Production method with a plunger lift system

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising one or more computers in one or more locations, information from a collar detector attached to a plunger configured to move along a production string to produce hydrocarbons during a plunger lift cycle operation, the production string fluidly coupled to a wellhead comprising a valve, the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two consecutive pipes of the production string, the information comprising a plurality of timestamps each associated with a time at which the collar detector detects a respective collar;

determining, by the system and as a function of the information, a parameter of the plunger during the plunger lift cycle operation; and

controlling, by the system and as a function of the determined parameter, the valve to change at least one parameter of the plunger lift cycle operation;

wherein one of a plurality of spring-loaded pins is a downward facing spring-loaded pin at a lowermost end of the plunger, the downward facing spring-loaded pin configured to retract upon landing at a bottom hole bumper spring of the production spring, and the collar detector is configured to generate, in response to the retraction of the downward facing spring-loaded pin, a timestamp that represents a time at which the plunger landed at the bottom hole bumper spring.

2 . A method, comprising:

deploying a plunger from a wellhead to a downhole location of a production string fluidly coupled to the wellhead and disposed within a wellbore, the plunger comprising a collar detector attached to a body of the plunger and the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two adjacent pipes of the production string to form a joint;

detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by a circuitry module of the collar detector, a first plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;

lifting the plunger from the downhole location of the production string to the wellhead to produce hydrocarbons;

detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in an uphole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by the circuitry module of the collar detector, a second plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;

determining, as a function of the first and second plurality of timestamps, at least one parameter of the plunger; and

controlling, as a function of the parameter of the plunger, a valve fluidly coupled to the wellhead to control a parameter of a plunger lift cycling operation;

wherein the collar detector comprises an electromechanical collar detector comprising a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to an electromechanical transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the first plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in a memory of the plunger, and detecting the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction comprises axially extending, at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective joint, the plurality of spring-loaded pins as the plunger moves past each collar.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, before determining the at least one parameter of the plunger, transmitting, by a transmitter of the plunger, the first and second plurality of timestamps to a system comprising one or more computer in one or more location, wherein the determining comprises determining, by the system and as a function of the plurality of timestamps a falling speed of the plunger.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining comprises determining the falling speed of the plunger between two consecutive collars, the determining comprising:

determining, by the system, a time period between the two consecutive collars, and

dividing, by the system, a prerecorded distance between the two consecutive collars by the time period.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining comprises determining a change of falling speed of the plunger and determining, as a function of the change of falling speed, a fluid level of fluid accumulated at a downhole end of the production string.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein one of the plurality of spring-loaded pin is a downward facing spring-loaded pin at a lowermost end of the plunger, the downward facing spring-loaded pin configured to retract upon contact with a bottom hole bumper spring of the production spring, the electromechanical transducer configured to generate, in response to the retraction of the downward facing spring-loaded pin, a timestamp that represents a time at which the plunger lands at the bottom hole bumper spring.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the controlling comprises controlling a time that the valve is open to decrease or increase a shut-in time of the plunger lift cycling operation to change a production rate of the wellbore.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of spring-loaded pins comprise a plurality of spring-loaded plungers.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one parameter of the plunger comprises at least one of a falling velocity of the plunger, a falling acceleration of the plunger, a rising velocity of the plunger, a rising acceleration of the plunger, a location of the plunger along the production string, or a location of the plunger within the wellhead.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the valve comprises a control valve and the parameter of a subsequent plunger lift cycling operation comprises at least one of a shut-in time or an after-flow time, the controlling comprising controlling a time that the control valve is open to change the shut-in time or the after-flow time and thus change the rate of production of the wellbore.

11 . A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising one or more computers in one or more locations, information from a collar detector attached to a plunger configured to move along a production string to produce hydrocarbons during a plunger lift cycle operation, the production string fluidly coupled to a wellhead comprising a valve, the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two consecutive pipes of the production string, the information comprising a plurality of timestamps each associated with a time at which the collar detector detects a respective collar;

determining, by the system and as a function of the information, a parameter of the plunger during the plunger lift cycle operation; and

controlling, by the system and as a function of the determined parameter, the valve to change at least one parameter of the plunger lift cycle operation;

wherein the collar detector comprises:

a housing attached to a downhole end of the plunger;

a memory disposed within the housing;

a transducer disposed within the housing; and

a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to the transducer and extending through a side wall of the housing, the transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in the memory, and detecting the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction comprises axially extending, at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective collar, the plurality of spring-loaded pins as the plunger moves past each collar.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, before determining the parameter of the plunger, transmitting, by a transmitter of the collar detector, the plurality of timestamps to a system at a terranean surface of the wellbore and comprising one or more computer in one or more location, wherein the determining comprises determining, by the system and as a function of the information, a velocity and velocity distribution of the plunger along the production string.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining comprises determining the falling speed of the plunger between two consecutive collars, the determining comprising:

determining, by the system, a time period between the two consecutive collars, and dividing, by the system, a prerecorded distance between the two consecutive collars by the time period.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining comprises determining a change of falling speed of the plunger and determining, as a function of the change of falling speed, a fluid level of fluid accumulated at a downhole end of the production string.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the controlling comprises controlling a time that the valve is open to decrease or increase a shut-in time of the plunger lift cycle operation to change a production rate of the wellbore.

16 . A plunger lift system, comprising:

a production string configured to be disposed within a wellbore, the production string made of a plurality of pipes joined by a plurality of collars;

a wellhead configured to reside at a terranean surface of the wellbore and be fluidly coupled to the production string;

a valve configured to be fluidly coupled to the wellhead;

a plunger configured to move along the production string to produce hydrocarbons during a plunger lift cycle operation, the plunger comprising a collar detector; and

a system at or near the terranean surface of the wellbore, the system comprising one or more computers in one or more locations, the system configured to:

receive, from the collar detector, information comprising a plurality of timestamps each representing a time at which the collar detector detected a respective one of the plurality of collars; and

determine, as a function of the information, a parameter of the plunger, the parameter comprising at least one of a speed or location of the plunger along the production string, the parameter usable to control at least one parameter of the plunger lift cycle operation;

wherein the collar detector comprises an electromechanical collar detector comprising a plurality of spring-loaded pins connected to an electromechanical transducer configured to generate, in response to movement of the plurality of spring-loaded pins, the plurality of timestamps and store the plurality of timestamps in a memory of the plunger, the collar detector configured to detect the plurality of collars as the plurality of spring-loaded pins extend at an annular section of increased diameter at the respective joint as the plunger moves past each collar.

17 . The plunger lift system of claim 16 , wherein the system comprises a controller configured to control, as a function of the determined speed of the plunger, the valve to change at least one of a shut-in period or an after-flow period of the plunger lift cycle operation.

18 . A method, comprising:

deploying a plunger from a wellhead to a downhole location of a production string fluidly coupled to the wellhead and disposed within a wellbore, the plunger comprising a collar detector attached to a body of the plunger and the production string comprising a plurality of collars spaced apart and distributed along a length of the production string, each collar joining two adjacent pipes of the production string to form a joint;

detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in a downhole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by a circuitry module of the collar detector, a first plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;

lifting the plunger from the downhole location of the production string to the wellhead to produce hydrocarbons;

detecting, by the collar detector, the plurality of collars as the plunger moves in an uphole direction, the detecting comprising generating, by the circuitry module of the collar detector, a second plurality of timestamps each associated with a respective collar;

determining, as a function of the first and second plurality of timestamps, at least one parameter of the plunger; and

controlling, as a function of the parameter of the plunger, a valve fluidly coupled to the wellhead to control a parameter of a plunger lift cycling operation;

wherein the determining comprises determining a change of falling or rising speed of the plunger and a location of the falling or rising speed of the plunger and determining, as a function of the change and location of the falling or rising speed, a sealing performance of the plunger.