Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LIQUID ROD PUMP
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of the
filing of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Serial No. 61/133,373, entitled "Liquid Rod Pump", filed on
June 30, 2008,
and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/199,853, entitled
"Liquid Rod Pump", filed
lo on November 21, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention (Technical Field):
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the pumping and
recovery of
underground liquids and, more particularly, to the utilization of hydraulic
principles to facilitate
15 the pumping of liquids without the use of sucker rods.
Description of Related Art:
[0003] There is currently a need in the oil industry for a pump that
will pump deeper wells,
produce more volume and be capable of recovering fluids from diagonal drilling
and crooked
wells. Current technology fails to solve the problem of lifting water more
than 500 feet while
20 being able to use solar and wind applications for a power source. There
is also a current
problem in certain fields of disposing of unwanted fluids without using extra
pumping devices to
aid in the process. Embodiments of the present invention are capable of
meeting all of the
described needs while also being more energy efficient.
25 [0004] In the oil industry currently, the major pump type for deeper
wells relies on a
pumpjack, which has been used in the industry since early in the 20th century.
Earlier
technology has also been used fluid to transfer pressures to a pump in a
downhole situation.
[0005] With the current boom of horizontal drilling, the pumpjack or
sucker rod pump is not
30 efficient for this type of drilling. Because of the mechanical
connection from the surface to the
downhole unit, the pumpjack is locked at the precise distance to be traveled
and has a difficult
time oscillating rods in horizontal positions or in deviated wells.
Embodiments of the present
invention have the capability of variation in travel and cycles in each pump,
which eliminates rod
wear and improves efficiency and reduces wear in the downhill pump.
[0006] Current technologies do not have a backflush filtering system, which do
not permit the
pump to be backflushed, thus creating maintenance problems.
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[0007] The current technologies also require the entire pump and tubing
to be pulled for
repairs and do not have the capability of draining the fluid, which therefore
creates potential
environmental problems when pulling the rods and tubing from the hole.
[0008] There is thus a present need for an invention which offers
configurations that
accommodate industry needs, such as the need for energy efficiency, a less
laborious means of
horizontal pumping, and the ability to dispose of unwanted fluids from one
zone while pumping
valuable fluids out of a different zone. There is also a present need for a
pump which can lift
fluid higher than is currently possible with solar and/or wind powered pumps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009]
[0010] An embodiment of the present invention can be installed with
traditional oil field
equipment using a downhole unit comprising tubing, preferably approximately 2
to 5 inch tubing
and more preferably approximately 2 3/8th or approximately 2 7/8th inch
tubing. A smaller tube,
preferably approximately 0.25 to 2 inch tubing and more preferably
approximately 1 inch or less
inside tube diameter (flex or rigid tubing) is inserted into the larger tubing
to create an annulus
area for production. The downhole unit preferably uses traditional close
tolerance barrels and
plungers and has an upward imbalance, which allows the downhole unit to stay
at the top of its
stroke when it is not oscillating. Unlike the pumpjack, this pumping
technology allows the
downhole unit to pump a long-slow stroke or a short-fast stroke. Because of
the fluid
displacement concept, the downhole unit does not require a one-to-one
displacement ratio from
the surface to the downhole unit.
35
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According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for
removing fluid
from a well comprising: disposing a downhole unit at least partially within
the well, the downhole
unit comprising a first side and a second side, the first side comprising one
or more plungers
disposed on a first pipe, and the second side comprising a second pipe;
connecting a pulsar to
the first and second pipes; forcing the one or more plungers of the downhole
unit in a downward
direction and forcing the production fluid into the second pipe and up to the
pulsar; forcing the
one or more plungers of the downhole unit in an upward direction and forcing
production fluid
into the first pipe and up to the pulsar; commingling power and production
fluids in the pulsar;
and releasing the fluids through at least one valve disposed on the pulsar.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for
removing
fluid from a well comprising: a pulsar that allows commingling of power and
production fluids; a
downhole unit comprising a first side and a second side, said first side
comprising one or more
plungers disposed on a first pipe, and said second side comprising a second
pipe at least
partially within the well; said pulsar connected to said first and second
pipes; wherein said one
or more plungers are forced in a downward direction thereby forcing production
fluid into said
second pipe and up to said pulsar; said one or more plungers forced in an
upward direction
thereby forcing production fluid into said first pipe and up to said pulsar;
and at least one valve
disposed on said pulsar for releasing commingled production and power fluids.
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[0025] Objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of
applicability of the
present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to
follow, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent
to those skilled
in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of
the invention. The
invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and
combinations
particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
15
25
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a
part of the
specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention
and, together with the
description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings
are only for the purpose of
illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to
be construed as limiting
the invention. In the drawings:
[0027] Fig. 1 is a side view drawing which illustrates an embodiment of
the present invention
wherein a pulsar unit is connected to a single well, which unit displaces
fluid on the surface and forces
a downhole unit to travel downward;
[0028] Fig. 2 is a side view drawing illustrating an embodiment of the
present invention
wherein a pulsar unit forces a downhole unit in each of a plurality of wells
to travel downward on
opposite strokes of a piston in the pulsar unit;
[0029] Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view drawing illustrating a downhole
pump according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] Fig. 4 is a side view drawing illustrating a pulsar and power pack
unit for
production/disposal of fluids according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0031] Fig. 5A is a section view drawing illustrating a
production/disposal downhole unit with
a disposal zone located below a production zone according to an embodiment of
the present
invention;
[0032] Fig. 5B is a section view drawing illustrating a
production/disposal downhole unit with
a disposal zone located above a production zone according to another
embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view drawing illustrating a pulsar
unit that utilizes
commingled fluid and a power pack unit that releases excess fluid through a
new slip piston design
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] Fig. 7 illustrates a blown up view of the pulsar unit illustrated
in Fig. 6; and
[0035] Fig. 8 is a section view drawing illustrating a downhole dual
production pumping unit
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0036] As used throughout the specification and claims, "a" means one or
more.
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[0037] As used throughout the specification and claims, "power pack" means
any device,
method, apparatus, system or combination thereof which is capable of at least
partially providing a
pumping action for a fluid.
[0038] As used throughout the specification and claims, "pulsar" means any
device, method,
apparatus, system or combination thereof or the like capable of moving fluid.
[0039] As used throughout the specification and claims, pipe and tube are
intended to be
given a broad meaning and to include any device, method, apparatus, system or
combination thereof
or the like capable of transporting fluid including but not limited to pipes,
tubing, channel, conduit,
strings of, combinations thereof and the like made from any material capable
of at least temporarily
providing a flow path for the fluid including but not limited to metals,
composites, synthetics, plastics,
combinations thereof, and the like.
[0040] As used throughout the specification and claims, "downhole unit"
means a device,
method, structure, apparatus, system or combination thereof and the like which
is disposed at least
partially within a hole.
[0041] As used throughout the specification and claims, "plunger" means a
device, method,
structure, apparatus, system or combination thereof capable of pressurizing a
fluid.
[0042] As used throughout the specification and claims, "sequence system"
means a device,
method, structure, apparatus, system or combination thereof capable of
activating a pulsar, including
but not limited to a pressure sensor or a series of pressure sensors.
[0043] As used throughout the specification and claims, "production
system" means a
device, method, structure, apparatus, system or combination thereof capable of
storing or further
processing production fluid including but not limited to a tank, a surface, a
pipe, a heat exchanger, a
pump and combinations thereof.
[0044] As used throughout the specification and claims, "packer" is
intended to be given a
broad meaning and to include any device, method, apparatus, structure, system
or combination
thereof capable of isolating or separating one zone in a hole from another
zone in a hole. For
example, a packer can isolate a production zone from a disposal zone in a
well.
Closed System
[0045] Referring to Fig. 1, power pack 10 on the surface is preferably a
closed system of
hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid is used to transfer power from hydraulic
pump 14 to pulsar 18, both
of which are preferably at or near the surface of a well. In a preferred
embodiment, the hydraulic fluid
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does not co-mingle with a power fluid. The power fluid transfers energy from
pulsar 18 and provides
downward pressure on downhole unit 200 (see Fig. 2). In this embodiment, the
hydraulic fluid also
preferably does not co-mingle with a production fluid. The production fluid is
the product that is
pumped to the surface from an underground formation using embodiments of the
present invention.
The power fluid is also preferably a closed system. The power fluid actually
forces the movement of
downhole unit 200, and in one embodiment, is made up mostly of water. Since
water is virtually non-
compressible, the pressure is transferred immediately to downhole unit 200
with a very high efficiency
and very little compression. If any unanticipated fluid loss occurs, power
fluid piston 40 creates a
vaccum as it returns to a reset position and thus fills any void of fluid in
power tube 204.
[0046] Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
comprising power pack 10
and pulsar unit 18 that displaces fluid on the surface and forces downhole
unit 200 to reciprocate.
[0047] Fig. 1 illustrates power pack 10 preferably comprising motor 12,
preferably a standard
electric motor. Motor 12 can be a typical alternating current (AC) or direct
current (DC) motor, which
allows for the application of a solar or wind or manual power source. Motor 12
is fastened to hydraulic
pump 14, which is supported by reservoir tank 16. Reservoir tank 16 is filled
with hydraulic fluid and
provides the fluid drive for pulsar unit 18. Pulsar unit 18 is preferably a
closed system, thus the
hydraulic fluid does not commingle with power fluid or production fluid. Line
20 is fastened to
reservoir tank 16 and moves hydraulic fluid from reservoir tank 16 to
hydraulic cylinder 24 which is
sealed using end cap 28. Hydraulic piston 22 is housed in hydraulic cylinder
24. Reservoir tank 16
and hydraulic cylinder 24 can be made of any suitable material capable of
holding hydraulic fluid and
operating under required high pressures. Hydraulic valving system 26 activates
pulsar 18 which
oscillates and cycles connecting shaft 30 back and forth. Valving system 26 is
preferably controlled
by the various pressures in the closed power system and is activated by a
spiked pressure from
downhole unit 200. As illustrated in Fig. 2, downhole unit 200 preferably
travels its complete length,
until bottom plunger 234 bottoms out, thus increasing pressure in power tube
204. The spike in
pressure then trips a sequence system. The sequence system then initiates the
flow of hydraulic fluid
through hydraulic valving system 26 and reverses the direction of hydraulic
piston 22 on the surface.
The sequence system can be electrical, mechanical, or a combination thereof.
[0048] Motor 12 preferably provides the power that drives hydraulic pump
14, which pumps
hydraulic fluid into hydraulic cylinder 24 which then transfers pressure to
hydraulic piston 22.
Hydraulic piston 22 preferably moves and transfers power through connecting
shaft 30. Shaft 30
moves through center coupling 32. Center coupling 32 is preferably sealed off
with a seal-pack made
of any suitable material designed to maintain pressure differentials between
the two areas.
Connecting shaft 30 is preferably fastened to both power fluid cylinder 34 and
hydraulic cylinder 24.
Connecting shaft 30 preferably activates and as hydraulic piston 22 begins to
move toward power
fluid cylinder 34, it builds pressure in power tube 204. End cap 36 for the
power fluid prevents the
pressure in power fluid cylinder 34 from pushing backward towards hydraulic
cylinder 24 and thereby
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forces all of the pressure to be concentrated in the downward direction. Vent
38 allows power fluid
cylinder 34 to vent in and out and prevents power fluid piston 40 from locking
up as power tube 204
begins to build pressure. The pressure is transferred to downhole unit 200 and
applied to top plunger
216 (see Fig. 2) begins to move downward in the well. As plungers 216, 222,
and 234 are forced
downward, that pressure forces production fluid to move up annulus area 210
and into a closed shell
in reservoir tank 16. The production fluid can then be used as a cooling
device for the hydraulic fluid,
located in a second shell in reservoir tank 16 thereby cooling the hydraulic
fluid. The production fluid
is also warmed by the hydraulic fluid making the production fluid easier to
process and separate
downstream. Hydraulic fluid and production fluid are preferably isolated from
one another in reservoir
tank 16. The production fluid preferably moves through reservoir tank 16 and
into a storage tank (not
shown).
[0049] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
comprising downhole unit
200 that is connected to pulsar unit 18 see Fig. 1.
[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Fig.
2, relief valve 202 is
preferably an L-shaped valve and is installed in power tube 204 between the
top of downhole unit 200
and the beginning of power tube 204. Relief valve 202 allows power fluid to
drain from power tube
204 as downhole unit 200 is being pulled to the surface, for example, in case
of needed repairs.
Relief valve 202 allows a repair crew to pull a dry string, a pipe that does
not contain fluid, rather than
a wet string. The ability to pull a dry string prevents spillage of power
fluid onto a surface. Preferably,
relief valve 202 is initially seated closed, then it is twisted and power tube
204 is then slid up and pulls
power tube 204 up and out of the hole. When power tube 204 is being pulled up,
it passes vents 206
and 208 which drains the power fluid, thus pulling up a "dry" string. In one
embodiment, when
removing a pipe, a repair crew does not pull a wet string.
[0051] Annulus area 210 is the area through which the production fluid
travels up to the
surface. Downhole unit 200 is preferably seated with seating nipple 212 at the
bottom of downhole
unit 200. Seating nipple 212 can also be installed at the top of downhole unit
200, thus suspending
downhole unit 200 from seating nipple 212. Annulus area 210 comprises the area
between power
tube 204 and outside tubing 214. As downhole unit 200 is seated, the
production fluid remains in
annulus area 210 or, if downhole unit 200 is unseated, the production fluid is
released to the
formation.
[0052] Downhole unit 200 preferably receives pressure from pulsar unit 18
on top plunger
216. When pressure is applied to top plunger 216, it moves downward, as does
connecting shaft 218
and plungers 222 and 234. Plunger 216 is preferably held in place by cylinder
220. The pressure on
top plunger 216 is converted to force and activates plunger 222. Plunger 222
is preferably for
counterbalance pressure. Downhole unit 200 creates an upward force greater
than a downward force
when downhole unit 200 is static, because formation area 224 has less pressure
than downhole unit
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200, it creates an upward imbalance on downhole unit 200. Therefore, the only
energy required from
the surface is enough to move plungers 216, 222 and 234 downward. The top of
plunger 222 is
preferably exposed to the formation through vent 226. Coupling 228 seals off
cylinder 220, thereby
creating a pressure differential at the top of plunger 222. While the top of
plunger 222 is exposed to
the formation, the bottom of plunger 222 is exposed to annulus area 210 via
vent opening 230, which
creates an upward pressure using coupling 232 to separate fluid pressures.
Coupling 232 is designed
to prevent pressures from equalizing in area 224 which is exposed to the
formation. The top of
plunger 234 is exposed to the formation and the bottom of plunger 234 is
exposed to production fluid
and is utilized to move production fluid out of valving 236 and up annulus
area 210. Production fluid
preferably moves into and out of production chamber 238. Valving 236
preferably comprises one-way
check valves between chamber 238 and annulus area 210, wherein production
fluid preferably travels
from chamber 238 to annulus area 210. Valving 240 also comprises one-way check
valves that
prevent the production fluid that is in chamber 238 from returning back to the
formation. As downhole
unit 200 moves down, the downward pressure forces valving 236 to open thereby
sending production
fluid up annulus area 210. As downhole unit 200 moves back up, the upward
force opens valving 240
to accept production fluid into chamber 238 from the formation after the fluid
is filtered via filter system
242.
[0053] Filter system 242, preferably comprises a mesh screen filter
installed on the bottom of
downhole unit 200. Filter system 242 does not clog since the upper chambers of
downhole unit 200
are vented to the formation. This venting allows fluid to oscillate in and out
of downhole unit 200.
Downward pressure from downhole unit 200 creates an outward force of fluid
from chamber 238,
blowing away any debris that may collect around the filter and preventing the
flow of unfiltered fluid in
upper chambers 224 and 244 from entering downhole unit 200.
Multiple Wells
[0054] Referring to Fig. 3, one embodiment of the present invention
comprises power pack
300 and pulsar 312. Downhole units 302 and 304 preferably operate with only
one surface unit,
namely power pack 300 and pulsar 302, thus further improving the efficiency of
pulsar 312. In one
configuration, when utilizing power pack 300, pulsar 312 can be used to pump
two wells or more. In
this embodiment, pistons 306 and 308 oscillate back and forth thereby
recovering production fluid on
the down stroke of both downhole units 302 and 304. The production fluid is
then used to cool the
hydraulic fluid in reservoir tank 314 and at the same time the production
fluid is warmed for easier
separation of oil and water in the production fluid before it is sent to tank
316.
Isolated Disposal Zone
[0055] Referring to Figs. 4 and 5A-5B, another embodiment of the present
invention
comprises pulsar 402 and downhole unit 500 that allows recovery of production
of fluid from one zone
in a well and at the same time has the capability of disposing unwanted fluid
in a second zone in the
well. In this embodiment, once plunger 527 bottoms out, the pressure spikes in
power tube 504,
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opening pressure relief valve 522 and forcing unwanted power fluid through
packer 508 into an
isolated zone suitable for disposing the unwanted fluid. When all of the
unwanted fluid is disposed
into disposal zone 526, power fluid piston 422 will butt up against end cap
426 creating an additional
spike in pressure, which triggers a sequence system to reverse pulsar 420 and
pull in additional
power fluid by opening valve 430 for the next cycle. Pulsar 402 has two levels
of operating pressure
and provides two different functions, one pressure level for recovering
production fluid from a
formation and the other pressure level for disposing of unwanted fluid.
[0056] Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
comprising power pack 400
and pulsar 402 for recovery of underground liquids.
[0057] This embodiment preferably utilizes two areas of a well in a
downhole situation by
pumping production fluid out of one zone of a formation and at the same time
disposing unwanted
fluid into a second zone of a formation.
[0058] Power pack 400 and pulsar 402 preferably comprises motor 404.
Motor 404 is
preferably a standard weatherproof AC or DC power supply. Power pack 400
preferably includes
reservoir 406, which preferably comprises hydraulic fluid. Reservoir 406 can
be made out of any
suitable material capable of holding hydraulic fluid. Reservoir 406 has
relatively low pressure and can
be built with an extra chamber to allow the production fluid to flow through,
thereby creating a heat
exchanger for cooling the hydraulic fluid. In this embodiment, motor 404
generates power and
transfers that power to hydraulic pump 408. Hydraulic fluid is pumped via
hydraulic pump 408 to unit
410, and generates high pressure as it is passed through high pressure
hydraulic line 412. Line 412
can be made of any material capable of handling high pressures. Line 412
supplies hydraulic fluid to
hydraulic cylinder 414 which is supported by end cap 416. The hydraulic fluid
pushes against
hydraulic piston 418, which oscillates back and forth. Hydraulic piston 418 is
preferably installed with
a close tolerance clearance and is attached to connecting shaft 420. Hydraulic
piston 418 moves
toward connecting shaft 420, which then transfers power to power fluid piston
422. This action
creates pressure on power fluid cylinder 424 which is held in place by end cap
426 until the power
fluid/deposal fluid is released through outlet 428.
[0059] One-way check valve 430 is preferably forced open to replace power
fluid in power
fluid cylinder 424 in the case of any unanticipated loss of power fluid during
the backstroke of pulsar
402, as pulsar 402 is moving back toward hydraulic cylinder 414 to the reset
position. Any void of
power fluid could create a vacuum, which would allow one-way check valve 430
to open, thereby
assuring that the downstroke of pulsar 402 has full unitization of power fluid
to make sure downhole
unit 500 travels the full distance that it is designed to travel, namely to
bottom out.
[0060] As power fluid piston 422 oscillates toward end cap 426,
production fluid travels up
an annulus area into production tank 432. The power/disposal fluid is
separated from the production
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fluid and placed in tank 434 and is reused through line 436 to fill power
fluid cylinder 424 in order to
start another cycle. In this embodiment, the power/diposal fluid is used to
activate downhole unit 500.
Downhole unit 500 preferably lifts the production fluid to the surface and
also disposes of unwanted
fluid in a disposal zone. The disposal zone can be above or below a production
zone. Fig. 5A
illustrates an embodiment of the present invention with the disposal zone
located below the
production zone. Fig. 5B illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
with the disposal zone
located above the production zone.
[0061] By adjusting the reciprocation set points for pistons 418 and 422,
the volumetric
displacement of disposal fluid removed from tank 434 in relationship to the
amount of production fluid
entering tank 432 can be adjusted such that an optimized production/disposal
rate is produced. This
adjustment permits more disposal fluid to be disposed in the disposal zone as
tank 434 nears its
capacity limit. Alternatively, as tank 434 nears an empty state, the rate of
fluid disposal can be
lessened. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate numerous manners
for such reciprocation set
points including electronic sensors and/or physical alterations to connecting
shaft 420, pistons 418
and/or 422 as well as caps 416 and 426. In one embodiment, an electronic
circuit is preferably
provided which adjusts the reciprocation points based on fluid levels of tank
434 and/or tank 432 or
alternatively based on some other measurement or a user-specified criteria.
[0062] Figs. 5A and 5B illustrate embodiments of the present invention
comprising dual
purpose production/disposal downhole unit 500 that works in conjunction with
pulsar 402 and power
pack 400 in Fig. 4. Downhole unit 500 preferably pumps production fluids from
one zone of a
formation to tank 432 and disposes of unwanted fluids in another zone of a
formation on the same
stroke of pulsar 402.
[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the production fluid
is transferred to the
surface through annulus area 502, which is the area between power tube 504 and
production pipe
506. Power tube 504 preferably comprises an approximately 0.5 to 5 inch tube
and more preferably
approximately 0.75 to 3 inch tube and most preferably approximately a 1-inch
tube and production
pipe 506 preferably comprises an approximately 0 to 5 inch pipe and more
preferably a 2 to 4 inch
pipe and most preferably an approximately 2 7/8-inch pipe. Downhole unit 500
is preferably set in a
hole with packer 508. Standard equipment can be used to provide separation of
a production zone
and a disposal zone. Downhole unit 500 is preferably installed with tubing
capable of transferring fluid
under the desired pressures.
[0064] Disposal/power fluid chamber 520 is preferably a closed system
that transfers
pressure from the surface to the top of plunger 510. Top coupling 512
preferably maintains the
separation of pressures. The bottom of plunger 510 is exposed to annulus area
502. The production
fluid in annulus area 502 creates the upward force on plungers 510 and 514.
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[0065] The area under plunger 514 separates the pressures and fluids
between plungers
514 and 527 with coupling 516. Vent 518 comprises power/disposal fluid and
serves as the
connecting rod to plungers 510, 514 and 527. High pressure relief valve 522 is
installed at the bottom
of vent 518 for the disposal of disposal/power fluid, and does not open unless
the pressure in
downhole unit 500 exceeds normal operating production pressures, at which time
high pressure relief
valve 522 opens and forces excess disposal fluid into the disposal area
through packer 508.
[0066] In an embodiment of the present invention, the disposal/power
fluid exerts downward
pressure on plunger 510 causing plungers 510, 514 and 521 to travel downward.
This downward
pressure forces production fluid into annulus area 502 through check valve
524. When plungers 510,
514 and 527 have reached the bottom of a desired distance, plungers 510, 514
and 527 bottom out
and pressure builds in downhole unit 500 until the downward pressure from the
disposal/power fluid
exceeds the production operating pressure. At that point, high pressure relief
valve 522 opens and
deposits the unwanted fluid in disposal area 526 through packer 508. The
opening of high pressure
relief valve 522 trips a sequence system and power fluid piston 422 (Fig. 4)
moves toward hydraulic
piston 418 thereby moving plungers 510, 514, and 527 in an upward direction.
One-way check valve
528 takes in production fluid on each oscillation of downhole unit 500. Check
valve 524 for outlet is
on the opposite side of the tubing and forces the production fluid up annulus
area 502. Attached to
valving system 528 is screen filter 530, which is capable of keeping debris
from entering downhole
unit 500. As illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B, downhole unit 500 can be
installed with disposal area 526
either above or below production zone 532.
[0067] Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
comprising power pack 600
and pulsar 602 which preferably commingles power and production fluids and
releases fluids through
relief valves 604 and 606. Fig. 7 illustrates a blown-up illustration of
pulsar 602.
[0068] This embodiment of the present invention comprises power pack 600
on the surface
with pulsar 602 equipped to commingle production fluids and power fluids.
Power pack 600
preferably comprises an electrical motor for power supply 616, which can be a
DC motor or an AC
motor adaptable for solar or wind energy or manual operation. Alternatively,
power pack 600 can run
solely on solar or wind energy power supply. The motor is preferably mounted
on hydraulic fuel tank
618 and connected to hydraulic pump 620. Hydraulic power line 622 is connected
to sequence
system 626 and is used to transfer power to chamber C in order to oscillate
pistons 628, 610 and 614
in pulsar 602. Pulsar 602 preferably comprises three separate chambers of
fluid (A, B and C), one of
which (chamber C) is hydraulic fluid in preferably a totally closed system.
Hydraulic fluid is preferably
removed from tank 618 via hydraulic pump 620 and forced into Chamber C forcing
piston 628 in a
direction towards Chamber B and causing piston 614 to force fluid disposed
within Chamber B down
pipe 814. The fluid then forces plunger 810 (see Fig. 8) up causing production
fluid within chamber
811 of downhole unit 800 to be forced up vent tube 808 through valve 804 and
up pipe 608. Once
chamber 811 is closed off and plunger 810 butts up against coupling 812, a
pressure spike occurs on
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side B and sequence system 626 activates piston 628 to move connecting shaft
624 and pistons 610,
614, and 628 toward chamber A thereby sending production fluid down side A and
sending excess
fluid up and out chamber B via valve 606 by opening cone valve 702 disposed on
piston 614.
[0069] After the excess fluid is released through valve 606 and plungers
806 and 810 bottom
out, another pressure spike occurs and sequence system 626 reverses direction
and connecting shaft
624 then moves toward pipe 814 and closes cone valve 702. Cone valve 702 is
preferably closed
using a stop, seat, latch, combination thereof or the like that is disposed on
piston 614. Cone valve
702 can optionally be closed using a stop, seat, latch, combination thereof or
the like that is located in
chamber B. The pressure from moving piston 614 toward pipe 814 forces fluid
down pipe 814 and
forces plungers 806 and 810 upward which forces fluid from chamber 811 up vent
tube 808, through
valve 804 and up pipe 608. When the excess fluid enters chamber A from pipe
608, cone valve 700
opens and releases excess fluid out valve 604. When all the excess fluid is
released through valve
604 and when chamber 811 is closed off, another pressure spike occurs and
sequence system 626
forces a directional change of piston 628. Piston 628 then pushes piston 610
toward pipe 614 and
closes cone valve 700. Cone valve 700 is preferably closed using a stop, seat,
latch, combination
thereof or the like that is disposed on piston 610. Cone valve 700 can
optionally be closed using a
stop, seat, latch, combination thereof or the like that is located in chamber
B. This cycle is repeated
with each oscillation of pulsar 602. This process continues to cycle as the
same fluid is used to
activate downhole unit 800 and has the capability of relieving the excess
fluid on the upstroke of each
cycle.
[0070] Referring to Figs. 6-8, this embodiment of the present invention
can be used for
shallow wells and can use either ridged or flexible lines to transfer
pressures and production. This
embodiment can also be installed as a portable or permanent installation. In
one embodiment of the
present invention, pulsar 602 is preferably approximately 3 to 20 inches in
diameter and more
preferably approximately 5 to 15 inches in diameter and most preferably
approximately 7 to 10 inches
in diameter. Pistons 610 and 614 are preferably installed with a close
tolerance clearance with
pulsar 602, thus the diameter of pistons 610 and 614 are preferably close to
the diameter of pulsar
602. Cone valves 700 and 702 are preferably approximately 0 to 4 inches in
diameter and more
preferably approximately 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Thus, excess fluid is
preferably pushed out of the
relatively small diameters of cone valves 700 and 702 that are disposed on the
larger diameter
pistons 610 and 614. If unit 800 is installed with flexible lines, it is
preferred that a small cable be
attached to unit 800 and intertwined with the two lines to give the tensile
strength needed during
removal of unit 800.
[0071] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention
comprising downhole unit
800 capable of recovering fluid from both sides of its stroke.
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[0072] Fig. 8 is a continuation of the pump assembly illustrated in Figs.
6-7. Fig. 8 shows
the lower section of the assembly. Unit 800 in this embodiment is capable of
producing fluid on each
side of its stroke, referred to as Side A and Side B. As Side A pipe 608
receives pressure from fluid
on the surface, the fluid forces check valve 804 closed, plungers 806 and 810
move down pushing
fluid out of chamber 820 through valve 816 and up pipe 814 on side B and also
pushes fluid out of
chamber 826 and at the same time fills chamber 811 through side A valve 828.
[0073] When plungers 806 and 810 bottom out, a spike in pressure occurs
in chamber A
which activates sequence system 626 that then sends hydraulic fluid into
chamber C and moves
connecting shaft 624 and pistons 610, 614, and 628 toward side B which pushes
fluid down pipe 814
and moves plungers 810 and 806 up until plunger 810 butts up against coupling
812. As piston 614
moves towards pipe 814, cone valve 700 disposed on piston 610, opens allowing
the excess fluid in
chamber A to escape through valve 604. When all of the excess fluid is
released through valve 604
and when chamber 811 is closed off, a pressure spike occurs on side B and
sequence system 626 is
activated and forces piston 628 to move toward side A which then closes cone
valve 700 and forces
fluid down pipe 608. The fluid forces plungers 806 and 810 to move downward
and fluid from
chamber 820 is forced up side B pipe 814. As fluid is forced down side A and
forced up side B, cone
valve 702 disposed on piston 614 opens and the excess fluid is released
through valve 606. When
plungers 806 and 810 bottom out and all the excess fluid is released through
valve 606, there is a
pressure spike on side A that triggers sequence system 626 which activates
plunger 628 to move
toward side B.
[0074] This embodiment creates two production areas, chambers 820 and
811. When
downward pressure forces plunger 806 down, valve 816 sends fluid from chamber
820 up side B pipe
814. As upward pressure forces plunger 806 to move up, chamber 820 fills back
up with production
fluid through valve 818. When downward pressure forces plunger 810 down,
chamber 811 fills with
production fluid via valve 828. When upward pressure forces plunger 810 to
move up, production
fluid in chamber 811 moves up vent tube 808 through valve 804 and into side A
pipe 608. At the
same time, chamber 820 is being filled with production fluid via valve 818.
Production fluid
commingles with side A production/power fluid, which allows the fluid to
escape through plunger 806.
This process cycles and continues to oscillate and thereby creates production.
As plungers 806 and
810 move, a vacuum is created, which opens production chamber 820 and pulls in
additional
production fluid. Within the same stroke, the bottom of plunger 806 forces
stored fluid out check valve
816 and up through power/production tube 814. This process allows for
efficient pumping and an
increased capability of recovering fluid with variable volumes.
Marginal Wells
[0075] Embodiments of the present invention allow marginal wells to be
placed back in
service. Marginal wells are those wells that would otherwise be removed from
production due to high
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energy and maintenance costs. Marginal wells are once again profitable when
using a pulsar of an
embodiment of the present invention.
Shallow Wells
[0076] Embodiments of the present invention can also recover fluid from
shallow wells.
Flexible lines and hydraulic reels are preferably used in isolated areas where
electric power is not
available. In one embodiment, a small power pack can be mounted on a skid with
a reel that allows a
pulsar unit to be installed in a very short time without the use of a rig.
Crooked Wells
[0077] A pulsar of the present invention can pump from crooked wells with
no wear on the
tubing that is placed in the hole from the surface to the downhole unit.
Angle Drilling
[0078] An embodiment of the present invention can be used in wells that
are drilled off-set
from a formation. Embodiments of the present invention can pump across a field
and then pump in a
vertical or any angled position downhole. With the high demand of horizontal
drilling activity and the
high cost of energy, embodiments of the present invention create a huge
advantage in the
marketplace by having the capability of being installed in a vertical position
and deviating the angle to
a horizontal position.
Efficient Pumping
[0079] Additional embodiments of the present invention allow pumping on
both sides of a
stroke in a downhole unit, which improves efficiency, thus offering an ideal
design for application to
utilizing solar and wind energy.
Filtering System
[0080] An embodiment of the present invention comprises a unique
filtering system that
prevents sand and other small debris from accumulating in the downhole unit.
One of the major
problems with downhole pump filtering systems in existing pumping technology
is if a small grid filter
is placed on the downhole pump, the debris have a tendency to pack off or clog
the filter and prevent
the flow of fluid into the pump. If a large grid is placed on the downhole
unit, the filter allows sand and
small debris to move into the pump, creating wear within the downhole unit.
This embodiment of the
present invention preferably backflushes the filter in each cycle of the pump,
thereby allowing a
smaller grid filter to be installed without clogging or packing off. This
embodiment also filters out
fracture sand, which increases the life of the plungers and barrels in the
downhole unit, especially
because of the presence of fracture sand in new wells.
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Volume Adjustments
[0081] Once a power pack, pulsar and downhole unit of the present
invention are installed
and pumping, it is possible to adjust the output without a timer and without
shutting the system
off. The variable hydraulic pumps on the surface allow the owner/operator to
adjust the system
according to the output of the well.
Aesthetics
[0082] Embodiments of the present invention can be installed underground,
rendering it
invisible from the surface. The power pack and pulsar on the surface can be
installed at ground
level or below in order to maintain the appearance of the terrain.
[0083] Although the invention has been described in detail with
particular reference to these
preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results.
Variations and
modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the
art and it is intended
to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents.
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