Method and apparatus for transporting fluids

Claim 1

A TRANSPORTATION APPARATUS INCLUDING: A CONDUIT HAVING MEANS PROVIDING A LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PASSAGE THROUGH WHICH FLUIDS ARE TRANSPORTABLE AND MEANS PROVIDING A GAS PASSAGE IN SAID CONDUIT EXTERNALLY OF SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PASSAGE; A PLURALITY OF FLOW CONTROL VALVE AND CHECK VALVE DEVICES CONNECTED IN SAID CONDUIT AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED LOCATIONS THEREALONG, EACH OF SAID FLOW CONTROL AND CHECK VALVE DEVICES COMPRISING A TUBULAR MANDREL CONSTITUTING A SECTION OF THE CONDUIT AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FLOW PASSAGES COMMUNICATING THE GAS PASSAGE OF THE CONDUIT TO THE CENTRAL PASSAGE OF SAID MANDREL THROUGH SAID FLOW PASSAGES, SAID FLOW PASSAGES DIRECTING THE FLOW OF GAS FROM THE GAS PASSAGE INTO THE CENTRAL PASSAGE IN THE DIRECTION OF LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE FLUIDS BEING TRANSPORTED THROUGH SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE; AND MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE AT A LOCATION UPSTREAM OF THE SAID FLOW CONTROL DEVICES, SAID PASSAGE CLOSING MEANS COMPRISING A CHECK VALVE RESPONSIVE TO GAS PRESSURE IN SAID GAS PASSAGE TO PREVENT REVERSAL OF FLOW THROUGH SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PASSAGE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MANDRELS HAVING MEANS IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE LOCATIONS OF THE COM MUNICATION OF ITS FLOW PASSAGES WITH THE CENTRAL PASSAGE OF SAID ONE MANDREL RESTRICTING THE ORIFICE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL PASSAGE TO INCREASE THE VELOCITY OF LONGITUDINAL FLOW OF FLUIDS.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF TRANSPORTING FLUIDS FROM A WELL BORE INCLUDING: POSITIONING IN THE WELL BORE CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN OUTER ANNULAR PASSAGE AND AN INNER LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE OPEN TO THE WELL BORE AT ITS LOWER END ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL BORE AND ITS UPPER END TO THE SURFACE; INTRODUCING GAS AT LOW PRESSURE INTO THE WELL BORE EXTERIORLY OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS AT THE WELL SURFACE FOR DOWNWARD FLOW IN SAID WELL BORE FROM THE SURFACE ABOUT SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO THE LOWER END OF THE WELL BORE AND THEN UPWARDLY THROUGH THE INNER LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE; AND INTRODUCING GAS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE INTO THE ANNULAR PASSAGE AND THENCE INTO SAID LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE AT A HIGH VELOCITY AND IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION TO DECREASE THE PRESSURE IN THE PASSAGE BELOW THE PRESSURE AT THE LOCATION OF ENTRY OF THE GAS INTO THE PASSAGE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF TRANSPORTING FLUIDS FROM A WELL BORE INCLUDING: POSITIONING IN THE WELL BORE CONDUIT MEANS HAVING AN OUTER ANNULAR PASSAGE AND AN INNER LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE OPEN TO THE WELL BORE AT ITS LOWER END ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL BORE AND ITS UPPER END TO THE SURFACE; INTRODUCING GAS AT LOW PRESSURE INTO THE WELL BORE EXTERIORLY OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS AT THE WELL SURFACE FOR DOWNWARD FLOW IN SAID WELL BORE FROM THE SURFACE ABOUT SAID CONDUIT MEANS TO THE LOWER END OF THE WELL BORE AND THEN UPWARDLY THROUGH THE INNER LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE; AND INTRODUCING GAS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE INTO THE ANNULAR PASSAGE AND THENCE INTO SAID LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE AT A HIGH VELOCITY AND IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION TO DECREASE THE PRESSURE IN THE PASSAGE BELOW THE PRESSURE AT THE LOCATION OF ENTRY OF THE GAS INTO THE PASSAGE.