Oil and gas production with downhole separation and reinjection of gas
AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company
InventorsJerry L. Brady, Mark D. Stevenson, John M. Klein, James L. Cawvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for producing a mixed gas-oil stream which contains solid particulates wherein gas is to be separated and compressed downhole in a turbine-driven compressor before the gas is injected into a subterranean formation. The stream is passed through a first separator to separate out the particulates which are then passed through a bypass in the turbine without contacting the rotary vanes of the turbine thereby alleviating the erosive effects of the solids.
Claims9
A subsurface system for producing a mixed gas-oil stream having liquids, gas, and solid particulates therein from a subterranean zone to the surface through a wellbore said system comprising:
- a string of tubing positioned within said wellbore and extending from said subterranean zone to said surface;
- a first separator positioned downhole in said tubing and adapted to separate at least a portion of said liquids and said solid particulates from said gas-oil stream as said stream flows upward through said tubing;
- said first separator comprising:
- a housing in fluid communication with said tubing;
- said housing having an inner wall and a spiral passageway formed in at least said upper portion of the inner wall of said housing and terminating in an outlet at the upper end of said housing,
- a central rod extending substantially through said housing;
- and
- a means for imparting a spin to said gas-oil stream as it flows through said first separator to thereby separate at least some of said liquids and said solid particulates from said gas-oil stream by forcing said at least some liquids and said solid particulates outward towards said inner wall of said housing and into said spiral passageway leaving the remainder of said gas-oil stream to flow through the central portion of said housing;
- a turbine positioned downhole within said tubing above said first separator, said turbine comprising:
- a turbine housing having an inlet and an outlet;
- a plurality of stationary vanes affixed within said inlet of said turbine housing;
- a shaft rotatably mounted in said turbine housing;
- a plurality of rotary vanes affixed to one end of said shaft;
- said inlet adapted to receive said remainder of said gas-oil stream for rotating said rotary vanes and said shaft;
- a bypass passage in said turbine housing fluidly connecting said inlet to said outlet of said turbine housing;
- and
- a conduit fluidly connecting said outlet of said spiral passageway in said first separator housing to said bypass passage in said turbine housing whereby said at least some liquids and said solid particulates flow from said spiral passageway through said bypass passage in said turbine housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.