A Production System and Method for Producing Fluids from a Well

Project ID: 1449-AP
Available for licensing

Background

As worldwide crude prices continue to rise, petroleum deposits that had previously been considered too expensive to produce are being reconsidered. As it is very difficult and largely impractical to establish deep-ocean fixed platforms for these wells, two strategies for lowering the costs of extracting these reserves that are widely used are to combine the recovery assets for both oil and gas and to run recovery pipe from the deep water wells to the fixed platforms in shallower water. These costs too are high. This technology further contributes to lowering the costs of deploying these two strategies

Electrical submersible pumps (ESP) are commonly used to pump oil out of offshore wells. However, under certain conditions, the ESP is not capable of pumping the oil when the concentration of gas in the fluid stream is greater than 5%. As such, a common solution is to handle the liquid and the gas separately causing a significant increase in capital costs.

Invention Description

Dr. Podio's invention utilizes a combination of an electrical submersible pump (ESP) and a jet pump (JP) to initially handle liquid and gas streams separately recombining them to aid in pumping. As the ESP pumps the liquid, the free gas is entrained and compressed by the JP (located upstream from the ESP), which is actually powered by the liquid being pumped. The compressed gas then rejoins the liquid stream and is pumped to the surface. Beneficially, the system allows, among other things, a submersible pump and a jet pump to be used in combination in a high gas-to-liquid ratio well without installing a separate gas vent line.

Benefits

Reduces capital costs
Reduces power requirements
Increases production rates
Efficient
Improved safety
More environmentally friendly

Features

Designed to pump oil efficiently in situations where the gas-to-liquid ratio is beyond operating limits
Eliminates the need for a gas vent line
Reduces required discharge pressure
Reduces flowing bottom hole pressure
Compatible with gas lift injection techniques

Market Potential/Applications

This technology is most applicable to deep-sea offshore wells, but could be applied to any petroleum well.

IP Status

One U.S. patent issued: 6,705,403

UT Researcher

Augusto L. Podio, Ph.D., Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Paul M. Carvalho, Ph.D., Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras)

OTC Contact Information

Max Green, Licensing Associate
mgreen@otc.utexas.edu
512-471-9054