Methods and devices for retaining conveyed heat up a wellbore
AssigneeGradient Geothermal Inc.
InventorRussell Roundtree
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system to retain heat in a production fluid being extracted via a wellbore includes a casing extending in the wellbore, the casing having an internal space; a tubing string extending within the internal space, the tubing string configured to transport the production fluid; an annular space located between the tubing string and the casing; and a gas having a thermal conductivity below 0.67 W/m·K filling the annular space. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
Claims19
A system to retain heat in a production fluid being extracted via a wellbore, the system comprising:
- a casing extending in the wellbore, the casing having an internal space;
- a tubing string extending within the internal space, the tubing string configured to transport the production fluid;
- an annular space located between the tubing string and the casing;
- a gas having a thermal conductivity below 0.67 W/m·K filling the annular space;
- and
- a first packer located between the casing and the tubing string, wherein the first packer is a boundary of the annular space, and wherein the first packer is configured to isolate the gas from a reservoir fluid.
A method of operating a wellbore, the method comprising:
- providing a casing extending in the wellbore, the casing having an internal space;
- providing a tubing string extending within the internal space, the tubing string configured to transport a production fluid;
- locating a packer between the tubing string and the casing, the packer providing a boundary of an annular space between the tubing string and the casing;
- and
- filling the annular space with a gas having a thermal conductivity below 0.67 W/m·K.
A system to generate electricity using heat extracted from a production fluid flowing from a wellbore, the system comprising:
- a casing extending in the wellbore, the casing having an internal space;
- a tubing string extending within the internal space, the tubing string configured to transport the production fluid;
- an annular space located between the tubing string and the casing;
- a gas having a thermal conductivity below 0.67 W/m·K filling the annular space;
- an annular space controller configured to monitor and regulate a concentration and pressure of the gas having a thermal conductivity below 0.67 W/m·K filling the annular space;
- a packer located between the casing and the tubing string, wherein the packer is a boundary of the annular space, and wherein the packer is configured to isolate the gas from a reservoir fluid;
- and
- an electricity generating device coupled to the tubing string and configured to extract heat from the production fluid and generate electricity using the extracted heat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.