Pressure driven pumping system

A pressure driven pumping system comprising:

• at least one pumping element, each pumping element including
• a housing having a bore at least partially bounded by first and second outer walls;
• an inner wall fixed within the bore;
• a first piston movably disposed within the bore between the first outer wall and the inner wall, to define a first outer chamber between the first outer wall and the first piston and a first inner chamber between the inner wall and the first piston;
• a second piston movably disposed within the bore between the second outer wall and the inner wall to define a second outer chamber between the second outer wall and the second piston and a second inner chamber between the second piston and the inner wall;
• a coupling member coupling the first and second pistons and sealingly passing through the inner wall, such that the first and second pistons are movable together to vary the volumes of the outer chambers and the inner chambers;
• a plurality of valves for controlling flow to at least the first and second outer chambers and the first inner chamber of each pumping element;
• and
• a control unit configured for communication with the plurality of valves for controlling the plurality of valves.

A method of pumping, comprising:

• placing first and second working chambers in communication with a working fluid source;
• passing working fluid to the second working chamber to discharge working fluid from the first working chamber and to draw process fluid into a process chamber;
• and
• passing working fluid to the first working chamber to discharge working fluid from the second working chamber and to discharge process fluid from the process chamber.

A method of controlling production from a well comprising:

• placing a pressure driven pumping system in fluid communication with a well, wherein the pressure driven pumping system comprises at least one pumping element;
• placing a pump in fluid communication with a working chamber in the at least one pumping element;
• producing fluid from the well;
• monitoring a well parameter selected from a well pressure, a production rate, and a pumping element stroke rate;
• and
• adjusting an output flow rate of the pump, wherein an increased output flow rate increases the production rate and a decreased output flow rate decreases the production rate.

A method of injecting an injection well and producing from a production well comprising:

• placing a working chamber of a pressure driven pumping system in fluid communication with the injection well and a pump;
• placing a process chamber of the pressure driven pumping system in fluid communication with a production well;
• pumping injection well fluid into the pressure driven pumping system;
• filling the process chamber with fluid from the production well;
• discharging the injection well fluid from the working chamber to the injection well;
• and
• discharging the fluid from the production well from the process chamber to a subsequent location.

A pressure driven pumping system in a surface application comprising:

• at least one pumping element comprising a piston separating a working chamber from a process chamber;
• a closed loop hydraulic system in fluid communication with the working chamber, the closed loop hydraulic system containing a working fluid, the fluid communication comprising a high pressure line and a low pressure line;
• and
• a production line in fluid communication with the process chamber,
• wherein a well is in fluid communication with the process chamber.