Method and apparatus for effecting gas control in oil wells

Claim 3

The method as described in claim 1 and wherein said controlling of gas pressure within the well is accomplished by metering gas from the well casing through a pressure-responsive valve at the upper end of the well.

Claim 4

Apparatus for producing an oil well while controlling pressure and conserving gas therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of the oil well and having a gastight seal at the upper end thereof, venting means in the gastight seal for venting gas from said casing in response to the pressure therein so as to prevent excessive increase of pressure in the casing and maintain the casing pressure at a desired level, said venting means being formed to vent only when the pressure in the well casing exceeds said desired level and to stop venting when the pressure in the well casing falls below said desired level, a pump string mounted in said casing and having a lower end in communication with the producing zone of the well and an upper end passing through said gas tight seal in the upper end of said casing, pump means connected to said pump string and formed for producing a lowered pressure therein for drawing liquid oil out of said well, valve means at said lower end of said pump string formed for selectively communicating the interior of said pump string with the interior of said casing, and control means inside said casing at the producing zone of the well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specific gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump string with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump string without wasting gas.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing an oil well while controlling pressure and conserving gas therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of the oil well and having a gastight seal at the upper end thereof, venting means in the gastight seal for venting gas from said casing in response to the pressure therein so as to prevent excessive increase of pressure in the casing and maintain the casing pressure at a desired level, said venting means being formed to vent only when the pressure in the well casing exceeds said desired level and to stop venting when the pressure in the well casing falls below said desired level, a pump string mounted in said casing and having a lower end in communication with the producing zone of the well and an upper end passing through said gas tight seal in the upper end of said casing, pump means connected to said pump string and formed for producing a lowered pressure therein for drawing liquid oil out of said well, valve means at said lower end of said pump string formed for selectively communicating the interior of said pump string with the interior of said casing, and control means inside said casing at the producing zone of the well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specific gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump string with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump string without wasting gas.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing an oil well having a pump and pump suction line while effecting gas control therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of an oil well, a gastight seal at the upper end of said casing, a control valve in the gastight seal from venting gas from said casing in response to the pressure therein so as to maintain the pressure in the casing at a desired level, said venting means being formed to vent only when the pressure in the well casing exceeds said desired level and to stop venting when the pressure in the well casing falls below said desired level, and separating means for separating oil and gas in the producing zone of the well; said separating means comprising valve means adapted for connection to the intake end of the pump suction line, and control means adapted for positioning at the producing zone of the oil well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specIfic gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump suction line with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump suction line without wasting gas.

Claim 7

Apparatus for producing an oil well having a pump and pump suction line while effecting gas control therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of an oil well, a gastight seal at the upper end of said casing, a control valve in the gastight seal from venting gas from said casing in response to the pressure therein so as to maintain the pressure in the casing at a desired level, said venting means being formed to vent only when the pressure in the well casing exceeds said desired level and to stop venting when the pressure in the well casing falls below said desired level, and separating means for separating oil and gas in the producing zone of the well; said separating means comprising valve means adapted for connection to the intake end of the pump suction line, and control means adapted for positioning at the producing zone of the oil well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specIfic gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump suction line with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump suction line without wasting gas.

Claim 8

Apparatus as described in claim 4, in which the control valve in the gas tight seal is a pressure-responsive valve responsive to the pressure in said casing.

Claim 9

Apparatus for producing an oil well having a pump and pump suction line while effecting gas control therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of an oil well, a gastight seal at the upper end of said casing, a pressure-responsive control valve in the gastight seal for venting gas from said casing in response to a selected pressure level therein so as to reduce the pressure in the casing to said selected pressure level, and separating means for separating oil and gas in the producing zone of the well; said separating means comprising valve means adapted for connection to the intake end of the pump suction line, and control means adapted for positioning at the producing zone of the oil well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specific gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump suction line with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump suction line without wasting gas, said control means also having an open-top bucket formed for vertical reciprocation within the well, said bucket having a weight sufficient to pull said valve means open against the gas pressure in the well when said bucket is partially filled and having an effective displacement sufficient to float said bucket in the surrounding fluid mixture when said bucket is substantially empty for urging said valve means closed.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing an oil well having a pump and pump suction line while effecting gas control therein, comprising a well casing positioned in the bore of an oil well, a gastight seal at the upper end of said casing, a pressure-responsive control valve in the gastight seal for venting gas from said casing in response to a selected pressure level therein so as to reduce the pressure in the casing to said selected pressure level, and separating means for separating oil and gas in the producing zone of the well; said separating means comprising valve means adapted for connection to the intake end of the pump suction line, and control means adapted for positioning at the producing zone of the oil well and responsive to changes in specific gravity of the fluid mixture encountered thereat, said control means having an operative connection to said valve means formed for opening and closing the latter in accordance with the rise and fall of the said specific gravity so as to communicate the interior of the pump suction line with the interior of the casing to supply liquid oil to the pump suction line when the specific gravity exceeds an amount providing liquid only to said valve means and to close said valve means when the specific gravity is below said amount to prevent passage of gas through said valve means from the casing into the pump suction line, whereby a desired quantity per day of oil is produced into the casing and removed therefrom through the pump suction line without wasting gas, said control means also having an open-top bucket formed for vertical reciprocation within the well, said bucket having a weight sufficient to pull said valve means open against the gas pressure in the well when said bucket is partially filled and having an effective displacement sufficient to float said bucket in the surrounding fluid mixture when said bucket is substantially empty for urging said valve means closed.

Claim 11

An apparatus as described in claim 6 and wherein a tubular member having an elongated bell-shaped skirt open at the bottom is mounted in concentrically spaced relation around said bucket in such manner that the fluid mixture from the well enters the open bottom of the skirt and passes upwardly through the annular space between said bucket and bell-shaped skirt and into the open top of the bucket whereby sand and other unwanted debris will drop into the bottom of the well and will not be carried into the bucket with said fluid mixture.

Claim 12

An apparatus as described in claim 7 and wherein said tubular member extends vertically above the open top of said bucket and is formed with an opening therethrough for venting gas trapped in the upper part of said tubular member back into the well.