US3797968A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well
Assignee: THERMO PUMP COMPANY Inc A CORP OF TX
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Filing: 1972-02-22
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Granted: 1974-03-19
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Expires: 1992-02-22
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for flowing fluid from wells such as oil wells and the like, utilizing gas displacement of fluid entering the well from an earth formation intersected by the well. Apparatus is utilized that enables the use of a simple downhole double check valve system that may be retrieved from the well for repair or replacement simply by removing the centermost conduit from the well thereby enabling the use of blowout proof safety mechanisms for such repair or replacement operations and eliminating the necessity of simultaneously removing all of the conduits or removing liquid filled tubing from the well.
Inventors
- 👤 J Elfarr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:30
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04F; F04F1/00; F04F1/02; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/12; E21B43/121
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
310 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well; outer conduit means being removably supported by said casing means, said outer conduit means extending through said casing means inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means and cooperating therewith to define a pressure imposing chamber; a landing nipple having fixed to said outer conduit means below the level of liquid within said casing and defining an internal locking groove; normally closed first valve means defining a closure for said pressure imposing chamber and being opened by pressure differential created between said casing and said pressure imposing chamber; said inner conduit means being supported by said outer conduit means, said inner conduit means defining a fluid flow chamber, said inner conduit means being movable through said outer conduit means; flow conduit means being communicated with said flow chamber; normally closed second valve means defining a lower closure for said fluid flow chamber and being opened responsive to predetermined pressure differential created between said pressure imposing chamber and fluid flow chamber; locking means carried by said first and second valve means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; a source of pressurized gas being communicated with said pressure imposing chamber; first control valve means for controlling introduction of pressurized gas from said source into said pressure imposing chamber; exhaust conduit means being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber and including recirculation conduit means connected to said source and vent conduit means; second control valve means for controlling flow of gas to said source from said exhaust conduit means; third control valve means for controlling the flow of gas to said vent conduit means from said exhaust conduit means; and controller means for selectively and automatically actuating said first, second and third control valve means to achieve cyclic actuation of said apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
310 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well; outer conduit means being removably supported by said casing means, said outer conduit means extending through said casing means inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means and cooperating therewith to define a pressure imposing chamber; a landing nipple having fixed to said outer conduit means below the level of liquid within said casing and defining an internal locking groove; normally closed first valve means defining a closure for said pressure imposing chamber and being opened by pressure differential created between said casing and said pressure imposing chamber; said inner conduit means being supported by said outer conduit means, said inner conduit means defining a fluid flow chamber, said inner conduit means being movable through said outer conduit means; flow conduit means being communicated with said flow chamber; normally closed second valve means defining a lower closure for said fluid flow chamber and being opened responsive to predetermined pressure differential created between said pressure imposing chamber and fluid flow chamber; locking means carried by said first and second valve means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; a source of pressurized gas being communicated with said pressure imposing chamber; first control valve means for controlling introduction of pressurized gas from said source into said pressure imposing chamber; exhaust conduit means being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber and including recirculation conduit means connected to said source and vent conduit means; second control valve means for controlling flow of gas to said source from said exhaust conduit means; third control valve means for controlling the flow of gas to said vent conduit means from said exhaust conduit means; and controller means for selectively and automatically actuating said first, second and third control valve means to achieve cyclic actuation of said apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1: first packing means establishing sealed relation between said outer conduit means and said casing; and second packing means establishing sealed relation between said outer conduit means and said inner conduit means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1: said first and second valve means being check valves disposed to allow flow of liquid into said pressure imposing chamber and said flow chamber respectively, and to prevent flow of liquid in the opposite direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1: said first, second and third control valve means being automatic valves; and said controller means being electrically connected to said automatic valves and being operative to actuate said valves in cyclic sequence to achieve gas pressure imposed displacement of liquid from said well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
254 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof; outer conduit means being supported by said well head and extending into said casing, said outer conduit means terminating at a level below the level of liquid within said casing; a landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit defining an internal groove; inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means; locking means being fixed to said inner conduit means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; a second landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit means and defining a second internal locking groove; said inner and outer conduit means cooperating to define a pressure imposing chamber aNd a liquid flow chamber; valve means carried by said inner conduit means and being releasably received in locked engagement with said second internal locking groove, said valve means being removable along with said inner conduit means upon extraction of said inner conduit means from said outer conduit means said valve means comprising a valve housing; upper and lower check valves being disposed within said housing and being opened by predetermined pressure differential developed thereacross, said lower check valve controlling communication of well liquid into said pressure imposing chamber and said upper check valve controlling communication between said pressure imposing chamber and said liquid flow chamber; and second locking means being fixed to said inner conduit means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said second locking groove.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
254 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof; outer conduit means being supported by said well head and extending into said casing, said outer conduit means terminating at a level below the level of liquid within said casing; a landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit defining an internal groove; inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means; locking means being fixed to said inner conduit means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; a second landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit means and defining a second internal locking groove; said inner and outer conduit means cooperating to define a pressure imposing chamber aNd a liquid flow chamber; valve means carried by said inner conduit means and being releasably received in locked engagement with said second internal locking groove, said valve means being removable along with said inner conduit means upon extraction of said inner conduit means from said outer conduit means said valve means comprising a valve housing; upper and lower check valves being disposed within said housing and being opened by predetermined pressure differential developed thereacross, said lower check valve controlling communication of well liquid into said pressure imposing chamber and said upper check valve controlling communication between said pressure imposing chamber and said liquid flow chamber; and second locking means being fixed to said inner conduit means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said second locking groove.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5: said fluid imposing chamber being disposed downstream of said lower valve and upstream of said upper valve; and perforated wall means forming a part of said valve housing and establishing communication between said outer and inner casing means intermediate said valves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5, including: crossover means being defined in said locking means of said inner conduit means and communicating said inner conduit means above said crossover means with said outer conduit means below said crossover means and communicating said inner conduit means below said crossover means with said outer conduit means above said crossover means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5, including: a source of pressurized gas being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber; first control valve means for controlling introduction of pressurized gas from said source into said pressure imposing chamber; exhaust conduit means being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber and including reuse conduit means and vent conduit means; second control valve means for selectively controlling flow of gas from said exhaust conduit means through said reuse conduit means; third control valve means for selectively controlling the flow of gas from said exhaust means through said vent conduit means; and controller means for selectively and automatically actuating said first, second and third control valve means to achieve cyclic actuation of said apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
238 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well and defining a wellhead at the upper extremity thereof; outer conduit means being supported by said wellhead and extending into said casing means, said outer conduit means terminating at a level below the level of liquid within said casing means; inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means, said inner conduit means cooperating with said outer conduit means to define a pressure imposing chamber and a liquid flow chamber; lower check valve means carried by said inner conduit means and defining a closure for said outer conduit means and being opened by pressure differential to allow flow of liquid from said casing means into said pressure imposing chamber; upper check valve means carried by said inner conduit means and separating said pressure imposing chamber from said flow chamber; a landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit means and defining an internal locking groove; locking means carried by said upper and lower check valve means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; said inner conduit means, said lower check valve means and said upper check valve means being removable as a unit from said outer conduit means; means controllably communicating pressurized gas into said pressure imposing chamber to displace liquid from said pressure imposing chamber into said liquid flow chamber; and means conducting liquid so displaced from said flow chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
238 words
Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well, comprising: casing means extending into said well and defining a wellhead at the upper extremity thereof; outer conduit means being supported by said wellhead and extending into said casing means, said outer conduit means terminating at a level below the level of liquid within said casing means; inner conduit means extending into said outer conduit means, said inner conduit means cooperating with said outer conduit means to define a pressure imposing chamber and a liquid flow chamber; lower check valve means carried by said inner conduit means and defining a closure for said outer conduit means and being opened by pressure differential to allow flow of liquid from said casing means into said pressure imposing chamber; upper check valve means carried by said inner conduit means and separating said pressure imposing chamber from said flow chamber; a landing nipple being fixed to said outer conduit means and defining an internal locking groove; locking means carried by said upper and lower check valve means and being disposed in releasable engagement with said locking groove; said inner conduit means, said lower check valve means and said upper check valve means being removable as a unit from said outer conduit means; means controllably communicating pressurized gas into said pressure imposing chamber to displace liquid from said pressure imposing chamber into said liquid flow chamber; and means conducting liquid so displaced from said flow chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as recIted in claim 9, including: connector means securing said upper and lower check valve means in assembly and defining a valve chamber therebetween, said connector means establishing fluid communication between said valve chamber and said pressure imposing chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 9: said upper check valve means being fixed to said inner conduit means and defining closure means separating said pressure imposing chamber and said flow chamber; and connector means being secured to said upper check valve means and supporting said lower check valve means, said connector means defining valve chamber means between said upper and lower check valve means, said connector means defining fluid communication between said valve chamber means and said pressure imposing chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 11: said connector means being of tubular configuration and having perforations formed therein to establish said fluid communication between said valve chamber means and said pressure imposing chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 9, said means controllably communicating pressurized gas into said pressure imposing chamber, including: a source of pressurized gas being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber; first control valve means for controlling introduction of pressurized gas from said source into said pressure imposing chamber; exhaust conduit means being disposed in communication with said pressure imposing chamber and including reuse conduit means connected to said source and vent conduit means; second control valve means for selectively controlling flow of gas to said source from said exhaust conduit means; third control valve means for selectively controlling flow of gas to said vent conduit means from said exhaust means; and controller means for selectively and automatically actuating said first, second and third control valve means to achieve cyclic actuation of said apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 9: upper support means being defined intermediate the extremities of said outer conduit means; and crossover means being carried by said inner conduit means and being releasably received in locked engagement with said upper support means, said crossover means communicating said inner conduit means above said crossover means with said outer conduit means below said crossover means and communicating said inner conduit means below said crossover means with said outer conduit means above said crossover means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-18 | 1977-09-17 | 1978-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-18 | 1981-09-17 | 1982-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-18 | 1985-09-17 | 1986-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |