Hydrocarbon production system and method of use

Abstract

The method of the present invention employs a subsurface production pump to displace hydrocarbon fluid, including any and all accompanying ground water and/or earthen contaminants, from the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir depth of an oil well to surface storage and handling facilities via the subsurface production tubing, wellhead and surface flow line. As the subsurface production pump operates, compressed gas, or a mixture of compressed gases of sufficient volume and force is fed into the lower end of the subsurface production tubing in proximity to, or at a point above the subsurface production pump to mix into the hydrocarbon production fluid column. The resultant and considerably reduced density of the subsurface hydrocarbon production fluid column provides a reduction of subsurface production pump loading with all types of subsurface production pumps, and an improvement of sucker rod fall time when sucker rod activated subsurface plunger pumps are employed. Due to the additional cubic volume of the injected compressed gas, the increased hydrocarbon production fluid and gas velocity within the subsurface production tubing and the surface flow line improves hydrocarbon fluid shear from the conduit walls and sucker rod surfaces, and prevents earthen contaminants such as sand, clay, shale, coal or other rock fragments, from precipitating, accumulating and blocking the flow of hydrocarbon production fluid within the subsurface production tubing and the surface flow line.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved method and an improved apparatus to displace light, medium, heavy or very viscose hydrocarbon fluid which may be contaminated with earthen solids and water, from a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir to a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities on ground surface, by means of oil well production, especially in oil wells wherein currently used hydrocarbon production systems are mechanically incapable of sustained or economic production.[0002]The method of the present invention employs a subsurface production pump to displace hydrocarbon fluid, including any and all accompanying ground water and / or earthen contaminants, from the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir depth of an oil well to surface storage and handling facilities via the subsurface production tubing, wellhead and surface flow line. As the subsurface production pump operates, compressed gas, or a mix...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]The preferred choice of subsurface production pump for the method of the present invention is the tubing liner plunger pump. By comparison, it is much less expensive, much more durable, has a greatly extended service life, and may be used for cold primary or thermally stimulated production. If progressing cavity pumps are used, the number of progressing cavity stages should be reduced in order to make the passing of earthen solids less damaging to the rotors and stators.

Problems solved by technology

Subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir characteristics and hydrocarbon fluid characteristics, may present problems wherein continuous or more economical hydrocarbon production is difficult or not possible while employing current production systems including subsurface sucker rod driven plunger pumps and progressive cavity pumps or other types of subsurface production pumps.

Reduced daily production is thereby unavoidable.

If the light or viscose hydrocarbon fluid being produced contains considerable amounts of earthen particulates, the earthen particulates may accumulate and cause fluid blockages within the subsurface production tubing and surface flow line.

When the accumulation of earthen particulates becomes too great, the sucker rods simply will not fall, or will not fall at an acceptable fall rate, through the column of hydrocarbon fluid and earthen materials, and production thereby fails, and well servicing is required.

The earthen particulates also cause extreme abrasion of the sucker rods and production tubing and premature failure of each, which eventually will require replacement of each.

Sucker rod and production tubing abrasion, wear and mechanical stress is greatly increased in oil wells that have high pumping pressures and / or deviations off the vertical line due to drilling problems, or in slant, whip stocked or horizontal well bores.

These pumps inherit all the problems associated with sucker rod use, are quickly destroyed when the well bore fluid is pumped off, or the rotors and stators will be badly damaged when pumping rock fragments or pyrite balls or sand or sand slugs.

They have a much shortened life and a much reduced efficiency when pumping high fluid pressures and / or high fluid temperatures.

They also have a much shortened life when pumping high amounts of earthen particulates, especially water sand and rock fragments.

Within many oil sands production wells, seizure of the sucker rods by accumulations of earthen particulates packed within the subsurface production tubing string is a never ending problem that may occur daily.

Electrically driven submersible progressing cavity pumps enjoy some use in the effort to eliminate friction and abrasion caused sucker rod and production tubing wear, but are still prone to the other limitations of progressing cavity pumps.

Frequent replacement of subsurface components due to excessive metal to metal wear, especially in the presence of abrasive produced earthen particulates, presents considerable replacement cost in addition to the economic loss of sales revenue due to oil well down time.

A percentage of such oil wells present ongoing problems that seem unsolvable.

After spending substantial amounts of time, money and fruitless effort, such oil wells are sooner or later considered to be mechanically or economically not viable, and are usually sold or abandoned.

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