US 12,146,394 B2
Controlling downhole-type rotating machines
Kuo-Chiang Chen, Kennedale, TX (US); Patrick McMullen, Cerritos, CA (US); and Christopher Matthew Sellers, Fullerton, CA (US)
Assigned to Upwing Energy, Inc., Cerritos, CA (US)
Filed by Upwing Energy, Inc., Cerritos, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/235,971.
Prior Publication US 2020/0208509 A1, Jul. 2, 2020
Int. Cl. E21B 43/12 (2006.01); E21B 41/00 (2006.01); E21B 47/06 (2012.01); E21B 47/12 (2012.01); F04D 13/10 (2006.01); F04D 15/00 (2006.01); F04D 25/06 (2006.01); F04D 29/042 (2006.01); F04D 29/048 (2006.01); F04D 29/052 (2006.01); F04D 29/058 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/128 (2013.01) [E21B 47/06 (2013.01); E21B 47/12 (2013.01); F04D 13/10 (2013.01); F04D 15/0066 (2013.01); F04D 25/0686 (2013.01); F04D 29/042 (2013.01); F04D 29/048 (2013.01); F04D 29/052 (2013.01); F04D 29/058 (2013.01); E21B 41/0085 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling a downhole-type rotating machine, the method comprising:
lowering a downhole-type rotating machine into a wellbore of a production well;
sealing, with a seal assembly, the downhole-type rotating machine to a wall of the wellbore;
flowing a fluid through the downhole-type rotating machine from downhole of the downhole-type rotating machine, across the seal assembly, to uphole of the downhole-type rotating machine;
radially supporting a central shaft within an outer housing of the of the downhole-type rotating machine, the central shaft comprising a first permanent magnet and the outer housing comprising a second permanent magnet;
measuring a parameter of a magnetic bearing supporting a rotor in operation within a stator of the downhole-type rotating machine, the downhole-type rotating machine comprising a pump or compressor, and the measured parameter comprising an axial load on the rotor;
determining, based on the measured axial load on the rotor, a change in a pressure ratio of the fluid flowing across the pump or compressor through the downhole-type rotating machine;
automatically adjusting a force on the rotor from the magnetic bearing based on the measured parameter and without external intervention;
controlling a speed of the rotor based on the measured parameter;
determining a future predicted pressure decline rate of the production well in which the downhole-type rotating machine resides, the future predicted pressure decline rate based on a predictive model;
changing a speed of the rotor based on the future predicted pressure decline rate; and
changing an axial position of the rotor, by the magnetic bearing, from a first position to a second position, based on the measured parameter.