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US 11,952,877 B2Granted
Ejector manifold and subsurface process to harvest low-pressure natural gas
AssigneeHawk Energy Solutions, LLC
InventorScott D. Bruner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low-pressure natural gas harvesting system that injects motive fluid into a first well by a compressor, which flows into a motive manifold that utilizes the Coandă effect to introduce a reduced pressure effect. The reduced pressure effect draws natural gas into the system from natural gas reservoirs through one or more inflow ports that are part of inflow manifolds, which may connect to a motive manifold. The natural gas and motive fluid mix after the motive fluid flows over a Coandă effect surface and the mixture is subsequently directed to flow to a production well.
Claims17
A system for low-pressure natural gas harvesting comprising:
- a first well in fluid connection with a natural gas reservoir;
- a compressor connected to the first well;
- a motive fluid moved by the actions of the compressor from the first well to the natural gas reservoir and through at least one inflow manifold;
- and
- at least one motive manifold receiving the natural gas from the at least one inflow manifold, and utilizing a Coandă surface to create a reduced pressure in the at least one motive manifold that pulls natural gas into the at least one inflow manifold through at least one inflow port;
- wherein an annular space that connects an inner concentric tube within the at least one inflow manifold and an outer concentric tube that encases both the inner concentric tube and the at least one inflow manifold, and the annular space is configured such that the motive fluid can flow through said annular space;
- wherein the at least one inflow manifold comprises three inflow ports that extend through both the inner concentric tube and outer concentric tube and each inflow port is separated laterally along the length of the at least one inflow manifold by 120 degrees along the center axis;
- wherein the natural gas mixes with the motive fluid and flows to the first well or at least one production well.
5 more elements
A system for low pressure natural gas harvesting comprising:
- a first well in fluid connection with a natural gas reservoir through a horizontal lateral wellbore;
- a second well in fluid connection with the natural gas reservoir through a vertical or near-vertical wellbore;
- a compressor connected to the first well;
- a motive fluid moved by the actions of the compressor from the first well to the natural gas reservoir and through at least one inflow manifold in the horizontal lateral wellbore;
- and
- at least one motive manifold receiving the natural gas from the at least one inflow manifold, and utilizing a Coandă effect surface to create a reduced pressure in the at least one motive manifold in the horizontal lateral wellbore, and the at least one inflow manifold utilizes the reduced pressure effect caused by the Coandă effect surface in the at least one motive manifold to pull natural gas into the at least one inflow manifold through at least one inflow port;
- wherein an annular space that connects an inner concentric tube within the at least one inflow manifold and an outer concentric tube that encases both the inner concentric tube and the at least one inflow manifold, and the annular space is configured such that the motive fluid can flow through said annular space;
- wherein the at least one inflow manifold comprises three inflow ports that extend through both the inner concentric tube and outer concentric tube and each inflow port is separated laterally along the length of the at least one inflow manifold by 120 degrees along the center axis;
- wherein the natural gas moves from the horizontal lateral wellbore through a subsurface connection or pathway to the vertical or near-vertical wellbore that is connected to the first compressor or an auxiliary compressor.
6 more elements
A method for low pressure natural gas harvesting comprising:
- pressurizing a first length of tubing containing a motive fluid with a compressor;
- causing the motive fluid to flow from a first well through the first length of tubing to a second length of tubing within a natural gas reservoir;
- flowing the motive fluid through at least one inflow manifold that is within the second length of tubing;
- generating a reduced pressure effect in the at least one inflow manifold when the motive fluid passes over a Coandă effect surface of at least one motive manifold;
- wherein the motive fluid flows through an annular space that connects and inner concentric tube within the at least one inflow manifold and an outer concentric tube that encases both the inner concentric tube and the at least one inflow manifold, and the annular space is configured such that the motive fluid can flow through said annular space;
- wherein the at least one inflow manifold comprises three inflow ports that extend through both the inner concentric tube and outer concentric tube and each inflow port is separated laterally along the length of the at least one inflow manifold by 120 degrees along the center axis;
- mixing the motive fluid with a first amount of natural gas from the natural gas reservoir in the at least one motive manifold;
- and
- pushing the mixed fluid into a third length of tubing that concludes at the first well or at least one production well.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.