Marginal well monitoring and control systems and methods

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for operating and controlling a well to keep the well alive so that the well will not need to be reworked to continue increased production. The system for operating the well generally includes a control and communications module having a well operation controller that connects with a plurality of sensors required to monitor and control the site, a plurality of sensors that measures pressure, amperage, tank level, and a server that stores and processes the information collected by the control and communications module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling an operation of a well, comprising:
 a sensor one adapted to collect information regarding at least a first physical characteristic of a first well component to define a first physical characteristic reading value;   a control and communications module adapted to:
 control an operation of one or more well components via a well operation controller; and 
 communicate data via a transceiver to a server, the transceiver and the well operation controller being communicatively coupled; 
   the control and communications module being communicatively coupled to the sensor one;   the well operation controller configured to:
 compare the first physical characteristic reading value collected for the first well component with a first physical characteristic predetermined value range, and 
 if the first physical characteristic reading value is outside of the first physical characteristic predetermined value range, then the well operation controller adjusts power supplied to a first well control component, such that after the adjusted power is supplied, a new physical characteristic reading value is obtained that is within the first physical characteristic predetermined value range, to define a first compliant physical characteristic reading value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the well is an oil well. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first well component is a wellhead. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first well component is a wellhead tubing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first physical characteristic is a wellhead tubing pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a second physical characteristic is a tank level. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a third physical characteristic is an amperage used by a prime mover. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a sensor two for monitoring an amperage supplied to the first well control component, the sensor two being communicatively coupled to the control and communications module. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first well control component is a prime mover motor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising the sensor one co-located with a first tank that stores a liquid extracted from the well, the sensor one being communicatively coupled to the control and communications module and the tank. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a wireless network coupled to the transceiver, the wireless network communicatively couples the control and communications module to the server. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is a remote server. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the well operation controller has a memory for storing the first physical characteristic predetermined value range. 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling an operation of a well, comprising:
 collecting, at a sensor one, information regarding at least a first physical characteristic of a first well component to define a first physical characteristic reading value;   receiving, at a control and communications module having a well operation controller, the first physical characteristic reading value;   comparing, in the well operation controller, the first physical characteristic reading value collected for the first well component with a first physical characteristic predetermined value range stored in a memory, and then   if the first physical characteristic reading value is outside of the first physical characteristic predetermined value range, adjusting power supplied to a first well control component, such that after the adjusted power is supplied, a new physical characteristic reading value is collected that is within the first physical characteristic predetermined value range, to define a first compliant physical characteristic reading value.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first physical characteristic reading value is a wellhead tubing pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising communicating the first physical characteristic reading value across a network to a server. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein a second physical characteristic reading value is a tank level. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein a third physical characteristic reading value is an amperage used by a prime mover.