Plunger with novel sealing
OwnerWilliam R. Gray, James H. Holtinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plunger for use in downhole tubulars in wells which produce fluids and/or gases under variable pressure. The plunger is slidingly engageable within the tubulars and capable of movement up and down the tubulars, and has a jacket comprised of segments mounted about a core which have sealing, holding, and lifting capabilities. An inner turbulent or labyrinth-type seal is accomplished by circumferential grooves on the core and/or fingers which project inwardly from the underside of the segments. When the pressure inside the tubulars above the plunger is reduced, the plunger and fluids move upwardly to the surface.
Claims45
A plunger for use in a gas/fluid lift system in downhole tubulars in wells producing fluids and/or gases under variable pressures, comprising:
- a body slidingly engageable within the tubulars and capable of movement up and down said tubulars;
- said body having a top end and a bottom end;
- an inner core within the body for internal sealing;
- a flexible jacket having plurality of segments mounted about said core, each of said segments having a convex outer surface and an inner surface, first and second sides, and top and bottom ends;
- said jacket having an inner surface providing an internal seal, and an outer surface being radially expandable to provide an external seal against the interior of said tubulars;
- a flow path for fluids and/or gases between said core and the inner surface of said jacket;
- wherein each of said internal and external seals retards the upward flow of fluids and/or gases which thereby increases pressure below the plunger to thereby move the plunger and accumulated well fluids upwardly to the surface when the pressure inside the tubulars above the plunger is reduced.
A plunger for use in a gas/fluid lift system in downhole tubulars in wells producing fluids and/or gases under variable pressures, comprising:
- a body slidingly engageable within the tubulars and capable of movement up and down said tubulars;
- said body having a top end and a bottom end;
- an inner core within the body for internal sealing;
- an external sealing means having an outside surface and an underside surface mounted about said core radially expandable to seal against the interior of said tubulars;
- a flow path for fluids and/or gases between said core and the underside of said external sealing means;
- an internal sealing means disposed between or on the core and/or the underside of said external sealing means;
- said internal and external sealing means retarding the upward flow of fluids and/or gases which thereby increases pressure below the plunger to thereby move the plunger and accumulated well fluids upwardly to the surface when the pressure inside the tubulars above the plunger is reduced.
A method of lifting well fluids and/or gases from a subterranean reservoir to the surface in tubulars in wells comprising:
- placing a plunger having an inner core and an external sealing means mounted about said core radially expandable to provide an external seal against the interior of said tubulars and an internal sealing means disposed between or on the core and/or beneath said external sealing means which comprises at least one rigid finger and at least one circumferential groove disposed between or on said core and the external sealing means inside said tubulars to retard the upward flow of fluids and/or gases, allowing said plunger to descend or gravitate to the bottom of the well or a well stop, using internal sealing means to create a tortuous path of flow between said core and said external sealing means thereby effecting a turbulent inner seal which thereby pushes the external sealing means outwardly to cause an external seal with the tubulars, allowing the pressure to build up in the well to predetermined level, opening a valve connected to the tubulars which decreases the pressure inside the tubulars, thereby elevating the plunger and the accumulated well fluids to the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.