US 2003/0221827 A1Published application

Oil and gas production with downhole separation and reinjection of gas

AssigneeConocoPhillips Company

InventorsJerry L. Brady, John M. Klein, Steven P. Petullo, Curtis G. Blount

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Abstract

A system (SPARC) for producing a mixed gas-oil stream wherein gas is to be separated and compressed downhole in a turbine-driven compressor before the gas is injected into a subterranean formation. A turbine bypass valve allows all of the stream to bypass the turbine during start-up until surging in the production stream has subsided. The valve then opens to allow a portion of the stream to pass through the turbine. Also, a compressor recycle valve recycles the compressor output until the surging in the stream has subsided while a check valve prevents back flow into the outlet of the compressor.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A separator-compressor system (SPARC) adapted to be positioned downhole in a production wellbore wherein an annulus is formed between said SPARC and said wellbore, said SPARC adapted to separate and compress at least a portion of the gas from a mixed gas-oil production stream comprised of liquid, gas, and particulates as said stream flows upward through said wellbore;

said separator-compressor system comprising:
an upstream separator section for separating at least a portion of said production stream from the remainder of said stream;
a turbine-compressor section positioned downstream from said upstream separator section;
said turbine-compressor comprising:
a turbine having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be driven by said remainder of said stream;
and
a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be driven by said turbine;
and
means for preventing surging in said turbine during start-up of said SPARC;
and
a downstream separator section positioned downstream from said turbine-compressor section.

8 more elements

A method for separating and compressing at least a portion of the gas in a mixed gas-oil production stream which is comprised of liquid, gas, and heavier components as said stream flows upward through a wellbore, said method comprising:

positioning a separator-compressor system (SPARC) downhole within said wellbore whereby an annulus is formed between said SPARC and said wellbore;
said SPARC having an upstream separator section, a turbine-compressor section, and a downstream separator section;
opening said wellbore at the surface to allow flow of said production stream into said upstream separator section of said SPARC;
bypassing all of said production stream from said upstream separator section around said turbine-compressor section until surging in said production stream has subsided;
increasing the flow rate of said production stream through said wellbore;
separating at least a portion of the heavier components of said production stream as said stream flows through said upstream separator section;
separating the separated portion of the heavier components around said turbine-compressor section and directly the remainder of said production stream through said turbine-compressor section to drive the turbine therein;
recombining said separated portion of the production with the remainder of the stream after the remainder of the stream as passed through said turbine;
passing the combined stream through said downstream separator section to separate at least a portion of the gas in said stream from the remainder of the stream;
flowing said separated gas to a compressor in said turbine-compressor section to thereby compress said gas;
and
flowing the compressed gas from said compressor into said annulus.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.