Gas Separator Assembly for Generating Artificial Sump Inside Well Casing

A gas separator assembly for a use with a downhole pump supported at a bottom end of a production tubing string received within an outer casing of a hydrocarbon producing well, the assembly comprising:

• an inner casing member defining a primary passage extending longitudinally therethrough between opposing first and second ends of the assembly so as to be arranged for connection in series with the outer casing of the well;
• an outer casing member supported externally of the inner casing member so as to define a secondary passage extending longitudinally and externally of the primary passage between a first end and a second end of the secondary passage;
• at least one first port in communication between the primary passage of the inner casing member and the secondary passage of the outer casing member adjacent the first end of the secondary passage such that the first end of the secondary passage only communicates with the primary passage through said at least one first port;
• at least one second port in communication between the primary passage of the inner casing member and the secondary passage of the outer casing member adjacent the second end of the secondary passage such that the second end of the secondary passage only communicates with the primary passage through said at least one second port;
• and
• a barrier arranged to be supported in the primary passage to seal the primary passage at a location between said at least one first port and said at least one second port so as to define a sump area in the primary passage between the barrier and said at least one first port which is arranged to receive an inlet of the downhole pump therein whereby produced fluids in the outer casing below the assembly are directed from the outer casing below the assembly upwardly through the secondary passage from said at least one second port to said at least one first port and downwardly through the primary passage from said at least one first port to the inlet of the downhole pump.