Method and apparatus for downhole oil/water separation during oil well pumping operations

A well pumping apparatus for separating oil and water during the production of hydrocarbons from a casing within an underground wellbore, the pumping apparatus comprising:

• an elongate tubing string having an injection valve at a lower end thereof and a first side intake valve spaced upwardly from said lower end, the tubing string suitable for removable insertion into the casing in a lengthwise direction, thereby creating an annulus between the tubing string and the casing;
• a second side intake valve spaced upwardly from the first side intake valve;
• an elongate rod string coupled with a surface pumping jack, the elongate rod string suitable for removable insertion into the tubing string in a lengthwise direction;
• the pumping jack having a first raised position associated with an upstroke motion and a second lowered position associated with a downstroke motion;
• a sucker rod pump with a reciprocating piston slidably disposed therein coupled with a first end of the rod string for removably installing the sucker rod pump at a down-hole location within the tubing string;
• a length of production piping coupled to the tubing string at the surface of the wellbore for communication of fluid from the tubing string to a collection point;
• an automatic control valve disposed within the production piping to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough;
• a piping loop coupled to the production piping at two locations on opposite sides of the automatic control valve for bypassing the automatic control valve;
• a check valve disposed within the piping loop for regulating the direction of the flow of fluid therethrough;
• a back pressure regulator disposed within the production piping between the tubing string and the collection point;
• and
• an accumulator coupled with the production piping between the piping loop and the back pressure regulator.

A method of separating oil and water during the production of hydrocarbons from a casing within an underground wellbore comprising the steps of:

• inserting an elongate tubing string having an injection valve at a lower end thereof and a first side intake valve spaced upwardly from said lower end into the casing in a lengthwise direction, thereby creating an annulus between the tubing string and the casing;
• coupling a first end of an elongate rod string with a surface pumping jack, and coupling a second end of the elongate rod string with a sucker rod pump, the sucker rod pump having a reciprocating piston slidably disposed therein;
• inserting the sucker rod pump into the tubing string in a lengthwise direction, to a preselected downhole position;
• coupling a length of production piping with an automatic control valve and a back pressure regulator disposed therein to the tubing string at the surface of the wellbore;
• coupling a piping loop with a check valve disposed therein with the production piping at two locations on opposite sides of the automatic control valve;
• and
• installing an accumulator with the production piping at a location between the back pressure regulator and the automatic control valve.