Gas lift utilizing a liquefiable gas introduced into a well
OwnerAlexander I. Kalinainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas lift method for lifting a well fluid from a well, the method comprising feeding a liquid lifting medium into a first well conduit of the well to maintain a liquid column of liquid lifting medium in the first well conduit to provide a significant liquid column pressure at the downhole region of the well for lifting medium to pass into a second well conduit to mix with well fluid therein and cause lifting of well fluid in the second well conduit.
Claims20
A gas lift method for lifting a well fluid from a well comprising first and second well conduits leading to a downhole region of the well, the conduits being in communication with each other in a downhole region and the second well conduit being in communication with well fluid in the well, the method comprising feeding a liquid lifting medium under pressure into the first well conduit to maintain a liquid column of liquid lifting medium in the first well conduit to provide a significant liquid column pressure at the downhole region of the first well conduit for lifting medium to pass into the second well conduit, the composition of the liquid lifting medium being such in relation to the temperature prevailing in the first well conduit, that the lifting medium will be heated above its critical temperature in a downhole vaporization region of the first well conduit for the lifting medium to change into a gas phase below the liquid column in the first well conduit, and the lifting medium being miscible with the well fluid to mix with well fluid and cause vaporization for the lifting of well fluid in the second well conduit.
A gas lift method for lifting a well fluid from a well comprising first and second downhole zones, the downhole zones being in communication with each other in a downhole region and the second downhole zone being in communication with well fluid in the well, the method comprising:
- (a) introducing a liquid working medium under pressure into the first downhole zone, the working medium comprising a liquefied gas and being miscible with the well fluid;
- (b) maintaining a column of liquid working medium in the first downhole zone to provide a downhole pressure in the first downhole zone which is sufficient to cause working medium to flow from the first downhole zone into the second downhole zone to mix with well fluid and form a well fluid mixture;
- and
- (c) the working medium having a composition which is such in relation to the downhole zone that the working medium will be heated above its critical temperature in the first downhole zone for a gas phase working medium to be produced in the first downhole zone, and which has a composition such that when it is heated by downhole heat and mixes with the well fluid it forms a well fluid mixture which is capable of boiling at the downhole temperature and pressure in the second downhole zone for the well fluid mixture to lift from the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.