out at a steady frequency again on the low side of the resonance peak.
  • the unbalanced weights of the mass-reactive oscillator G, and their centers of gravity are so adjusted relative to the cross-sectional area of the column or tubing that, with the angular velocity of these weights limited to the value at which, with the oscillator operating at the predetermined resonance tfrequently just under the peak of the selected resonance hump, the stress amplitude is limited to a value 0f 20,000 p.s.i.
  • the 20,000 p.s.i. limit here referred to is the permitted dep-arture, compressive or tensional, from neutral, and is the half-amplitude of the total permitted cyclic stress swing.
  • the method of the invention also, to safeguard the pump tubing or other sonic transmission column from elastic fatigue failure, involves an adjustment of the various inter-related factors involved, such as the alternating output force from the oscillator, and the crosssectional area of the tubing or other column, such that the stress and strain amplitudes at the below-peakresonance frequency of operation do not exceed those for the endurance limit of the tubing in the environment of the well at said frequency.
  • strain amplitude is no greater than that produced by a stress amplitude of twenty thousand pounds per square inch in said elastic transmission line.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Apparatuses For Generation Of Mechanical Vibrations (AREA)
US507205A 1965-11-10 1965-11-10 Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3303782A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US507205A US3303782A (en) 1965-11-10 1965-11-10 Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus
GB46599/66A GB1159616A (en) 1965-11-10 1966-10-18 Improvements in or relating to Methods of Operating Sonic Deep Well Pumps
DE19661653370 DE1653370A1 (de) 1965-11-10 1966-10-21 Verfahren zum Pumpen von Fluessigkeiten aus tiefen Bohrloechern mittels Schwingungen und Vorrichtungen zur Durchfuehrung des Verfahrens
FR82970A FR1498921A (fr) 1965-11-10 1966-11-08 Procédé pour faire fonctionner une pompe acoustique pour puits profond
AT1033066A AT275328B (de) 1965-11-10 1966-11-08 Verfahren zum Pumpen mit einer Tiefpumpe
NL6615724A NL6615724A (cs) 1965-11-10 1966-11-08
BR184386/66A BR6684386D0 (pt) 1965-11-10 1966-11-08 Processo para bombeamento acustico em pocos de grande profundidade

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US507205A US3303782A (en) 1965-11-10 1965-11-10 Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus

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US3303782A true US3303782A (en) 1967-02-14

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US507205A Expired - Lifetime US3303782A (en) 1965-11-10 1965-11-10 Deep well sonic pumping process and apparatus

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US (1) US3303782A (cs)
AT (1) AT275328B (cs)
BR (1) BR6684386D0 (cs)
DE (1) DE1653370A1 (cs)
FR (1) FR1498921A (cs)
GB (1) GB1159616A (cs)
NL (1) NL6615724A (cs)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4342364A (en) * 1980-04-11 1982-08-03 Bodine Albert G Apparatus and method for coupling sonic energy to the bore hole wall of an oil well to facilitate oil production
US20050006088A1 (en) * 2003-07-08 2005-01-13 Oleg Abramov Acoustic well recovery method and device
US20060096752A1 (en) * 2004-11-11 2006-05-11 Mario Arnoldo Barrientos Electroacoustic method and device for stimulation of mass transfer processes for enhanced well recovery
RU2371608C1 (ru) * 2008-11-05 2009-10-27 Открытое акционерное общество "Татнефть" им. В.Д. Шашина Устройство для добычи нефти и дилатационно-волнового воздействия на пласт
US20140262229A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Acoustic artificial lift system for gas production well deliquification
US20140329628A1 (en) * 2011-12-13 2014-11-06 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Hydraulic control system for automatic transmission
US9664016B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-05-30 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Acoustic artificial lift system for gas production well deliquification
US11566483B2 (en) * 2020-11-19 2023-01-31 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Tri-axtal oscillator for stuck pipe release

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2355618A (en) * 1941-04-17 1944-08-15 Jr Albert G Bodine Method and apparatus for pumping
US2444912A (en) * 1947-07-17 1948-07-13 Jr Albert G Bodine Method and apparatus for pumping

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2355618A (en) * 1941-04-17 1944-08-15 Jr Albert G Bodine Method and apparatus for pumping
US2444912A (en) * 1947-07-17 1948-07-13 Jr Albert G Bodine Method and apparatus for pumping

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4342364A (en) * 1980-04-11 1982-08-03 Bodine Albert G Apparatus and method for coupling sonic energy to the bore hole wall of an oil well to facilitate oil production
US20050006088A1 (en) * 2003-07-08 2005-01-13 Oleg Abramov Acoustic well recovery method and device
US7063144B2 (en) * 2003-07-08 2006-06-20 Klamath Falls, Inc. Acoustic well recovery method and device
US20060096752A1 (en) * 2004-11-11 2006-05-11 Mario Arnoldo Barrientos Electroacoustic method and device for stimulation of mass transfer processes for enhanced well recovery
US7059403B2 (en) * 2004-11-11 2006-06-13 Klamath Falls, Inc. Electroacoustic method and device for stimulation of mass transfer processes for enhanced well recovery
AU2004324862B2 (en) * 2004-11-11 2010-06-03 Klamath Falls, Inc. Electroacoustic method and device for stimulation of mass transfer processes for enhanced well recovery
RU2371608C1 (ru) * 2008-11-05 2009-10-27 Открытое акционерное общество "Татнефть" им. В.Д. Шашина Устройство для добычи нефти и дилатационно-волнового воздействия на пласт
US20140329628A1 (en) * 2011-12-13 2014-11-06 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Hydraulic control system for automatic transmission
US20140262229A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Acoustic artificial lift system for gas production well deliquification
US9587470B2 (en) * 2013-03-15 2017-03-07 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Acoustic artificial lift system for gas production well deliquification
US9664016B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2017-05-30 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Acoustic artificial lift system for gas production well deliquification
US11566483B2 (en) * 2020-11-19 2023-01-31 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Tri-axtal oscillator for stuck pipe release

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1498921A (fr) 1967-10-20
GB1159616A (en) 1969-07-30
BR6684386D0 (pt) 1973-01-09
AT275328B (de) 1969-10-27
NL6615724A (cs) 1967-05-11
DE1653370A1 (de) 1971-08-12

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