Controlled Rise Velocity Buoyant Ball Assisted Hydrocarbon Lift System and Method

A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:

• a) a column of a plurality of buoyant balls in an outer pipe configured to entrain the buoyant balls into a first fluid in an annulus formed with an inner pipe drill string;
• b) a pressure differential in the inner pipe drill string with respect to the reservoir via the entrained buoyant balls in a second fluid therein, the pressure differential configured to lift the second fluid and the entrained balls via the inner pipe drill string to enhance petroleum production to the surface;
• and
• c) a controlled rise velocity of the buoyant balls and the second fluid determined by a ratio of a mass density of the buoyant balls to a mass density of the second fluid greater than a mass density of the buoyant balls to a mass density of the first fluid.

A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:

• a) a plurality of buoyant balls configured in a column in an outer pipe, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in a fluid;
• b) a first pressure configured to entrain the buoyant balls in a first fluid in the outer pipe and move the buoyant balls there through into a second fluid in an inner pipe;
• and
• c) a pressure differential in the inner pipe drill string created via a second pressure of the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid with respect to a subterranean reservoir pressure, the pressure differential configured to lift the second fluid to the surface and enhance petroleum production in the inner pipe drill string.