US4009756A — Method and apparatus for flooding of oil-bearing …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 216 words

Apparatus for flooding an underground formation with fluid through a bore hole, said apparatus comprising a submergible pump including a tubular pump housing with a fluid intake adjacent to one end thereof for receiving flooding fluid and including means within said housing for moving fluid from said intake to a fluid discharge adjacent to the opposite end of said housing; and flow control valve means including a tubular valve housing coupled to said opposite end of the pump housing for receiving fluid from said discharge, a valve member supported in said valve housing for movement to and from a closed position, said valve member in said closed position isolating a first space at one side of said valve member, which receives fluid discharged by the pump, from a second space at another side of said valve member, biasing means for normally urging said valve member toward said closed position and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve member to assist said biasing means in urging said valve member toward said closed position or to permit said valve member to move away from said closed position to a controlled extent, whereby said valve member can be kept closed during start-up of said pump and can thereafter be moved away from said closed position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 216 words

Apparatus for flooding an underground formation with fluid through a bore hole, said apparatus comprising a submergible pump including a tubular pump housing with a fluid intake adjacent to one end thereof for receiving flooding fluid and including means within said housing for moving fluid from said intake to a fluid discharge adjacent to the opposite end of said housing; and flow control valve means including a tubular valve housing coupled to said opposite end of the pump housing for receiving fluid from said discharge, a valve member supported in said valve housing for movement to and from a closed position, said valve member in said closed position isolating a first space at one side of said valve member, which receives fluid discharged by the pump, from a second space at another side of said valve member, biasing means for normally urging said valve member toward said closed position and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve member to assist said biasing means in urging said valve member toward said closed position or to permit said valve member to move away from said closed position to a controlled extent, whereby said valve member can be kept closed during start-up of said pump and can thereafter be moved away from said closed position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pump is a centrifugal pump.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pump and said control valve means are part of an installation including said pump, a flow meter, pressure sensor means, and said control valve means in series.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein fluid is pumped downwardly, is discharged from said control valve means through a packer in said bore hole, and is supplied to said pump intake from an underground formation communicating with said bore hole at a level above the level of the first-mentioned formation.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 211 words

Apparatus for flooding an underground formation with fluid through a bore hole, said apparatus comprising a submergible pump including a tubular pump housing with a fluid intake adjacent to one end thereof for receiving flooding fluid and including means within said housing for moving fluid from said intake to a fluid discharge adjacent to the opposite end of said housing; and flow control valve means including a tubular valve housing coupled to said opposite end of the pump housing for receiving fluid from said discharge, a valve member supported in said valve housing for movement to and from a closed position, said valve member in said closed position isolating a first space at one side of said valve member, which receives fluid discharged by the pump, from a second space at another side of said valve member, biasing means for normally urging said valve member toward said closed position and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve member to permit said valve member to move away from said closed position to a controlled extent, said control means comprising a piston coupled to said valve member and supported for movement in a chamber in said valve housing and means for applying a differential fluid pressure across said piston.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 211 words

Apparatus for flooding an underground formation with fluid through a bore hole, said apparatus comprising a submergible pump including a tubular pump housing with a fluid intake adjacent to one end thereof for receiving flooding fluid and including means within said housing for moving fluid from said intake to a fluid discharge adjacent to the opposite end of said housing; and flow control valve means including a tubular valve housing coupled to said opposite end of the pump housing for receiving fluid from said discharge, a valve member supported in said valve housing for movement to and from a closed position, said valve member in said closed position isolating a first space at one side of said valve member, which receives fluid discharged by the pump, from a second space at another side of said valve member, biasing means for normally urging said valve member toward said closed position and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve member to permit said valve member to move away from said closed position to a controlled extent, said control means comprising a piston coupled to said valve member and supported for movement in a chamber in said valve housing and means for applying a differential fluid pressure across said piston.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the last-mentioned means comprises a vent in said chamber at one side of said piston and means for applying a controlled fluid pressure to said chamber at the opposite side of said piston.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 37 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the last-mentioned means comprises a conduit for connecting said chamber at said opposite side of said piston to a source of variable fluid pressure at the surface of the earth.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said chamber is an annular chamber in a wall of said valve housing, wherein said piston is an annular piston, and wherein said biasing means comprises a spring in said chamber.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 68 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said valve member has an operating rod extending along the axis of said valve housing with a valve head moving toward said pump discharge to close against a seat in said valve housing, and wherein said piston has a plurality of piston rods extending along the length of said valve housing and coupled to the operating rod of said valve member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 94 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein fluid discharged by said pump urges such valve member away from said closed position in opposition to said biasing means, wherein said source of variable pressure comprises means for applying sufficient pressure at said opposite side of said piston to prevent movement of said valve member away from said closed position when said pump starts, and means for reducing that pressure to permit such movements of said valve member and for varying that pressure to compensate for reduction of the ambient fluid pressure as the pump operates.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said biasing means has sufficient force to move said valve member to said closed position when said pump ceases operation.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said conduit comprises tubing means for supporting said pump and said control valve means in said bore hole.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said vent is connected to ambient fluid in said bore hole.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 154 words

A flow control valve system comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal fluid flow passage therein, means including a valve head movable with respect to a seat for dividing said passage into isolated first and second spaces when said head is closed against said seat, means coupling said first space to a source of fluid the pressure of which tends to move said head away from said seat to open said valve when said valve is closed, biasing means normally urging said head against said seat to close said valve, and fluid-pressure-responsive remote control means for selectively applying an adjustable additional force to said valve head to assist said biasing means to close said valve or, upon reduction of said force, to permit said head to move away from said seat in response to the pressure of fluid from said source, whereby said fluid may flow from said first space to said second space.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 154 words

A flow control valve system comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal fluid flow passage therein, means including a valve head movable with respect to a seat for dividing said passage into isolated first and second spaces when said head is closed against said seat, means coupling said first space to a source of fluid the pressure of which tends to move said head away from said seat to open said valve when said valve is closed, biasing means normally urging said head against said seat to close said valve, and fluid-pressure-responsive remote control means for selectively applying an adjustable additional force to said valve head to assist said biasing means to close said valve or, upon reduction of said force, to permit said head to move away from said seat in response to the pressure of fluid from said source, whereby said fluid may flow from said first space to said second space.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 163 words

A flow control valve comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal fluid flow passage therein, means including a valve head movable with respect to a seat for dividing said passage into isolated first and second spaces when said head is closed against said seat, means for coupling said first space to a source of fluid which tends to move said head away from said seat to open said valve, biasing means for normally urging said head against said seat to close said valve, and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve head to permit said head to move away from said seat, whereby said fluid may flow from said first space to said second space, said valve head being supported upon an operating stem which reciprocates along said passage and said control means comprising a piston movable in a chamber and connected to said stem and means for applying a differential fluid pressure across said piston in said chamber.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 163 words

A flow control valve comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal fluid flow passage therein, means including a valve head movable with respect to a seat for dividing said passage into isolated first and second spaces when said head is closed against said seat, means for coupling said first space to a source of fluid which tends to move said head away from said seat to open said valve, biasing means for normally urging said head against said seat to close said valve, and control means for selectively applying an adjustable force to said valve head to permit said head to move away from said seat, whereby said fluid may flow from said first space to said second space, said valve head being supported upon an operating stem which reciprocates along said passage and said control means comprising a piston movable in a chamber and connected to said stem and means for applying a differential fluid pressure across said piston in said chamber.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

A flow control valve in accordance with claim 15, wherein said chamber and said piston are annular and are located in a wall of said housing surrounding said passage.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

A flow control valve in accordance with claim 16, wherein said piston is connected to said stem by piston rods, and wherein said biasing means comprises spring means in said chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 55 words

A flow control valve in accordance with claim 15, wherein said stem is positioned centrally in said passage and is spaced from the walls of said passage for the free flow of fluid between the stem and said passage walls and wherein said chamber and said piston are located in a wall of said housing.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 146 words

A method of flooding an underground formation with a fluid through a bore hole, which comprises dividing said bore hole into first and second regions, the latter communicating with said formation, providing a submergible pump at said first region which discharges through a valve to said second region, supplying fluid from said first region to said pump, operating said pump, initially blocking the discharge of fluid from said pump to said second region during start-up of said pump by applying a force to said valve to hold it closed, thereafter reducing said force and opening said valve, thereby permitting fluid to flow from said pump to said second region, adjustably controlling said valve independently of the pump to maintain flooding of said formation, terminating the operation of said pump, and thereupon automatically closing said valve, thereby blocking reverse flow from said second region to said pump.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 146 words

A method of flooding an underground formation with a fluid through a bore hole, which comprises dividing said bore hole into first and second regions, the latter communicating with said formation, providing a submergible pump at said first region which discharges through a valve to said second region, supplying fluid from said first region to said pump, operating said pump, initially blocking the discharge of fluid from said pump to said second region during start-up of said pump by applying a force to said valve to hold it closed, thereafter reducing said force and opening said valve, thereby permitting fluid to flow from said pump to said second region, adjustably controlling said valve independently of the pump to maintain flooding of said formation, terminating the operation of said pump, and thereupon automatically closing said valve, thereby blocking reverse flow from said second region to said pump.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 171 words

A method of flooding an underground formation with a fluid through a bore hole, which comprises dividing said bore hole into first and second regions, the latter communicating with said formation, providing a submergible pump at said first region, supplying fluid from said first region to said pump, operating said pump, initially blocking the discharge of fluid from said pump to said second region, thereafter permitting fluid to flow from said pump to said second region, controlling said flow after discharge from said pump to maintain flooding of said formation, terminating the operation of said pump, and thereupon automatically blocking reverse flow from said second region to said pump, said flow blocking, permitting and controlling being effected by providing a valve at the discharge of said pump, normally biasing said valve closed and fluidically controlling said valve from the surface of the earth to open said valve only after the pump commences operation and to vary the flow through said valve to compensate for ambient pressure variations in said bore hole.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 171 words

A method of flooding an underground formation with a fluid through a bore hole, which comprises dividing said bore hole into first and second regions, the latter communicating with said formation, providing a submergible pump at said first region, supplying fluid from said first region to said pump, operating said pump, initially blocking the discharge of fluid from said pump to said second region, thereafter permitting fluid to flow from said pump to said second region, controlling said flow after discharge from said pump to maintain flooding of said formation, terminating the operation of said pump, and thereupon automatically blocking reverse flow from said second region to said pump, said flow blocking, permitting and controlling being effected by providing a valve at the discharge of said pump, normally biasing said valve closed and fluidically controlling said valve from the surface of the earth to open said valve only after the pump commences operation and to vary the flow through said valve to compensate for ambient pressure variations in said bore hole.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising monitoring at the earth's surface the flow volume and discharge pressure from said pump for control of said valve.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-02-29	1980-08-30	1981-03-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-02-29	1984-08-30	1985-03-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-02-29	1988-08-30	1989-03-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for flooding of oil-bearing formations by downward inter-zone pumping

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