Claims
- 1. An artificial lift system for use in a well bore comprising:a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet; a second chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said second chamber being arranged in side-by-side spaced and separate parallel relationship to said first chamber; a power gas string in valved communication with said first chamber and said second chamber; a liquid string in valved communication with said outlet of said first chamber and with said outlet of said second chamber; a vent in valved communication with said first chamber and with said second chamber; a compressor connected to said power gas string and adapted to pass a pressurized gas into said power gas string; and a valve connected to said power gas string and to said first and second chambers, said valve selectively and alternately allowing the pressurized gas to enter said first chamber and said second chamber so as to directly displace a liquid in said first chamber through said outlet of said first chamber and into said liquid string and to directly displace a liquid in said second chamber through said outlet of said second chamber and into said liquid string.
- 2. The system of claim 1, said liquid extending continuously along said liquid string from an uppermost of said outlets of said first and second chambers.
- 3. The system of claim 1, said first chamber having an approximately equal volume as said second chamber.
- 4. The system of claim 1, said first chamber having a top end aligned in a horizontal plane with a top of said second chamber, said first chamber having a bottom end aligned in a horizontal plane with a bottom of said second chamber.
- 5. The system of claim 1, said valve movable between a first position and a second position, said first position allowing pressurized gas into one of said first and second chambers while blocking pressurized gas from entering another of said first and second chambers, said second position allowing pressurized gas into said another of said first and second chambers while blocking pressurized gas from entering said one of said first and second chambers.
- 6. The system of claim 5, said valve adapted to close said vent relative to said one of said first and second chambers when said valve is moved to said first position, said valve adapted to close said vent relative to said another of said first and second chambers when said valve is moved to said second position.
- 7. The system of claim 1, said vent being interactive with said valve so as to allow gas to vent from one of said first and second chambers after the liquid has passed from said one of said first and second chambers, said vent being interactive with said valve so as to allow gas to vent from another of said first and second chambers after the liquid has passed from said another of said first and second chambers.
- 8. The system of claim 1, said compressor adapted to pass a pressurized gas of greater than 5,000 p.s.i. into said power gas string.
- 9. An artificial lift system for use in a well bore comprising:a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet; a second chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said second chamber being in spaced and separate side-by-side relationship to said first chamber, said first chamber having a top end aligned in a horizontal plane with a top of said second chamber, said first chamber having a bottom end aligned in a horizontal plane with a bottom of said second chamber; a power gas string connected to said first and second chambers; a liquid string connected to said outlet of said first chamber and to said outlet of said second chamber; a vent connected to said first and second chambers; a compressor connected to said power gas string and adapted to pass a pressurized gas into said power gas string; and a valve connected to said power gas string and to said vent, said valve adapted to selectively and alternately pass pressurized gas into said first and second chambers so as to directly displace liquid in said first and second chambers through the respective outlets and into said liquid string, said valve adapted to selectively and alternately vent gas from said first and second chambers after the liquid has passed into the liquid string.
- 10. The system of claim 9, said first and second chambers being in parallel relationship to each other, said first and second chambers having an approximately equal volume.
- 11. The system of claim 9, said liquid extending continuously along said liquid string from an uppermost of said outlets of said first and second chambers.
- 12. The system of claim 9, said valve being movable between a first position and a second position, said first position allowing pressurized gas into said first chamber while blocking pressurized gas from entering said second chamber, said second position allowing pressurized gas into said second chamber while blocking pressurized gas from entering said first chamber.
- 13. The system of claim 12, said valve adapted to close said vent relative to said first chamber when said valve is moved to said first position, said valve adapted to close said vent relative to said second chamber when said valve is moved to said second position.
- 14. A method of lifting a liquid from a well bore in which a first chamber and a second chamber are arranged in spaced and separate side-by-side relationship, a liquid string and a power gas string extend from the first and second chambers, each of the first and second chambers has an inlet which allows liquid from the well bore to enter the chambers and an outlet which allows liquid from the chamber to enter the liquid string, the method comprising:passing pressurized gas through said power gas string into said first chamber so as to directly displace liquid from said first chamber into said liquid string; blocking gas flow from entering said second chamber so as to allow liquid to accumulate in said second chamber; venting gas from said first chamber after a desired period of time; and passing pressurized gas through said power gas string and into said second chamber and blocking the passing of pressurized gas into said first chamber so as to directly displace liquid from said second chamber and to enter said liquid string as a continuous liquid line through said liquid string.
- 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:venting the pressurized gas from the second chamber after a desired period of time.
- 16. The method of claim 14, said step of passing pressurized gas into said first chamber comprising:passing pressurized gas of at least 5,000 p.s.i. into said first chamber while blocking the passing of pressurized gas into said second chamber.
- 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:installing said first and second chambers in said well bore in parallel relationship, said first and second chambers having approximately equal volumes.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/201,017, filed on Nov. 30, 1998, and entitled “Gas Displaced Chamber Lift System”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,849. The present invention further relates to lift systems employing double chambers for the collection of liquid from the wellbore.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
23 64 737 |
Jul 1975 |
DE |
570-697 |
Sep 1977 |
SU |
1204 -700 |
Jan 1986 |
SU |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
The Technology of Artificial Lift Methods. vol. 2a pp. 124-132. |
Otis Single and Dual-Acting Gas Pumps: To Enhance Artificial Lift Production for Light and Heavy Crude in Shallow and Deep Wells. Otis Engineering sales brochure. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/201017 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/339482 |
|
US |