Downhole Pump
OwnerHunter Bellavignainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pump for stimulating production from a well comprising: tubing with a power tube extending therethrough; a surface unit with a surface pump hydraulically connected to the power tube and to a power fluid reservoir; a downhole unit having a body (preferably cylindrical) received within the tubing and defining therein a power chamber hydraulically connected to the power tube, a pump chamber and a suction chamber each hydraulically connected to the production fluid and to each other a port from the body hydraulically connected to the tubing; and a seal hydraulically separating the tubing above the downhole unit from the tubing below the downhole unit. The chambers defined between a series of moving pistons and fixed dividers.
Claims25
A pump for stimulating production from an underground formation including a production zone, the pump comprising:
- a. a well having tubing with a power tube extending therethrough;
- b. a surface unit near a wellhead including a surface pump hydraulically connected to the power tube and to a power fluid reservoir;
- c. a downhole unit having a cylindrical body sized to be received within the tubing and further defining therein a power chamber hydraulically connected to the power tube, a pump chamber and a suction chamber each hydraulically connected to the production fluid and to each other
- i. the power chamber defined between—
- 1. a fixed divider, and
- 2. a first piston slidingly and sealingly disposed within the cylindrical body;
- ii. the pump chamber located adjacent to the power chamber and defined between—
- 1. the fixed divider, and
- 2. a second piston slidingly and sealingly disposed within the cylindrical body and connected to the first piston end at a fixed distance so that they move in tandem and having a first check valve disposed therein;
- and
- iii. the suction chamber located adjacent to the pump chamber and defined between—
- 1. the second piston, and
- 2. a fixed lower divider defining a second check valve therein;
- iv. a port from the cylindrical body hydraulically connected to the tubing;
- and
- V. a seal hydraulically separating the tubing above the downhole unit from the tubing below the downhole unit.
A pump for stimulating production from an underground formation comprising:
- a. a well having tubing with a power tube extending therethrough;
- b. a surface unit near a wellhead including a surface pump hydraulically connected to the power tube and to a power fluid reservoir;
- c. a downhole unit having a body sized to be received within the tubing and further defining therein a power chamber hydraulically connected to the power tube, a pump chamber and a suction chamber both hydraulically connected to the production fluid and to each other—
- i. the power chamber defined between—
- 1. a fixed upper divider, and
- 2. a first piston slidingly and sealingly disposed within the cylindrical body;
- ii. the pump chamber located adjacent to the power chamber and defined between—
- 1. the first piston, and
- 2. a fixed lower divider having a first check valve disposed therein;
- and
- iii. the suction chamber located adjacent to the pump chamber and defined between—
- 1. the fixed lower divider, and
- 2. a second piston slidingly and sealingly disposed within the cylindrical body and connected to the first piston at a fixed distance so that they move in tandem and having a first check valve disposed therein;
- iv. an outlet from the cylindrical body hydraulically connecting the wellhead;
- and
- V. a seal hydraulically separating the tubing above the downhole unit from the casing below the downhole unit;
- vi. stops preventing the first and second pistons from traveling beyond them;
- and
- vii. the power tube extending through the first cylinder and the cylinder moving relative to the power tube in a sliding and sealing fashion.
A method for pumping fluid using a hydraulic pump disposed within a wellbore, the method comprising:
- a. pulling power fluid from a reservoir tank using a surface pump at a wellhead;
- b. pumping the power fluid into a power fluid chamber within the pump forcing it to expand from a first volume to a larger second volume;
- c. compressing a production fluid chamber operating in tandem with the power fluid chamber's expansion forcing a production fluid within the production fluid chamber toward the wellhead;
- d. preventing the production fluid from backflowing;
- and
- e. returning the power fluid chamber to its first smaller volume filled with power fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.