Method and apparatus for flowing crude oil from a well

Claim 2

Apparatus for flowing liquid from a well bore extending from the surface of the earth to a liquid bearing earth formation, said apparatus comprising: casing means extending into said well bore and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof, said casing being in fluid communication with said liquid bearing earth formation; outer conduit means being supported by said well head and extending into said casing; a landing nipple being coupled to the lower extremity of said outer conduit means and defining support means; inner conduit means being removably supported by said well head and extending into said outer conduit means, said inner conduit means cooperating with said outer conduit means to define flow chamber means; landing adapter means being coupled to said inner conduit means and being releasably and sealingly engaged with said landing nipple; outer pump conduit means being supported in sealed relation by said landing adapter means and depending therefrom, said outer pump conduit defining a pressure imposing chamber; first valve means being carried by said outer pump conduit means and allowing unidirectional flow of said production liquid from said casing means into said pressure imposing chamber; inner pump conduit means being supported by said landing adapter means, said inner pump conduit means extending into said pressure imposing chamber and being in fluid communication with said outer conduit means; second valve means being carried by said inner pump conduit means and allowing unidirectional flow of said production liquid from said pressure imposing chamber to said flow chamber means; means for selectively introducing pressurized fluid into said pressure imposing chamber; and means for conducting produced liquid from said flow chamber means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: said pressure imposing chamber is in fluid communication with said inner conduit means; and said flow chamber means is in fluid communication with said outer conduit means, outwardly of said inner conduit means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: said landing adapter means has first crossover passage means formed therein communicating said inner conduit means with the annulus between said inner and outer pump conduit means and second crossover passage means communicating said inner pump conduit means with the annulus between said inner and outer conduit means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: said landing nipple is connected to the lower extremity of said outer conduit means; said landing adapter is connected to the lower extremity of said inner conduit means; and said inner and outer pump conduit means are connected to the lower extremity of said landing adapter.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including: perforated means secured to the lower extremity of said casing means and having perforations formed therein communicating said liquid bearing earth formation with said casing means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein: at least a portion of said inner and outer pump conduit means extend into said casing to a level disposing said first valve means below the level of production liquid within said casing and perforated means.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7, wherein: said condensing of said steam in said first pumping chamber is accomplished by injecting a fluid under pressure into said injection chamber at a lower temperature than the temperature of the steam within said injection chamber.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7, wherein: said injected fluid is air.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7, wherein: steam entering said production fluid supply chamber from said formation is caused to condense in said production fluid supply chamber by controlled modification of the steam generated pressure condition within said production fluid supply chamber.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8, wherein the steps of claim 7 occur repetitively to induce cyclic displacement pumping actuation and including the steps of: discontinuing injection of fluid into said injection chamber after cyclic displacement pumping actuation of said pumping has been conducted in accordance with the steps of claim 7 for a predetermined period of time; continuing with cyclic displacement pumping actuation in accordance with the steps of claim 7 in absence of injection of said fluid medium; and maintaining a predetermined back pressure on said flow chamber after discontinuing injection of fluid into said injection chamber to allow controlled and substantially continuous flashing of at least a portion of the water content of said production fluid into steam within said flow chamber.

Claim 14

Apparatus for flowing production fluid including a mixture of oil and water from an oil bearing earth formation wherein the earth formation is heated and pressurized by injection of a fluid into the formation and at least one production well bore extends to the formation, said apparatus comprising: casing means extending into said well bore and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof, said casing means being in fluid communication with said oil bearing earth formation; means communicating said casing means with said formation; pump means being disposed within said casing and defining an injection chamber, a flow chamber and first and second pumping chambers, said pump means defining first restricted passage means communicating said injection chamber and said first pumping chamber and defining second restricted passage means communicating said second pumping chamber and said flow chamber; first valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said casing into said first pumping chamber, said inlet of said Valve means being disposed sufficiently near the oil/water contact within said casing to prevent the hydrostatic head of the column of fluid within said well from interfering with flashing of the water content of said production fluid into steam; second valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said first pumping chamber to said second pumping chamber; and means for selectively controlling injection of a pressurized medium into said injection chamber and venting of said injection chamber.

Claim 15

Apparatus for flowing production fluid including a mixture of oil and water from an oil bearing earth formation wherein the earth formation is heated and pressurized by injection of a fluid into the formation and at least one production well bore extends to the formation, said apparatus comprising: casing means extending into said well bore and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof, said casing means being in fluid communication with said oil bearing earth formation; means communicating said casing means with said formation; pump means being disposed within said casing and defining an injection chamber, a flow chamber and first and second pumping chambers, said pump means defining first restricted passage means communicating said injection chamber and said first pumping chamber and defining second restricted passage means communicating said second pumping chamber and said flow chamber; first valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said casing into said first pumping chamber, said inlet of said Valve means being disposed sufficiently near the oil/water contact within said casing to prevent the hydrostatic head of the column of fluid within said well from interfering with flashing of the water content of said production fluid into steam; second valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said first pumping chamber to said second pumping chamber; and means for selectively controlling injection of a pressurized medium into said injection chamber and venting of said injection chamber.

Claim 16

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein: said means for defining said flow chamber comprises outer conduit means suspended within said casing by said well head; and said means defining said injection chamber comprises an inner conduit means suspended by said well head within said outer conduit means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein: said means communicating said casing means with said formation is perforated means disposed at the lower extremity of said casing means, said perforated means having been perforated along the length thereof to allow production fluid to enter said casing means from said formation, the lower extremity of said perforated means extending below the oil/water level within said formation.

Claim 18

Apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein: said first valve means is disposed in juxtaposed relation with said oil/water level.

Claim 19

Apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein: said pump means extends at least partially within said perforated means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, including: means for maintaining a minimum of back pressure on the production fluid flowing through said flow chamber to allow continuous flashing of the water content of said production fluid into steam.

Claim 21

Apparatus for flowing production fluid including a mixture of oil and water from an oil bearing earth formation wherein the earth formation is heated and pressurized by injection of a fluid into the formation and at least one production well bore extends to the formation, said apparatus comprising: casing means extending into said well bore and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof, said casing means being in fluid communication with said oil bearing earth formation; first and second casing valves communicating said casing with a flow line and with a vent conduit, respectively, said casing valves being closed during operation of said apparatus and being opened to balance the pressure conditions in said flow chamber and said casing; pump means being disposed within said casing and defining an injection chamber, a flow chamber and first and second pumping chambers, said pump means defining first restricted passage means communicating said injection chamber and said first pumping chamber and defining second restricted passage means communicating said second pumping chamber and said flow chamber, said flow chamber being in communication with said flow line; flow valve means connected in said flow line and controlling flow of production fluid from said flow chamber; first check valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said casing into said first pumping chamber, said inlet of said first check valve means being disposed sufficiently near the oil/water contact within said casing to prevent the hydrostatic head of the column of fluid within said well from interfering with flashing of the water content of said production fluid into steam; second check valve means interposed between said first and second pumping chambers and controlling the flow of production fluid from said first pumping chamber to said second pumping chamber; a source of pressurized medium; injection conduit means interconnecting said source and said injection chamber; valve means in said injection conduit for selectively controlling injection of pressurized medium from said source into said injection chamber; an exhaust conduit being communicaTed with said injection chamber; and valve means in said exhaust conduit being controllable for venting of said injection chamber.

Claim 22

Apparatus for flowing production fluid including a mixture of oil and water from an oil bearing earth formation wherein the earth formation is heated and pressurized by injection of a fluid into the formation and at least one production well bore extends to the formation, said apparatus comprising: casing means extending into said well bore and defining a well head at the upper extremity thereof, said casing means being in fluid communication with said oil bearing earth formation; first and second casing valves communicating said casing with a flow line and with a vent conduit, respectively, said casing valves being closed during operation of said apparatus and being opened to balance the pressure conditions in said flow chamber and said casing; pump means being disposed within said casing and defining an injection chamber, a flow chamber and first and second pumping chambers, said pump means defining first restricted passage means communicating said injection chamber and said first pumping chamber and defining second restricted passage means communicating said second pumping chamber and said flow chamber, said flow chamber being in communication with said flow line; flow valve means connected in said flow line and controlling flow of production fluid from said flow chamber; first check valve means controlling the flow of production fluid from said casing into said first pumping chamber, said inlet of said first check valve means being disposed sufficiently near the oil/water contact within said casing to prevent the hydrostatic head of the column of fluid within said well from interfering with flashing of the water content of said production fluid into steam; second check valve means interposed between said first and second pumping chambers and controlling the flow of production fluid from said first pumping chamber to said second pumping chamber; a source of pressurized medium; injection conduit means interconnecting said source and said injection chamber; valve means in said injection conduit for selectively controlling injection of pressurized medium from said source into said injection chamber; an exhaust conduit being communicaTed with said injection chamber; and valve means in said exhaust conduit being controllable for venting of said injection chamber.