Oil level sensor system and method for oil wells
This patent describes a system for controlling production in an oil well wherein the oil well consists of a cased borehole, tubing within the cased borehole, a pump at the lower end of the tubing arranged to pump oil into the tubing, sucker-rods extending down into the tubing for mechanically activating the pump, and a device for causing reciprocation of the sucker-rods; 1.) a controller for activating cause of reciprocation; 2.) first sensing device secured to the outer surface of the tubing near the lower end, which consists of a radioactive source spaced from a radioactivity detector such that oil at that level will fill the space, a mechanism associated with the radioactivity detector for counting the output of the detector and establishing an ''off signal'' when the frequency of the output is indicative of no oil in the space; 3.) a device for converting the ''off signal'' into a sonic signal directed up the borehole; 4.) an electrical power supply for energizing a device for sensing, a device for counting and a device for converting; 5.) a receiver at the top of the borehole for detecting the acoustical representation of the ''off signal'' and transmitting it as an electrical signal to the controller which stops the for cause reciprocation. This patent also describes a method for controlling production in this oil well. This method consists of sensing radioactivity, converting the ''off signal'', and detecting the acoustical representation of the ''off signal''.
- Assignee:
- NOV; EDB-86-070989
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4570718
- OSTI ID:
- 6082253
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 21 Dec 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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