Electric submersible pump event detection

Abstract

A method for monitoring operation of an electric submersible pump. The method includes receiving data signals indicating values for a plurality of parameters regarding operation of the electric submersible pumping system; establishing, for at least some of the plurality of parameters, an associated reference signal; and detecting a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter. As a result of the deviation having a rate of change below a predetermined threshold, the method includes updating the value of the reference signal to reflect the deviation. As a result of the deviation having a rate of change above the predetermined threshold, the method includes detecting an event and generating an indication of the event. The indication of the event further depends on a type of the parameter and a direction of the deviation from the reference signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for monitoring operation of an electric submersible pump, comprising:
 receiving, by a processor from sensors that comprise different types of sensors, data signals indicating values for a plurality of parameters regarding operation of the electric submersible pumping system; 
 pre-processing one of the data signals from a type of downhole sensor to detect a data quality deficiency for the type of downhole sensor; 
 establishing, by the processor and for at least some of the plurality of parameters, an associated reference signal, wherein the associated reference signal depends on operational history of the electric submersible pump; 
 detecting, by the processor, a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter that accounts for the detected data quality deficiency; 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change below a predetermined threshold, updating the reference signal to reflect the deviation; and 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change above the predetermined threshold, detecting an event and generating an indication of the event; 
 wherein the indication of the event further depends on a type of the parameter and a direction of the deviation from the reference signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the event comprises one type of a plurality of event types and wherein a set of parameters observed to detect an event of a first type differs from a set of parameters observed to detect an event of a second type. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 identifying a cause of the data quality deficiency and correcting the data quality deficiency or, if it is not possible to correct the data quality deficiency, generating an indication of the data quality deficiency. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the data quality deficiency comprises a member selected from the group consisting of: a malfunctioning sensor, electrical noise, a sensor data freeze condition, a loss or perturbation of downhole telemetry, a loss of a communication link, and a change in scale or units of a data signal indicating a parameter value. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising automatically adjusting operation of the electrical submersible pump upon detecting the event. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the indication further comprises generating an indication of a root cause of the event and providing a suggested operation to a user. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the suggested operation comprises a modification of one or more operating parameters of the electric submersible pump and the method further comprises refining a determination of the root cause based on the operation of the electric submersible pump after the one or more operating parameters are modified. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 prompting a user for input following a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter; and 
 based on a received user input, updating the reference signal or updating the predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the parameters comprise one or more of the group consisting of: a drive frequency of the electric submersible pump, a motor current of the electric submersible pump, a discharge pressure of the electric submersible pump, an intake pressure of the electric submersible pump, a motor temperature of the electric submersible pump, an intake temperature of the electric submersible pump, a well head pressure, and one or more current parameters of a gauge of the electric submersible pump. 
     
     
       10. A system for monitoring operation of an electric submersible pump, comprising:
 a plurality of sensors that comprise different types of sensors configured to generate data indicative of a plurality of observable parameters regarding operation of the electric submersible pumping system; 
 a processor coupled to the sensors configured to:
 receive the data from the sensors; 
 pre-process the data signals to detect a data quality deficiency for a type of downhole sensor; 
 establish, for at least some of the plurality of parameters, an associated reference signal, wherein the associated reference signal depends on operational history of the electric submersible pump; 
 detect a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter that accounts for the detected data quality deficiency; 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change below a predetermined threshold, update the reference signal to reflect the deviation; and 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change above the predetermined threshold, generate an indication of an event; 
 wherein the indication of the event further depends on a type of the parameter and a direction of the deviation from the reference signal. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein the event comprises one type of a plurality of event types and wherein a set of parameters observed to detect an event of a first type differs from a set of parameters observed to detect an event of a second type. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a cause of the data quality deficiency and correcting the data quality deficiency or, if it is not possible to correct the data quality deficiency, generate an indication of the data quality deficiency. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10  wherein the data quality deficiency comprises a member selected from the group consisting of: a malfunctioning sensor, electrical noise, a sensor data freeze condition, a loss or perturbation of downhole telemetry, a loss of a communication link, and a change in scale or units of a data signal indicating a parameter value. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further configured to adjust operation of the electrical submersible pump upon detecting the event. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further configured to generate an indication of a root cause of the event and provide a suggested operation to a user. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prompt a user for input following a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter; and 
 based on a received user input, update the reference signal or updating the predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10  wherein the parameters comprise one or more of the group consisting of: a drive frequency of the electric submersible pump, a motor current of the electric submersible pump, a discharge pressure of the electric submersible pump, an intake pressure of the electric submersible pump, a motor temperature of the electric submersible pump, an intake temperature of the electric submersible pump, a well head pressure, and one or more current parameters of a gauge of the electric submersible pump. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive data indicative of a plurality of observable parameters from sensors that comprise different types of sensors; 
 pre-process the data signals to detect a data quality deficiency for a type of downhole sensor; 
 establish, for at least some of the plurality of parameters, an associated reference signal, wherein the associated reference signal depends on operational history of an electric submersible pump; 
 detect a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter that accounts for the detected data quality deficiency; 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change below a predetermined threshold, update the reference signal to reflect the deviation; and 
 as a result of the deviation having a rate of change above the predetermined threshold, generate an indication of an event; 
 wherein the indication of the event further depends on a type of the parameter and a direction of the deviation from the reference signal. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: identify a cause of the data quality deficiency and correcting the data quality deficiency or, if it is not possible to correct the data quality deficiency, generate an indication of the data quality deficiency. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the instructions further cause the processor to adjust operation of the electrical submersible pump upon detecting the event. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the instructions further cause the processor to generate an indication of a root cause of the event and provide a suggested operation to a user. 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18  wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 prompt a user for input following a deviation of one of the parameters from the reference signal associated with that parameter; and 
 based on a received user input, update the reference signal or updating the predetermined threshold.