Plunger impact sensor

Abstract

There is provided a lubricator assembly having a lubricator body having a bottom end in communication with a well, a top end, and one or more production flow ports, a spring within the lubricator body and above the one or more production flow ports, the spring having a movable end and a fixed end above the movable end, the spring being compressible in a longitudinal direction, the spring compressing in response to a plunger return force, a switch above the movable end of the spring, the switch generating a signal when actuated, and an actuator carried by the movable end of the spring, the actuator actuating the switch when the movable end reaches a predetermined position within the lubricator, the predetermined position being reached when the plunger return force is equal to or greater than a predetermined plunger return force.

1 . A lubricator assembly, comprising:
 a lubricator body having a bottom end in communication with a well, a top end, and one or more production flow ports;   a spring within the lubricator body and above the one or more production flow ports, the spring having a movable end and a fixed end above the movable end, the spring being compressible in a direction parallel to the lubricator, the spring compressing in response to a plunger return force;   a switch above the movable end of the spring, the switch generating a signal when actuated by an actuator carried by the movable end of the spring,   
     
     
         2 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a disc carried by the movable end of the spring. 
     
     
         3 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is attached at the top end of the lubricator body and is in axial alignment with the lubricator body. 
     
     
         4 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is actuated by metal to metal contact between the actuator and the top end of the lubricator body. 
     
     
         5 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the switch is magnetically actuated. 
     
     
         6 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the plunger return force is indicative of an alarm condition. 
     
     
         7 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller that receives the signal generated by the switch, the controller being programmed to shut in the well upon receiving the signal from the switch. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the spring is fully compressed. 
     
     
         9 . The lubricator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the spring is partially compressed. 
     
     
         10 . A method of shutting in a well having a wellbore, a lubricator assembly, and a plunger, the lubricator assembly comprising a lubricator body having a bottom end in communication with a well, a top end and one or more production flow ports, the method comprising the steps of:
 placing the plunger in the wellbore of the well such that the plunger travels through the wellbore in response to the pressure in the well, and in response to sufficient pressure, the plunger travels from the well into the lubricator assembly with a plunger return force;   fixing a spring within the lubricator body and above the one or more flow production ports, the spring having a movable end and a fixed end above the movable end, the spring being compressible in a longitudinal direction, the spring compressing in response to the plunger return force;   attaching an actuator to the movable end of the spring and causing the actuator to actuate the switch when the movable end of the spring reaches a predetermined position within the lubricator indicative of a predetermined plunger return force.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator comprises a disc carried by the movable end of the spring. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the switch is attached at the top end of the lubricator body and is in axial alignment with the lubricator body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the switch is actuated by metal to metal contact between the actuator and the top end of the lubricator body. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the switch is magnetically actuated. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined plunger return force is indicative of an alarm condition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of providing a controller that receives the signal generated by the switch, the controller being programmed to shut in the well upon receiving the signal from the switch, 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the spring is fully compressed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator actuates the switch when the spring is partially compressed.