Downhole Sand and Gas Separator

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/392,175, filed Dec. 21, 2023, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e). The disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable.

The present disclosure relates to a downhole separator for separating gas and sand (or other solid material) from fluids produced in oil and gas wells.

Producing dynamic wells in which both gases and solids are present can create certain challenges. When gases and solids are produced with fluids from a well and delivered to other oil and gas equipment, such as pumps, the run life of the other oil and gas equipment can be shortened. Typical solutions to this problem are accomplished with complicated and expensive equipment.

Accordingly, there is a need for a separator that can efficiently separate gas and solids from fluids produced in oil and gas wells.

The present disclosure is directed to a downhole separator for separating a three-phase fluid produced in an oil or gas well. The downhole separator including a tubular body and a radial directed opening in an uphole end of the tubular body for allowing the three-phase fluid to enter the downhole separator while also permitting a gas component of the three-phase fluid to exit the downhole separator. The downhole separator also including a dip tube disposed inside the tubular body for delivering a primarily liquid component of the three-phase fluid to be processed and a first annulus area disposed between the dip tube and the tubular body.

The present disclosure also directed to a method of separating components of a three-phase fluid produced in an oil or gas well. The method includes the step of pumping the three-phase fluid into a downhole separator to separate the three-phase fluid into the separate components.

Referring now to the drawings,show a downhole separatorin a wellborewhere production materials, such as a three-phase fluid containing gases, liquidsand solids, can be produced from the surrounding formation. The wellborecould also have casing (not shown) installed therein. The separatorcan be in fluidic communication with a pump (not shown) that is used to pull liquids up from the wellboreand through the separator. The liquid in the wellboretypically includes gases and solids, such as sand, that can be harmful to the pump. The separatoris employed to remove the gases and solids from the liquid being drawn to the pump. In certain situations, the wellborecan have casing (not shown) installed therein and the casing and formationcan be perforated to permit the production materials to flow into the wellbore.

The separatorincludes an upper jacketwith radial directed portsdisposed therein to permit the three-phase fluid (liquid, gas and solids) to flow into the separator, a bodyattached to the upper jacket, a dip tubethat extends at least partially through the bodyand the upper jacket. The bodyand the upper jacketcan be collectively referred to as the tubular body. The portsare also designed to permit accumulated gases to flow out of the separator. In one embodiment, there is at least one uphole portand at least one downhole port. In one embodiment, there could be multiple uphole portsand multiple downhole ports. The dip tubehas a passagewaydisposed therein that delivers the liquid/fluid to the pump. A first annulus areais created between the bodyand the dip tube. The first annulus areais in fluid communication with the portsdisposed in the upper jacket.

In another embodiment, the separatorcan include a shroudsupported on a downhole endof the dip tube. A second annulus areaexists between the shroudand the bodyand is in fluid communication with the first annulus area. The shroudis wider than the dip tube, which causes the first annulus areato be wider than the second annulus area. The size differences (radial directed width) between the annulus areasandand the width differences (diameter) between the shroudand the dip tubecontribute to the operational aspects of the separator. The separatorcan also include an adapterdisposed between the shroudand the dip tube. The adaptercan include a lower endthat can be threadably engaged with the shroudand an upper endthat can be threadably engaged with the dip tube.

In another embodiment, the separatorcan include lower jacket memberdisposed on a downhole endof the body. The lower jacket memberdirects the solids separated out to a desired solids collector. The lower jacket membercan include an angled inner surfaceto direct the solids downward in the separator.

The portsin the upper jacketcan be sized and shaped such that the liquids, solids and gases can flow into the separatorvia the ports, but also permit gases that enter the separatorto coalesce and flow back out of the separator. The gases that flow back out of the separatorvia the portswill flow uphole above the upper jacketin the wellboreto coalesce with any gases that did not flow into the separator. The shape of the portscan be any shape such that the separatorworks as desirable, such as square, rectangular, round, oval, oblong, and the like. The larger sized portsallow the gas component to vent therethrough without breaking surface tension of the gas component bubbles. In one embodiment, the portsare larger than about 0.5 inches across in any direction. In another embodiment, the portsare larger than about 0.75 inches across in any direction. In yet another embodiment, the portsare larger than about 1 inch across in any direction. In a further embodiment, the portsare larger than about 1.25 inches across in any direction. In an even further embodiment, the portsare larger than about 1.5 inches across in any direction.

The present disclosure is also directed to a method of separating the production materials with the downhole separator. In use, the production materials are pulled into the first annulus areaof the separatorvia the ports. The separatoris set up such that the production materials flow through the first annulus areaat a velocity of less than about 0.5 ft per second. Pulling the production materials at a flow rate that causes the velocity of the production materials through the first annulus areato be less than about 0.5 ft per second allows the gas component in the production materials to combine and flow upward and out of the separatorvia the ports. Gas component bubbles will coalesce to form larger bubbles in the low velocity zone of the first annulus area.

The liquid and solid components of the production materials then flow from the first annulus areato the second annulus area, which is narrower than the first annulus area. The narrower second annulus areacauses the velocity of the liquid component and the solid component of the production materials to increase in the second annulus area. The increased velocity through the second annulus areacreates an inertial effect, which causes the solid component to be forced in an outer radial direction in the separator.

The liquid component and the solid component, which is being forced outward, flow into an area below the shroud. The combination of the open area below the shroud, which causes the velocity of the liquid and solid component to slow down, the inertial flow effect and the increased velocity on the solid component of the production materials causes the solid component to continue past the bottom of the shroudand separate from the liquid component. The liquid component is then pulled up into and through the shroudand the dip tubeto the pump.

Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.