Systems and methods for cathodic protection of an oil and gas well system

Abstract

System, assemblies, and methods for cathodic protection of one or more components of an oil and gas well may include an anode comprising an anodic coating on a surface of at least one first component of the oil and gas well. A cathode may comprise at least one second component of the oil and gas well, where the anode is configured to at least partially inhibit corrosion of the cathode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sucker rod pumping system for cathodic protection of components, the system comprising:
 an anode comprising an anodic coating on a surface of a body of a sucker rod string comprising one or more sucker rods; and   a cathode comprising one or more of:
 a tubing string comprising a cylinder and configured to concentrically contain the sucker rod string, a polished rod, and a pump; 
 the polished rod configured to be connected to a polished rod clamp above ground and to be connected to a top end of the sucker rod string contained below the ground; or 
 the pump mechanically connected to a bottom end of the sucker rod string, 
 wherein the anode is configured to at least partially inhibit corrosion of the cathode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein each sucker rod of the sucker rod string further comprises:
 a first threaded end and a second threaded end; and   a body exhibiting a substantially cylindrical shape.   
     
     
         3 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the anodic coating comprises at least one of aluminum, magnesium, zinc, or an alloy of aluminum, magnesium, or zinc. 
     
     
         4 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode further comprises a production casing configured to be located below the ground, the production casing comprising a cylindrical interior cavity configured to cylindrically contain the tubing string, the polished rod, at least a portion of the sucker rod string, and the pump. 
     
     
         5 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 4 , wherein the cathode further comprises a casing head and a tubing head assembly, the tubing head assembly configured to be located partially above the ground and mechanically connected to the production casing through the casing head. 
     
     
         6 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 5 , wherein the polished rod is configured to partially protrude above the ground from a center of the tubing head assembly and to be partially housed below the ground within the cylindrical interior cavity of the production casing. 
     
     
         7 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 5 , wherein the cathode further comprises a surface casing vent line mechanically connected to the casing head, the surface casing vent line configured to extend from the casing head and to end above the ground. 
     
     
         8 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein only a portion of the surface of the body of the sucker rod string is coated with the anodic coating. 
     
     
         9 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 8 , wherein the anodic coating is applied in circumferential strips around the body of the sucker rod string. 
     
     
         10 . The sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the anode further comprises a sealant on at least a portion of the body of the sucker rod string. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cathodic protection of components of a sucker rod pumping system, the method comprising producing oil using the sucker rod pumping system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A system for cathodic protection of one or more components of an oil and gas well, the system comprising:
 an anode comprising an anodic coating on a surface of at least one first component of the oil and gas well;   a cathode comprising at least one second component of the oil and gas well that is connected to and configured to be positioned in a location that is uphole or downhole from the at least one first component; and   at least one electrically conductive connection line electrically coupling the at least one first component and the at least one second component,   wherein the anode is configured to at least partially inhibit corrosion of the cathode.   
     
     
         13 . The system for cathodic protection of  claim 12 , wherein the cathode and the anode comprise portions of a downhole artificial lift system. 
     
     
         14 . The system for cathodic protection of  claim 13 , wherein the anode comprises at least a portion of a rod string of the downhole artificial lift system. 
     
     
         15 . The system for cathodic protection of  claim 13 , wherein the cathode comprises at least one of a tubing string, a polished rod, a pump, a sucker rod string, a casing head, a tubing head, a composite pumping tee, a casing vent line, a flow line, a flow tee, a tubing hanger, a polished rod clamp, or a surface drive unit. 
     
     
         16 . A method for cathodic protection of components of a sucker rod pumping system, the method comprising:
 applying an anodic coating on a surface of at least one first component of the oil and gas well to form an anode component;   electrically connecting, via a conductive connection, the anode component to a cathode component comprising at least one second component of the oil and gas well; and   at least partially inhibiting corrosion of the cathode component with the anode component.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the cathode component and the anode component with existing components of a downhole artificial lift system, each of the cathode component and the anode component configured to perform another function related to the oil and gas well. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming the cathode component with at least one of a tubing string, a polished rod, a pump, a sucker rod string, a casing head, a tubing head, a composite pumping tee, a casing vent line, a flow line, a flow tee, a tubing hanger, a polished rod clamp, or a surface drive unit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising applying a sealant to a portion of the anode component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising applying the anodic coating to only a portion of a rod string of a downhole artificial lift system.