Multi-phase fluid pump system with driving fluid and pump fluid cylinders and buffer chambers

An oil well producing system comprising:

• a production tubing having a length extending along a well shaft that extends to an oil bearing formation;
• a passageway extending along at least the well shaft, said passageway operable to supply natural gas to a gas supply line, said gas supply line in communication with a fluid pump chamber of a multi-phase fluid pump system;
• a pipe connecting said production tubing operable to deliver oil from said oil bearing formation to said fluid pump chamber of said multi-phase fluid pump system;
• wherein said multi-phase fluid pump system comprises:
• a driving fluid system comprising a first driving fluid cylinder and a second driving fluid cylinder;
• said first driving fluid cylinder having a first driving fluid chamber adapted for containing driving fluid therein, and a first driving fluid piston movable within said first driving fluid chamber;
• a fluid pump cylinder having said fluid pump chamber having a first section adapted for pressurizing the multi-phase fluid therein and said fluid pump chamber having a second section adjacent said first section also adapted for pressurizing the multi-phase fluid therein, and said fluid pump cylinder having a fluid pump piston movable within said fluid pump chamber and operable to pressurize said multi-phase fluid located within said first section of said fluid pump chamber, and said fluid pump piston operable to pressurize said multi-phase fluid located within said second section of said fluid pump chamber, said second section of said fluid pump chamber being on an opposite side of said fluid pump piston to said first section of said fluid pump chamber in said fluid pump cylinder;
• a first buffer chamber located between said first driving fluid chamber and said fluid pump chamber, said first buffer chamber providing a chamber that is sealed by one or more buffer chamber seals;
• said first buffer chamber providing a chamber that is operable to inhibit movement of at least one non-driving fluid component accompanying the multi-phase fluid supplied to said first section of said fluid pump chamber, from being communicated from said first section of said fluid pump chamber into said first driving fluid chamber, when in operation, the multi-phase fluid is located within said first section of said fluid pump chamber and is pressurized by said fluid pump piston with said first driving fluid piston being driven by said driving fluid system;
• a second driving fluid cylinder having a second driving fluid chamber operable in use for containing driving fluid and a second driving fluid piston movable within said second driving fluid chamber, and wherein said second driving fluid cylinder is located on an opposite side of said fluid pump cylinder as said first driving fluid cylinder;
• a second buffer chamber located between said second driving fluid chamber and said fluid pump chamber, said second buffer chamber providing a chamber that is sealed by one or more buffer chamber seals;
• said second buffer chamber providing a chamber that is operable to inhibit movement of at least one non-driving fluid component accompanying the multi-phase fluid supplied to said second section of said fluid pump chamber, from being communicated from said second section of said fluid pump chamber into said second driving fluid chamber, when in operation, the multi-phase fluid is located within said second section of said fluid pump chamber and is pressurized by said fluid pump piston, with said second driving fluid piston being driven by said driving fluid system;
• said multi-phase fluid pump system operable for communication of a supply of said oil and gas from said oil bearing formation through said production tubing and said pipe, separately to each of said first and second sections of said fluid pump chamber;
• wherein said production tubing having an inside passageway communicating said oil and gas from said oil and gas source directly to said multi-phase fluid pump system, said multi-phase fluid having a gas to oil ratio that varies over time, including some periods of time when the mixture is substantially only oil;
• wherein said driving fluid comprises hydraulic fluid.

A multi-phase fluid pump system operable for use in an oil and gas well system, said system comprising:

• driving fluid cylinder having a driving fluid chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, a driving fluid, and having a driving fluid piston movable within said driving fluid cylinder to vary the volume of the driving fluid chamber;
• a fluid pump cylinder having a fluid pump chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, a multi-phase fluid the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation, and further comprising a fluid pump piston movable within said fluid pump cylinder to vary the volume of the fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump piston operable to be driven by said driving fluid piston to pressurize a quantity of fluid located within said fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump system being operable for communication of a supply of multi-phase fluid from an oil and gas well to said fluid pump chamber, the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation;
• a buffer chamber located adjacent to said fluid pump chamber, said buffer chamber being sealed by one or more seals from said fluid pump chamber, and in operation of said pump system, said buffer chamber not receiving the multi-phase fluid from said oil and gas well;
• said buffer chamber providing a chamber that inhibits movement of at least one non-driving fluid component accompanying the multi-phase fluid supplied to said fluid pump chamber, from being communicated from said fluid pump chamber into said driving fluid chamber, when in operation the multi-phase fluid is located within said fluid pump chamber and is pressurized by said fluid pump piston;
• a scraper device located on and extending around an outward facing surface of said driving fluid piston, said scraper device being positioned adjacent an inner surface of said buffer chamber and said scraper device operable during movement of said driving fluid piston within said buffer chamber to remove residue material from said inner surface of said buffer chamber to maintain said residue material within said buffer chamber;
• wherein said driving fluid comprises hydraulic fluid.

A method of pumping a multi-phase fluid from an oil well comprising:

• delivering a flow of a multi-phase fluid through a pipe to a first multi-phase fluid pumping system, wherein said multi-phase fluid has a gas/liquid ratio that varies during operation including some periods of time when the mixture is substantially only liquid;
• operating said first multi-phase fluid pumping system to increase the pressure of the multi-phase fluid that is delivered thereto;
• delivering the flow of pressurized multi-phase fluid from the first multi-phase fluid pumping system to a second multi-phase fluid pumping system;
• operating said second multi-phase fluid pumping system to further increase the pressure of the multi-phase fluid that is delivered thereto;
• delivering the flow of pressurized multi-phase fluid from the second multi-phase fluid pumping system to a discharge pipe;
• wherein the first multi-phase fluid pumping system and the second multi-phase fluid pumping system both comprise a multi-phase pump system that is located above ground surface, and both comprise:
• a driving fluid cylinder having a driving fluid chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, driving fluid, and having a driving fluid piston movable within said driving fluid cylinder to vary the volume of the driving fluid chamber;
• a fluid pump cylinder having a fluid pump chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, the multi-phase fluid, the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation, and further comprising a fluid pump piston movable within said fluid pump cylinder to vary the volume of the fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump piston operable to be driven by said driving fluid piston to pressurize a quantity of fluid located within said fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump system being operable for communication of a supply of multi-phase fluid from an oil and gas well to said fluid pump chamber, the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation;
• a buffer chamber located adjacent to said fluid pump chamber, said buffer chamber being sealed by one or more seals from said fluid pump chamber, and in operation of said pump system, said buffer chamber not receiving the multi-phase fluid from said oil and gas well;
• said buffer chamber providing a chamber that inhibits movement of at least one non-driving fluid component accompanying the multi-phase fluid supplied to said fluid pump chamber, from being communicated from said fluid pump chamber into said driving fluid chamber, when in operation the multi-phase fluid is located within said fluid pump chamber and is pressurized by said fluid pump piston;
• wherein said driving fluid comprises hydraulic fluid.

A method of pumping a multi-phase fluid from an oil well comprising:

• delivering a flow of a multi-phase fluid from a plurality of oil and gas producing oil wells to a common header pipe;
• delivering the flow from the common header pipe to a multi-phase fluid pumping system, wherein said multi-phase fluid in the flow has a gas/liquid ratio that varies during operation;
• operating said multi-phase fluid pumping system to increase the pressure of the multi-phase fluid that is delivered thereto;
• delivering the flow of pressurized multi-phase fluid from the multi-phase fluid pumping system to one or more discharge pipes;
• wherein the multi-phase fluid pump system is located above ground surface and comprises:
• a driving fluid cylinder having a driving fluid chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, driving fluid, and having a driving fluid piston movable within said driving fluid cylinder to vary the volume of the driving fluid chamber;
• a fluid pump cylinder having a fluid pump chamber with a varying volume that is adapted for receiving therein, containing and expelling therefrom, the multi-phase fluid, the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation, and further comprising a fluid pump piston movable within said fluid pump cylinder to vary the volume of the fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump piston operable to be driven by said driving fluid piston to pressurize a quantity of the multi-phase fluid located within said fluid pump chamber, said fluid pump system being operable for communication of a supply of the multi-phase fluid from an oil and gas well to said fluid pump chamber, the oil to gas ratio of which varies over time during operation;
• a buffer chamber located adjacent to said fluid pump chamber, said buffer chamber being sealed by one or more seals from said fluid pump chamber, and in operation of said pump system, said buffer chamber not receiving the multi-phase fluid from said oil and gas well;
• said buffer chamber providing a chamber that inhibits movement of at least one non-driving fluid component accompanying the multi-phase fluid supplied to said fluid pump chamber, from being communicated from said fluid pump chamber into said driving fluid chamber, when in operation the multi-phase fluid is located within said fluid pump chamber and is pressurized by said fluid pump piston;
• wherein said driving fluid comprises hydraulic fluid.