US1892636A - Fluid lift for use in wells - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1932. G. P. sLATER FLUID LIFT FOR USE IN WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 24, 1929 01;'5. 2

ZIIIIIE Dec. 27, 1932. G. P. SLA-TER FLUID LIFT P OR USE IN WELLS Filed Aug. 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet fle 1 1.

A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STA GUY P. SLATER, OF SAND SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA FLUID LIFT FOR USE IN WELLS -Application led August 24, 1929. Serial No. 388.186.

This invention relates to fluid lifts especlally adapted for use in the recovery of oil.

The operation of deep well reciprocating pumps by the use` of sucker rods extending from a source of power on the surface has come to be an acute problem in the petroleum industry due, inpart, to the great depths of wells now being produced and the possibility of still greater depths in future wells. Naturally, the length of thesucker rod must approach the depth of the well so 'that in the case .of an extremely deep well, possibly one of four or live thousand feet, the weight of the sucker rods combined with the weight of the fluid being elevated frequently causes parting of the rods and brings about alternate stretching and contraction of the rods with the result that the effective stroke at the pump is only a very small portionl of what the rod movement isat the surface. Thus,

.the alternate stretching 'and contraction ofl the rods reduces the lifting capacity of the f pump, while parting of the rods causes prolonged shut downs and a concurrent loss of production thereby greatly increasing lifting costs.

Also, many wells drilled by the rotary tool V method have been found to be extremely ai crooked due to excessive pressure on the bit and hard spots encountered during the drilling of the well. Obviously, the reciprocation of a sucker rod in a crooked well produces excessive wear between the sucker rod and the tubing so that after a short period o f use,

possibly a week or tend days, or even a shorter period, the tubing will leak and production will cease necessitating removal of the tubing and rods and renewal of the worn joints Y, J thereof, which operation is expensive because of the direct labor costs involved and the concurrent loss of production.

With an appreciation of the above disadvantages accompanying the use ofsucker rods in deep wells, I have devised a simple means by which a column of fluid placed under pressure at the surfacev is substituted for the usual suckerv rods and caused to operate A the reciprocating pump' at any desired or eiicient numberof strokes per minute. v f The invention forming the sub1ect of thls application will also be found to embody a fluid lift in which the constant ascent of the fluid being recovered is maintained to minimize the settlement of such sand as may be in the iiuid and to avoid the intermittent retrograde movement of the tubing fluid known to accompany the use of the conventional plunger type pump. Another aim of the invention is to provide a iiuid'lift which may be incorporated in a well without elaborate departure from estab- .lished producing methods, without special skill on the part of those in charge of the operation and without excessive cost as com- 5 pared to present producing methods.

Other objects yand advantages will be apparent during tlie course of the following descri ption. l

In the accompanying drawings forming a o part of this application and in which likel numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical Vsectional vievv through the pump, the parts be- 75 ingshown completing the down stroke,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical detail sectional view through the pump, the parts being shown 80 in position for the up stroke,

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a vertical fragmentary seetional view through the pump, ing shown completing the up stroke.

Figurev 6 is a detail sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 5, y

Figure 7 isa vertical detail sectional view through the pump, p in position for the down stroke,

AFigure 8 is a vertical detail sectional view throughvthe pump, the'view being taken at right angles to Figure 7,

Figure 9 1s a group perspective illustrat- ,55

ing a piston core and fleeve valve associated therewith,

Figure 10 1s a perspective of the outer section of thc piston.

In the drawings, of illustration is shown a wherein for the purpose the parts be- 8 the parts being shown 9 preferred embod'- 190 l ment ofthe invention, the numeral desig- .nates ay well tubing of any diameter and which, as might be imagined, is positioned within the usual well casing. The improved fluid lift is shown to be suspended from the tubing and is provided with a combined housing and fluid outlet 11 having the upper portion thereof joined with the tubing through the medium of what might be said to be a top plug 12. Figure 5 illustrates that the top p1ug12 is provided with a port 14 establishing constant communication between ,the member 11 and the tubing 10 for the ascent of the fluid being recovered and the lifting fluid. At this point, it might be stated that the lifting fluid may be the same `as the fluid being recovered or it may be of a different nature, provision being made in the latter case to separate the different fluids upon reaching the surface.

The fluid pressure motor employed for operating the associated pump comprises a working cylinder 16 having upper and lower bushings 17 and 18. respectively, both of which are embraced by the-housing 11.

In carrying out the invention. a working piston is mounted for reciprocation within the cylinder 16 and consists of a core 19 and an outer section 20, the outer section being providedwith rings or other sealing devices by which a fluid tight contact is established between the piston and the wall of the working cylinder 16. IAdvertingnow to Figures 9 and 10, attent-ion is directed to the fact that the core 19 of the power piston is provided adjacent the upper portion thereof with oppositely located radial lugs 22 adapted to be positioned between upstanding extensions or ears 24 of the outer section to hold the inner and outer sections of the piston against turning with respect to each other. The lower portion of the core 19 is shown to be provided With a transverse opening receiving a locking key 26 having the terminals thereof confined between pendants or ears 28 of the outer section 20 to cooperate with the extensions 22 and the upstanding lugs 24 in holding the sections aga inst turning with respect tdeach other and in inhibiting en dwise movement of one section of the piston with respect to the other section. Suitable means may of course, be employed to hold the key 26 in place. y

The core 19 is provided with an axial spindle-like extension at the upper portion thereof` which extension is provided with an inlet longitudinal port 30 having upper and lower branches 32 and 34 extending out through the periphery of the core for registration with upper and lower outlet passages or ports 36 and 38, respectively. of the outer section. Such figures as 6 and 7 illustrate that a sleeve valve 40 is confined between the core 19 and the outer section 20 of the piston and provides a means by which the flow of pressure or motive Huid through the piston sleeve valve 40 is provided with an upper port 44 and a lower port 46, the upper port being adaptable for intermittent registration with the passages 32 and 36, while the lower port 46 is intended for intermittent registra-l tion withthe passages 34 and 38.

l/Vhen, as illustrated in Figure 7, the sleeve valve is in its lowermost position motive fluid supplied by way of the longitudinal port 30 is allowed to enter the working cylinder by way of the passages 32 and 36. In this case,

the motive fluid is discharged into the working cylinder 16 from the upper end of the piston with the result that the piston is driven downward.

On the other handy, when the sleeve valve 40 is in the elevated position. suggested in Figure 3 the motive fluid supplied by way of the port 30 is directed into the lower portion of the working cylinder by way of the registering passages 34 and 38. Duringthe discharge of,` the motive fiuid into the lower portion of the working cylinder 16, the piston is moved upward.

In carrying out the invention, an inlet tube 48 is threaded into the inlet passage 30 which, as suggested in Figure 9, opens out through the upper end of the spindle-like extension of the piston core 19. Thus, the inlet tube 48 provides a means by which a motive fluid is `supplied to the working cylinder 16 to reciprocate the piston therein. Figures l and 5 illustrate that the inlet tube 48, which will be recognized as being carried by the movable piston, is slirdable through the bushing 12 and a supply pipe 50 connected to the bushing. Otherwise expressed, the supply tube 50 is threaded into the relatively fixed bushing or plug 12 and slidably receives the vertically movable tube 48. lit may be provided between the supply tube 48 and the parts 12 and 50 to avoid leakage. It is believed to be apparent that the supply tube 50 extends from a suitable source of power on the surface and is supplied with a motive fluid under pressure to bring about the reciprocation of the piston.

In summarizing the fluid pressure supply means for the fluid pressure motor, it is pointed out that the fluid, of whatever nature -Figure 3, the Huid supplied by way of the tubes 50 and 4 8 is directed into the lower portion of' the working cylinder to accomplish the up stroke of' the piston.

Referring now to the means by which the A sufiiciently close is controlled. More specifically, the

core 19 ofthe piston is provided with a longitudinally extending outlet port {S4-:having upper and lower branches 56 and 5S communicating respectively with the passages 53 and 52 to receive the exhaust `fluid therefrom.

Communication between the exhaust passages of the inner and outer sections 19 land 20, respectively, is controlled by the sleeve valve 40 shown in different figures of the h drawings as ybeing provided with upper and lower exhaust passages for intermittent coinmunicationwith the associated exhaust passages. t

In describing the operation of the exhaust phase of the invention it is pointed out that l during the up stroke of the piston, as shown `in Figure 3, the passages 53 and 54 are in communication' for the 4discharge of fluid from the upper portion or ch/amber .of the working cylinder 16. During this time, of course, the motive fluid is being supplied to the lower portion of ythe working cylinder.

During the down stroke of the piston motive fluid is, of course, 'being supplied to the upper portion of the cylinderand the sleeve valve is in its lowermost position to establish communication betweenthe exhaust passages 52 and 54 to allow theuidpreviously admitted to thelower portion of the working cylinder to travel out through the exhaust tube 60 receiving and threaded onto the spindle-like extension of the core 19. f x

With reference to the foregoing description of the pressure fluid motor it will be'seen that the same is double acting and that during the supply of motive fluid to one end' or chamber of the working cylinder, the exhaust of Huid-from the other end or lchamber of the cylinder is taking place and vice versa.

During the downstroke of the piston, the sleeve valve 40 isheld in its lowermost position by a pair of spring actuated dogs 66 prvotally carried by the lower portion of the piston section 20. The dogs 66 are shown to be provided with bills adapted to extend through openings 68 in the sleeve valve 40 and nestle in notches 69 in-the piston core 19.

Figure2 illustra-tes that the lower portion iof the working cylinder 16 is provided with a contact member 70 having an inwardly tapered upper face in the path of travel of and ada ted to be engaged by the outer terminals As the piston approaches the limit of descent, the sleeve valve carried thereby is engaged with a spring pressed follower 72 and caused to compress the associated spring so that when the dogs are subsequently released, the piston is moved to the fully elevated position suggested in Figure 3. That is to say,

- the spring associated with the follower/72 is compressed during-the down stroke of the piston to a point s'uiicient to move the valve upward to the position illustrated in Figure 3 when, of course, the dogs 66 are released.

As shown in Figure 2, the follower 72 is of annular formation and is positioned for operation along with the associated spring, in an annular recess formed in the lower bushing 18 and surrounding the motion transmitting member 102. Thus, when the piston descends to the position shown in Figure 2, the follower 72 is encountered to compress the associatedspring after which the spring will cause the annular follower to riseand move the sleeve valve 40 to its up- `permost position preparatory, of course, to

the upstroke It is important to observe that the follower 72 has uniform pressure contact with the lower end of the sleevevalve iOto exert a uniform lifting force thereon and thereby avoidbinding of the sleeve valve.

Figure 4 .illustrates that the sleeve valve 40 is held in a fully elevated position during the up stroke of the piston by means of a pair of spring actuated Adogs 76 pivotally carried by the upper portion of the section 20 and having the lower termi als thereof apc lOl

` path of travel of and adapted tobe engaged by the-outer terminals of the dogs 76 so that when the piston reaches tlie limit of ascent` the dogs are swungoutwardly to allow the sleeve valve to drop by gravity to the position suggested in Figure 7 i-s r:not until the up stroke is completed that the sleeve valve -is allowed `to drop to the position shown in Figure 7 for the down stroke. WVhen, as suggested in Figure 8, the

sleeve valve does drop to its lowermost po sition the lower set of dogs 66 are swung.

inwardly by' the associated springs into the registering voids 68 and 69.

It might be notedV hat rlhus, it

the sleeve valve is held against turning with respect to the piston .andthe ports `thereof by\'the radial extensions 22 and the key 26. That is to say, the end portions of the sleeve valve 40 are slottedlongitudinally or might be said to be bifurcated to straddle the lugs 22 and the key 26. v

Referring now to the double acting pump, attention is invited to Figures 1 and 5 which illustrate that the pump comprises 'a working devices ing barrel 100 within which 'a' double acting piston 101 is located. The fluid lifting piston is shown to be provided at opposite ends with suitable sealing devices so that a. fluid tight contact between the piston and the associated working barrel is established in both directions.

. They fluid lifting piston 101 is provided with a central opening through which a combined plunger and fluid conduit 102 is eX- tended. The lower portion ofthe plunger 102 is provided with upper and lower spaced collars 104 and 106, respectively, adapted to fit in mating recesses of the piston and providing a means by which a limited sliding connection is provided between .the fluid lifting piston and the plunger thereof. When, as illustrated in Figure 1, the pump is on the down stroke the collar 104 has driving engagement with the piston 101 and when the piston is, as suggested in Figure 5, on the up stroke, thecollar 106 has driving or lifting engagement with the associated piston.

The fluid lift-ing piston 101 divides the working barrel 100 into upperand lower pumping chambers, fluid being supplied to the lower chamber of the working barrel by a one-way valve 107 of conventional or other design while a pressure responsive diskshaped valve 108 controls the admission ofy fluid to the upper pumping chamber of the working barrel. The disk-shaped valve 108 is slidably suspended from a relatively fixed bushing or plug 110 by bolts or other attach- 112. The valve 108 is shown to be provided with a depending skirt having ports adapted for communication with inlet ports 114 in the working barrel to allow fluid to enter the upper pumping chamber.

Of course, during the down stroke of the piston 101, the valve 108 takes its lowermost 50; position by gravity so that fluid may enter thevupper pumping chamber. When, however, the piston is on its up stroke, the pressure created within the upper pumping chamber will result inet-he ascent of the valve 108 to its fully elevated and closed position whereupon the additional admission offluid or the leakage of fluid from the working barrel is prevented. f .f

The intended discharge of fluid from the upper pumping chamber of the working barrel is by way of a plurality of ports 120 in the lower portion of the"y tubular plunger 102. During the up stroke of the pump, the ports 120 are in open communication with the upper. pumping chamber, while on the down stroke these ports are closed by the surrounding portion of the piston 101.

The intended discharge of fluid from the lower pumping chamber of the working barrel 101 is by way of a second or lower set of ports 121 which, during the down stroke of the piston, are in communication with the lower pumping chamber and which, during the up stroke of the pump, are closed by the closely surrounding portion of the piston 101.

From the foregoing it will be seen that fluid is lifted by the pump during both the up and the down strokes thereof to maintain a constant ascent of fluid so that the settlement of such sand as may be in the fluid being-recovered is minimized.

The fluid directed up through the plunger 102 is discharged from this plunger by way of outlet ports 114 into the housing 11. More specifically, the plunger 102 is provided immediately above the outlet ports 114 with a shut off plug 116 by which the fluid is directed out into the housing and is caused to ascend between the housing and the working cylinder. To that end, the lower bushing 18 of the working cylinder is provided with a suitable number of ports by which the fluid being recovered may ascend. Also, the upper bushing 17 of the working cylinder is shown to be provided with a plurality of ports for the ascent of the fluid.

The fluid being recovered and the motive fluid will be found to be discharged into the upper portion of the housing 11 and allowed to mingle freely during ascent through the tubing.Y As previously suggested, if the motive Huid is of the same nature as that being recovered no separating process is necessary but if dissimilar fluids are employed the same mav be separated upon reaching the surface.

With reference to the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that a fluid lift constructed in accordance with this invention may be operated without the necessity of employing sucker rods that have been found to be so troublesome especially in deep wells.

The improved fluid lift may be installed in awell without a great expense for the reason that much standard equipment such as the tubing may be employed' as a part of the pump. Even though the well is found to be extremely crooked the transmission of the motive fluid is not seriously interfered with and thus the eliicient recovery of the native well fluid is made possible.

Should any of the parts of the pump become worn it is a simple matter to withdraw the same by withdrawing the tubing as distinguished from the necessity of removing both the tubing and the rods in present equipment.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In a structure' of the class described, a working cylinder, a piston within the cylinder and embodying inner and outer sections having separate intake and exhaust ports, a sleeve valve between said sections and having means controlling said ports, said sleeve valve and said inner section of the piston being provided with separate sets of notches, spring pressed dogs pivoted between the ends thereof to the outer section of said piston and having bills adapted to interlock with said notches to hold the valve in a predetermined position with respect to the inner section of said iston, the outer portions of said dogs being ree, and means carried by said cylinder and being in the path of the free outer 'portions of said dogs to engage the same and thereby swing the dogs outwardly from the notches of the sleeeve valve and the inner section of the piston.

2. In a structure of the class described, a working cylinder, a piston within the cylinder and embodying inner and outer sections having intake and exhaust ports, the inner section being provided at one end portion thereof with oppositely located radial extensions and the adjacent end portion of the outer section being provided with oppositely located pairs of ears between which the radial extensions of the inner section of the piston are positioned to hold the sections of the piston against rotation with respect to each other, means cooperating with said extensions and said pairs of ears to hold the sections of the piston against endwise movement with respect to each other, a sleeeve valve between the inner and outer sections and having means to control said ports, and dogs carried by"- said piston and having means to engage said A sleeeve valve.

3. In a structure of the class described, a f working cylinder, a piston within the cylinder and embodying inner and outer sections having intake and exhaust ports, the inner section being provided at one end portion thereof with oppositely located radial extensions and the adjacent end portion of the outer section being provided with oppositely 1ocated pairs of ears between which the radial extensions of the inner section of the piston are positioned to hold the sections of the piston against rotation with respect to each other, means cooperating with said extensions and said pairs of ears to hold the sections of the piston against endwise movement with respect to each other, a sleeve valve between the inner and outer sections and having means to control said ports, and dogs carf ried by said piston and having means to engage said sleeeve valve,said sleeve valve being provided with oppositely located slots snugly-receiving said radial extensions of the inner section to hold the sleeve valve against turning with respect to the piston.

4. In a structure of the class described, a working cylinder, a piston within the cylinder and embodying inner and4 outer sections having intake and exhaust ports, the outer section being provided at opposite ends thereof with pairs of spaced ears, the inner section of the piston being provided adjacent one end thereof with radial extensions extending between the ears at the adjacent end of the outer section to hold the inner and outer sections against turning with respect to each other, a key extending through the inner section and passing closely between the ears at one end of the outer section to cooperate with said radial extensions and the ears associated therewith in holding the sections against turning with respect to each other, and a, sleeve valve movable between the inner and outer sections and having upper slots receiving said radial extension and having lower slots receiving said key whereby the-sleeve valve is held against turning with respect to the piston.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

GUY P. SLATER.

Images