Integrated Computational Element Analysis of Production Fluid in Artificial Lift Operations

Abstract

A downhole pump assembly for pumping production fluid to a surface of a well. The downhole pump assembly includes a fluid pump that is operable to pump the production fluid to the surface. An optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element and at least one detector. The at least one integrated computational element is configured to optically interact with the production fluid proximate the fluid pump and is configured to generate optically interacted light. The at least one detector is arranged to receive the optically interacted light and to generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the production fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole pump assembly for pumping production fluid to a surface of a well, the assembly comprising:
 a fluid pump operable to pump the production fluid to the surface;   an optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the production fluid proximate the fluid pump and configured to generate optically interacted light; and   at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and to generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the production fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the optical computing device further comprises an electromagnetic radiation source. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises a light source selected from the group consisting of a broad spectrum light source, an infrared light source and a near-infrared light source. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a signal processor communicably coupled to the at least one detector, the signal processor configured to receive the output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the production fluid and provide a resulting output signal. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as recited in  claim 4  further comprising a downhole control system communicably coupled to the signal processor, the control system configured to receive the resulting output signal from the signal processor and configured to adjust a state of the fluid pump in response to the resulting output signal. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as recited in  claim 4  wherein the resulting output signal is indicative of the characteristic of the production fluid proximate the fluid pump. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the characteristic of the production fluid is a concentration of gas in the production fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the fluid pump further comprises an electric submersible pump and an electric motor. 
     
     
         9 . An artificial lift system for pumping production fluid to a surface of a well, the system comprising:
 a downhole pump assembly including a fluid pump operable to pump the production fluid to the surface, an optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element configured to optically interact with the production fluid proximate the fluid pump and configured to generate optically interacted light and at least one detector arranged to receive the optically interacted light and to generate an output signal corresponding to a characteristic of the production fluid;   a surface control system; and   a cable assembly operably coupling the surface control system with the downhole pump assembly, the cable assembly configured to provide power to the fluid pump and to provide a communication path for signals between the surface control system and the optical computing device.   
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 9  wherein the optical computing device further comprises an electromagnetic radiation source. 
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 10  wherein the electromagnetic radiation source further comprises a light source selected from the group consisting of a broad spectrum light source, an infrared light source and a near-infrared light source. 
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 9  further comprising a signal processor communicably coupled to the at least one detector, the signal processor configured to receive the output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the fluid and provide a resulting output signal. 
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the surface control system is configured to receive the resulting output signal from the signal processor and provide a command signal to adjust a state of the fluid pump in response to the resulting output signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the resulting output signal is indicative of the characteristic of the production fluid proximate the fluid pump. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 9  wherein the characteristic of the production fluid is a concentration of gas in the production fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 9  wherein the fluid pump further comprises an electric submersible pump and an electric motor. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a downhole pump assembly comprising:
 disposing the downhole pump assembly in a well, the downhole pump assembly including a fluid pump and at least one optical computing device having at least one integrated computational element and at least one detector;   optically interacting the at least one integrated computational element with a production fluid proximate the fluid pump;   generating optically interacted light corresponding to a characteristic of the production fluid;   receiving the optically interacted light with the at least one detector;   generating an output signal with the at least one detector, the output signal being indicative of the characteristic of the production fluid; and   adjusting a state of the fluid pump responsive to the characteristic of the production fluid.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17  wherein optically interacting the at least one integrated computational element with the production fluid proximate the fluid pump further comprises supplying a source of electromagnetic radiation selected from the group consisting of broad spectrum light, infrared light and near-infrared light. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 17  further comprising receiving the output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the fluid with a signal processor and providing a resulting output signal from the signal processor. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19  further comprising receiving the resulting output signal from the signal processor with a surface control system via a cable assembly and sending a control signal to adjust the state of the fluid pump from the surface control system to the fluid pump via the cable assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 19  further comprising receiving the resulting output signal from the signal processor with a downhole control system and sending a control signal to adjust the state of the fluid pump from the downhole control system. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 17  wherein generating optically interacted light corresponding to the characteristic of the production fluid further comprises generating optically interacted light corresponding to a concentration of gas in the production fluid.