WO1994018432B1 - Method of reducing water in oil wells - Google Patents

Method of reducing water in oil wells

Info

Publication number
WO1994018432B1
WO1994018432B1 PCT/CA1994/000035 CA9400035W WO9418432B1 WO 1994018432 B1 WO1994018432 B1 WO 1994018432B1 CA 9400035 W CA9400035 W CA 9400035W WO 9418432 B1 WO9418432 B1 WO 9418432B1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
stream
oil
outlet
water
pump
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA1994/000035
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO1994018432A1 (en
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/012,916 external-priority patent/US5296153A/en
Application filed filed Critical
Priority to JP51746594A priority Critical patent/JP3377792B2/en
Priority to DE69413949T priority patent/DE69413949D1/en
Priority to EP94904932A priority patent/EP0681641B1/en
Priority to AU58773/94A priority patent/AU683864B2/en
Priority to DK94904932T priority patent/DK0681641T3/en
Publication of WO1994018432A1 publication Critical patent/WO1994018432A1/en
Publication of WO1994018432B1 publication Critical patent/WO1994018432B1/en
Priority to NO953044A priority patent/NO309059B1/en

Links

Abstract

A method of reducing water in oil wells. Firstly, place a cyclone separator (11) downhole in a producing oil well. The cyclone separator includes a separation chamber (15) wherein liquids of differing densities are separated, a mixed liquids inlet (17) through which liquids pass into the separation chamber (15), a first outlet (19) for liquids of a first density to pass from the separation chamber (15), and a second outlet (21) for liquids of a second density to pass from the separation chamber (15). Secondly, connect the first outlet (19) to a recovery conduit (27) extending to surface whereby a stream of mainly oil is separated in the separation chamber (15) from the oil/water stream flowing through the mixed liquids inlet (17). The stream of mainly oil flowing out the first outlet (19) and along the recovery conduit (27) to surface. Thirdly, connect the second outlet (21) to a disposal conduit (33) extending to a selected disposal site whereby a stream of mainly water is separated in the separation chamber (15) from the the oil/water stream passing through the mixed liquids inlet (17). The stream of mainly water flowing out the second outlet (21) and along the disposal conduit (33) to a selected disposal site.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 29 July 1994 (29.07.94); original claims 1-4 replaced by amended claims 1-3 (3 pages)]
1. An improvement in a method for reducing the amount of formation water in oil recovered from an oil well in which a separator (11) is placed downhole in an oil well producing an oil/water stream; the separator (11) including a separation chamber (15) wherein liquids of differing densities are separated, a mixed liquids inlet (17) through which liquids pass into the separation chamber (15) , a first outlet (19) for liquids of a first density to pass from the separation chamber (15), a second outlet (21) for liquids of a second density to pass from the separation chamber (15); the first outlet (19) being connected to a recovery conduit (27) extending to surface whereby a stream containing oil is separated in the separation chamber (15) from the oil/water stream passing through the mixed liquids inlet (17), the stream containing oil flowing out the first outlet (19) and up the recovery conduit (27) to the surface; the second outlet (21) being connected to a disposal conduit (33) extending to a selected disposal site whereby a stream of mainly water is separated in the separation chamber (15) from the oil/water stream passing through the mixed liquids inlet (17) , the stream of mainly water flowing out the second outlet (21) and along the disposal conduit (33) to the selected disposal site, the improvement to the method being characterized by: the fact that the separator is a cyclone separator (11) and the separation of oil and water is regulated separate from flow, the separation of oil and water being regulated solely by the cyclone separator (11).
2. The method for reducing the amount of formation water in oil recovered from an oil well as defined in Claim 1, wherein flow is regulated through the use of a dual steam pump (10, 12, 14, 16).
3. The method for reducing the amount of formation water in oil recovered from an oil well as defined in Claim 2, wherein the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) includes: a first pump section (18) having a first fluid inlet (22) and a first fluid outlet (24); a second pump section (20) having a second fluid inlet (26) and a second fluid outlet (28); and a single drive means (41, 44, 49) acting upon fluids in both the first pump section (18) and the second pump section (20); the first fluid inlet (22) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) being coupled with the first outlet of the cyclone separator (11) and the second fluid inlet (19) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) being coupled with the second outlet (21) of the cyclone separator (11) ; the first fluid outlet (22) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) being connected to the recovery conduit (27) extending to surface; the second fluid outlet (28) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) being connected to the disposal conduit (33) extending to a selected disposal site; and the single drive means (41,44, 49) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) drawing an oil/water stream through the mixed liquids inlet (17) of the cyclone separator( 110), with a stream of mainly oil being separated in the separation chamber (15) from the oil/water stream, the stream of containing oil passing through the first outlet (19) of the cyclone separator 21
(11) and then being pumped in the first fluid inlet (22) through the first pump section (18), out the first fluid outlet (24) of the dual stream pump (10, 12, 14, 16) and along the recovery conduit (27) to the surface, with a stream of mainly water concurrently being separated in the separation chamber (15) from the oil/water stream, the stream of mainly water passing through the second outlet (21) and then being pumped in the second fluid inlet (26) through the second pump section (20), out the second fluid outlet (28) of the dual steam pump (10, 12, 14, 16) and along the disposal conduit (33) to the selected disposal site.
STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19
The Claim amendment are intended to accomplish two purposes. Firstly, the amendments are intended alter the claims from a North American Claim style in which they were originally written to a form more closely resembling the European style. Secondly, the amendments are intended to focus attention upon some fundamental differences between the reference document being designated as being of particular relevance, that being GB 2,194,575. The cited reference uses a centrifugal separator, whereas the present application uses a cyclone separator. The separators are not interchangeable. In a cyclone separator a lighter phase fluid actually reverses flow direction in relation to a main stream liquid. A cyclone separator cannot be placed between two pumps in a dual pump configuration as taught by the cited reference, as this would require a connecting shaft to extend through the cyclone separator. The centrifugal separator can only be used when coupled with an elaborate hydrocarbon sensing and flow regulating mechanism that regulates separation. Such a flow regulating mechanism would hinder the operation of the cyclone separator, as reducing flow hinders the cyclone separators separation efficiency. In the present invention the separation of oil and water is regulated separate from the flow. The separation of oil and water is regulated solely by the cyclone separator. The flow through the cyclone separator is preferably regulated by a dual stream pump. The cited reference does not suggest such a combination of a cyclone separate and a dual stream pump.
PCT/CA1994/000035 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 Method of reducing water in oil wells WO1994018432A1 (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP51746594A JP3377792B2 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 How to reduce water in oil wells
DE69413949T DE69413949D1 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 METHOD FOR REDUCING WATER INFLOW IN PETROLEUM HOLES
EP94904932A EP0681641B1 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 Method of reducing water in oil wells
AU58773/94A AU683864B2 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 Method of reducing water in oil wells
DK94904932T DK0681641T3 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 Process for reducing water in oil wells
NO953044A NO309059B1 (en) 1993-02-03 1995-08-02 Method and apparatus for reducing water in oil wells

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/012,916 US5296153A (en) 1993-02-03 1993-02-03 Method and apparatus for reducing the amount of formation water in oil recovered from an oil well
US08/012,916 1993-02-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1994018432A1 WO1994018432A1 (en) 1994-08-18
WO1994018432B1 true WO1994018432B1 (en) 1994-09-29

Family

ID=21757357

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CA1994/000035 WO1994018432A1 (en) 1993-02-03 1994-01-21 Method of reducing water in oil wells

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US5296153A (en)
EP (1) EP0681641B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3377792B2 (en)
AT (1) ATE172275T1 (en)
AU (1) AU683864B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2113976C (en)
DE (1) DE69413949D1 (en)
DK (1) DK0681641T3 (en)
NO (1) NO309059B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1994018432A1 (en)

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