Gas vent system and methods of operating the same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJeremy Daniel VanDam, Zhipeng Zhang, Ameen Aboel Hassan Muhammed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas intake apparatus for use in a wellbore configured to channel a mixture of fluids and solids includes a housing defining a chamber and at least one gas intake passage in flow communication with the chamber. The gas intake apparatus further includes a gas intake mechanism coupled to the housing at the at least one gas intake passage. The gas intake mechanism is configured to facilitate a flow of gaseous substances therethrough and to restrict a flow of solids and liquids therethrough.
Claims20
A gas intake apparatus for use in a wellbore, the wellbore configured to channel a mixture of fluids and solids, said gas intake apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining an interior chamber, said housing comprising a first end coupled to a downstream portion of a gas conduit and a second end coupled to an upstream portion of the gas conduit, said housing further defining at least one gas intake passage in flow communication with said chamber;
- and
- a gas intake mechanism coupled to said housing at said at least one gas intake passage, said gas intake mechanism configured to facilitate a flow of gaseous substances therethrough and to restrict a flow of solids and liquids therethrough,
- wherein the gas intake apparatus and the gas conduit provide the gaseous substances with an escape path from within a horizontal portion of the wellbore.
A gas vent system for use in a wellbore, the wellbore configured to channel a mixture of fluids and solids, said gas vent system comprising:
- a gas vent conduit positioned within the wellbore;
- and
- a plurality of gas intake apparatuses coupled to said gas vent conduit, each of said gas intake apparatuses comprising:
- a corresponding housing defining an interior chamber, said housing comprising a first end coupled to a downstream portion of the gas vent conduit and a second end coupled to an upstream portion of the gas vent conduit, and a gas intake mechanism configured to facilitate a flow of gaseous substances therethrough and to restrict a flow of solids and liquids therethrough,
- wherein the plurality of gas intake apparatuses and the gas vent conduit provide the gaseous substances with an escape path from within a horizontal portion of the wellbore.
A method of operating a well using a gas vent system, said method comprising:
- positioning a gas vent conduit within a wellbore of the well, the gas vent conduit including a plurality of gas intake apparatuses coupled thereto, each gas intake apparatus including a corresponding housing defining an interior chamber, said housing comprising a first end coupled to a downstream portion of the gas vent conduit and a second end coupled to an upstream portion of the gas vent conduit, and a gas intake mechanism;
- channeling substances about the plurality of gas intake apparatuses, the substances including one or more of at least one gaseous substance, at least one solid substance, and at least one liquid substance;
- channeling at least a portion of the at least one gaseous substance through the gas intake mechanism;
- restricting a flow of the at least one solid substance and the at least one liquid substance from flowing through the gas intake mechanism;
- and
- providing the at least a portion of the at least one gaseous substance with an escape path from within a horizontal portion of the wellbore and through the plurality of gas intake apparatuses and the gas vent conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.