Oil recovery apparatus using an electromagnetic pump drive

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic means is stationary relative to said tubular member and said magnetically attractable means is vertically slidable relative to said electromagnetic means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tubular member is a wellbore tubing.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said wellbore tubing, magnetically attractable means, and electromagnetic means define a continuous fluid passageway therethrough.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic means is an electromagnet having a core and a wire winding.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said magnetically attractable means is an electromagnetic plunger.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said linking means is a rigid solid metal bar.

Claim 9

An electromagnetic pump drive for driving a reciprocating pump plunger, said pump plunger and pump drive submerged in a wellbore penetrated by a tubing and containing a fluid being pumped from the wellbore via the tubing, said pump drive comprising: an electromagnet having a core and a wire winding around said core, said electromagnet positioned in said tubing and having an outer diameter substantially equal to but less than the inner diameter of said tubing; an electrical power source in electrical communication with said winding; an electromagnetic plunger comprising a magnetically attractable material, positioned below said electromagnet, and having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of said electromagnet, said electromagnetic plunger vertically slidable only as far as said electromagnet and said electromagnet providing a mechanical stop when said electromagnetic plunger abuts said electromagnet; a mechanical linkage which is substantially impermeable to flow of said fluid therein between said electromagnetic plunger and the reciprocating pump plunger; and said tubing encasing said electromagnet and electromagnetic plunger and forming a continuous fluid passageway across said pump drive.

Claim 10

An electromagnetic pump drive for driving a reciprocating pump plunger, said pump plunger and pump drive submerged in a wellbore penetrated by a tubing and containing a fluid being pumped from the wellbore via the tubing, said pump drive comprising: an electromagnet having a core and a wire winding around said core, said electromagnet positioned in said tubing and having an outer diameter substantially equal to but less than the inner diameter of said tubing; an electrical power source in electrical communication with said winding; an electromagnetic plunger comprising a magnetically attractable material, positioned below said electromagnet, and having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of said electromagnet, said electromagnetic plunger vertically slidable only as far as said electromagnet and said electromagnet providing a mechanical stop when said electromagnetic plunger abuts said electromagnet; a mechanical linkage which is substantially impermeable to flow of said fluid therein between said electromagnetic plunger and the reciprocating pump plunger; and said tubing encasing said electromagnet and electromagnetic plunger and forming a continuous fluid passageway across said pump drive.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said electromagnetic plunger has a fluid passageway therethrough.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said electromagnet abuts said tubing to form a fluid seal therebetween.

Claim 13

A process for pumping a fluid from a subterranean fluid-bearing formation penetrated by a wellbore originating at an earthen surface, the process comprising: (a) positioning an electromagnet in a production tubing within the wellbore such that said electromagnet substantially abuts said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and electromagnet; (b) positioning a reciprocating pump plunger in the tubing a vertical distance below said electromagnet such that said reciprocating pump plunger substantially abuts said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and reciprocating pump plunger and such that the fluid occupies a volume in the tubing between said reciprocating pump plunger and electromagnet; (c) energizing said electromagnet by providing an electric current to said electromagnet; (d) drawing said reciprocating pump plunger upward in the tubing by a magnetic attraction between said energized electromagnet and a magnetically attractable member affixed to said reciprocating pump plunger until said electromagnet abuts said magnetically attractable member and said electromagnet mechanically stops an upward movement of said magnetically attractable member, said magnetically attractable member further substantially abutting said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and magnetically attractable member; (e) displacing the fluid occupying said volume upward relative to the surface by the upward motion of said reciprocating pump plunger; (f) de-energizing said electromagnet by terminating said electric current thereto; and (g) dropping said magnetically attractable member and reciprocating pump plunger downward to said position in the tubing said vertical distance below said electromagnetic to displace additional fluid from the formation into said volume.

Claim 14

A process for pumping a fluid from a subterranean fluid-bearing formation penetrated by a wellbore originating at an earthen surface, the process comprising: (a) positioning an electromagnet in a production tubing within the wellbore such that said electromagnet substantially abuts said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and electromagnet; (b) positioning a reciprocating pump plunger in the tubing a vertical distance below said electromagnet such that said reciprocating pump plunger substantially abuts said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and reciprocating pump plunger and such that the fluid occupies a volume in the tubing between said reciprocating pump plunger and electromagnet; (c) energizing said electromagnet by providing an electric current to said electromagnet; (d) drawing said reciprocating pump plunger upward in the tubing by a magnetic attraction between said energized electromagnet and a magnetically attractable member affixed to said reciprocating pump plunger until said electromagnet abuts said magnetically attractable member and said electromagnet mechanically stops an upward movement of said magnetically attractable member, said magnetically attractable member further substantially abutting said tubing to substantially prevent fluid flow between said tubing and magnetically attractable member; (e) displacing the fluid occupying said volume upward relative to the surface by the upward motion of said reciprocating pump plunger; (f) de-energizing said electromagnet by terminating said electric current thereto; and (g) dropping said magnetically attractable member and reciprocating pump plunger downward to said position in the tubing said vertical distance below said electromagnetic to displace additional fluid from the formation into said volume.

Claim 15

The process of claim 11 further comprising refilling said volume in the tubing with fluid from the formation after step (e).

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 further comprising repeating the process one or more times to displace the fluid through the tubing to the earthen surface.

Claim 17

The process of claim 13 wherein said fluid is displaced across said electromagnet via a fluid passageway therethrough.

Claim 18

The process of claim 13 wherein said fluid is displaced across said magnetically attractable member via a fluid passageway therethrough.

Claim 19

The process of claim 11 wherein said fluid comprises oil.