Flow control system having a downhole check valve selectively operable from a surface of a well
AssigneePine Tree Gas, LLC
InventorJoseph A. Zupanick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow control system includes a pump positioned in a well to remove liquid from the well. A check valve is positioned in the well and includes an open position and a closed position. The check valve in the open position allows gas from a producing formation of the well to flow past the check valve, while the check valve in the closed position substantially reduces gas flow at the pump from the producing formation. A compressed gas source is in fluid communication with the well to provide compressed gas to move the check valve to the closed position.
Claims22
A flow control system for removing liquid from a well having a producing formation, the system comprising:
- a pump positioned in a wellbore of the well to remove liquid from the wellbore;
- a check valve positioned downhole of the pump and uphole of the producing formation, the check valve having an open position in which fluid from the producing formation is allowed to travel uphole and a closed position in which fluid from the producing formation is substantially prevented from traveling uphole;
- a compressor positioned at a surface of the well, the compressor having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a second valve fluidly connected between the outlet port of the compressor and the wellbore, the second valve being positionable in a closed position to prevent gas discharged from the compressor from entering the wellbore and an open position to allow gas discharged from the compressor to enter the wellbore;
- and
- a third valve fluidly connected between the wellbore and the inlet port of the compressor, the third valve being positionable in a closed position to prevent gas from the wellbore from entering the compressor and an open position to allow gas from the wellbore to enter the compressor.
A flow control system for removing liquid from a well having a producing formation, the system comprising:
- a pump positioned in the well to remove liquid from the well;
- a check valve positioned in the well and having an open position and a closed position, the check valve in the open position allowing gas from the producing formation to flow past the check valve, the check valve in the closed position substantially reducing gas flow at the pump from the producing formation;
- and
- a compressed gas source in fluid communication with the well to provide compressed gas to move the check valve to the closed position.
A method for removing liquid from a well having a producing formation, the method comprising:
- delivering a compressed gas to the well to close a check valve positioned within the well;
- isolating a pump at a downhole location from the producing formation with the closed check valve;
- and
- pumping the liquid from the downhole location while the pump is isolated from the producing formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.