US336317A - Process or method of operating gas-wells - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' P. M. HITOHOOCK.

PROCESS OR. METHOD OF OPERATING GAS WELLS.

4T a; L-

W/T/VESSES N4 PETERS. Phcwuyhu n her, Wishinglon. D. C.

Patented Feb. 16, 1886.

V NlTED STATES PATENT Erica,

PETER M. HITOHCOOK, OF CLEVELAND,OHIO.

PROCESS OR METHOD OF OPERATING GAS-WELLS.

EBPBCIFICATIOII forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,317, dated February 16, 1886.

Application filed October 18, 1884. Serial No. 145,858,. (No model.)

To a ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER M. HITCHCOOK, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Process or Method of Operating Gas-\Vells, and [do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved process or method of operating gas-wells, the object being to separate the water from the gas preferably at or near the bottom of the well, and by means of suitable pumping apparatus to keep the well so exhausted of water that a free flow of gas will not be prevented or hindered byan accumulation of waterin the well.

A further object is to provide two passageways from the well, the one for the passage of gas and the other for the passage of water that is pumped from the well, (the one of which is usually inclosed in the other.) to the end that by closing the passage-way for the gas and controlling its escape a pressure of gas is had to aid in elevating the water in the process of pumping.

\Vith these objects in view my invention consists in a process or method hereinafter described and claimed.

Gas-wells are usually of great depth, perhaps eight or ten hundred feet would be no more than the average, while in some cases wells have respectively been sunk several thousand feet. Such of these wells as yield a considerable supply of gas are of great commercial value.

The accumulation of water in gas-wells in such quantities as to obstruct the flow of gas frequently causes much damage, and sometimes entirely destroys the commercial value of the well. It is customary to insert tubing in the well from the surface of the ground some distance downward,to cut off the surface-water; but this is not always entirely effective, and more or less of the surface-Warter will sometimes seep in; also, deep veins of water, such as supply Artesian-wells, are sometimes crossed in sinking gas-wells, and by reason of their great depth, or by reason of their proximity to or of their issuing from the shale or other stratum of rr ck in which the gas is found, these veins sometimes can-- not well be shut off from the well. Of alarge class of wells from which the water cannot practically be entirely excluded, it must be v v removed, or sooner or later the supply of gas will be shut off by the accumulation of water, and the well thereby rendered worthless. The depth of water that will thus shut off the ,0 gas will depend 011 the pressure of gas encountered, and this will vary greatly in different localities. The gas in the stratum where it is found is always under pressure, and in some instances this pressure is sogrea that probably if the well were filled with water the gas would force its way out, although perhaps not with such a uniform flow as would render the gas very valuable. Usually,'however, the pressure is not so great but thatlong before the well is filled with water the gas will cease to flow, and in such wells the su'rplus water must be removed to render the wells of any permanent value, and the maximum f commercial value is only reached when the I surplus-water is so constantly removed that flow or supply of gas will be uniform. Heretofore it has been a problem in many cases how to remove the water, as required, without incurring an expense greater than the value of the. gas thus obtained. It is well known that pumping on a small scale, espe- F cially when the water is raised to a great distance, is much more expensive, according to the amount of work performed, than when v done on a large scale. V v In'view ofthe foregoing promises I have devised a process and apparatus for removing the water from gas-wells,in which the pressure 1 of the gas may be utilized and made to aid in lifting the water. In my method I employ two passage-waysthe one for thegas andthe other for the water. The former is closed at the top, and by means of suitable valve mechanism the escape of gasis controlled,so that approximately the normal pressure of gas in its stratum is had in the gas passage-way. The two passageways are in open relation with each other at the bottom, andtheinner or water-tube shouldv extend some distance below the line where the gas enters the well. The water of course descends byits gravity to the bottom, and as it 1 r accumulates covers the lower end of the watch tube, and the pressure of gas above on the valve, to prevent the escape of gas through water forces the latter into the water-tube or this tube when the water is all exhausted. passage-way until the column of water bal- Usually the pressure of gas will only force the anees the pressure of gas. Above this equiliwater part way up the said passageway or 5 brium-point the water must be elevated by tube, and the pump performs the balanceof other nieansthat is, pumped out. In some the labor;--but every foot that the water is cases the prtssure of gas may be sufficient to raised by the force of the gas reduces the cost discharge the water through the water-pipe, of pumping. It is not essential that the and in such cases of course no pumping mechbucket or plunger d should operate near the 1o anism will be required. The most convenient end of the water-tube, as shown, but only so arrangement of parts, usually, is to use the far down the tube that it will be sure to meet well,pr0perly secured at the top by tubing,for the water; also, it the bucket 11 descends the gas passage-way, and to insert a water some distance below the water, the valve 0 is tube in the well, and extending it to near the not essential to the working of the pump, but

15 bottom thereof. This water-tube also incloses may be useful as a check-valve.

the pumping mechanism. A preferable ar- I have shown a preferable arrangement of rangement is shown in the accompanying pipes to form the passage-ways for gas and drawings. water in carrying out my ilnproved process;

Figure 1 is an elevation in section of the but I do not wish to confine myself to this 8 20 upper part of a gas-well with suitable tubconstruetionand arrangement, as the passageing, piping, and attachments embodying ways may be formed otherwise than with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation in sectubes, and Various changes might be made tion of the lower part ofthe gas-'welhshowing without departing from the scope and spirit the lower end of the water-pipe and pumping of my ipvention.

25 mechanism. I hereby reserve the right to embody in a A represents the gas-well, into the upper subsequent application forLetters Patent any end of which is driven the tubing B. This novel features in the mechanism shown or detube fits tight into the bore of the well and scribed in this application. extends down some distance, to cut off the What I claim is 5 surface-water, and also prevents the escape of 1. The process or method herein described gas from the well, except throughone or more of operating gaswells, and consisting, essenoutlet-pipes, b, that are arranged for this purtially, first. in providing different passagepose. The tube B extends some distance ways or tubes from the well for the discharge, above the ground, as shown in Fig. l, and is respectively, of gas and water, the passage for mo 5 provided with a cap, B, that screws onto the the water terminating a distance below the end of the tube. Through this cap isinserted gaspassage; second, in regulating the disthe water-pipe O,that extends preferably near charge of gas from the well to retain as far as the bottom of the well, and below where the possible the initial pressure of the gas, so that gasenters, that we will suppose is on the line when the water within the well covers the I05 0 x as, Fig. 2. The tube 0 has a waste-pipe, a, lower end of the water-passage the pressure and has attached a collar or flange, E, that ofgas within the well above the water aidsin is bolted to the cap B, forming a tight joint. forcingthe water up in the water-passageway,

By loosening the bolts the tube 0 may be substantially as set forth.

raised up out of the well. The tube 0 has 2. The process or method herein described no 5 inclosed the pump-rod D, that may connect of operating gaswells, and consisting, essenabove with any suitable mechanism for opertially, in providing separate passage-ways, reating it, and has attached below theplunger or spectively, for gas and water, and providing bucket d, provided with a central orifice,d, and the gas passage-way with suitable valve mechvalve 1?, opening upward. Thelower end of anism for controlling the escape of gas, and

o the tube 0 has attached the inside valve, 0, providing the water passage-way, which ter--- opening upward. The outlet-pipe b has a minates below the gas passage-way,with suitavalve, 1), and may have in addition a sal'etyble pumping mechanism, andconnecting the valve,when required; also, a pressure-gage, to passage-ways for gas and water in such a manindicate the pressure of gas in the well,will be ner that the gas and water are separated in 5 found convenient. and preferably near the bottom of the well,

' In operating the well the water of course and that any pressure of gas had in the well descends by its gravity to the bottom, and is'utilized to aid in discharging water from when a sufficient amount has accumulated to the well, substantially as set forth. cover the end of the tube 0, the pressure of a In testimony whereof sign this specifica- '60 gas will force the water up more or less in the tion, in the presence of two witnesses, this 9th tube, according to the amount ofpressure. If, day of October, 1881.

as is sometimes the case in wells that are not very deep, the pressure of gas is sufficient to PETER HITOHGOOK' discharge the water from the well, no pump- \Vitnesses:

0 5 ing apparatus will be required, and in such a J NO. CROWELL,

.- case the tube 0 should be provided with a CHAS. H. DORER. 7 7 e4

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