HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED DOWNHOLE PUMP WITH TRAVELING VALVE

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a hydraulic pump with gas lock prevention. The pump includes a pump barrel having an intake port and a discharge port and a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel. The pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume connected to the discharge port and a second pump volume connected to the intake port. A pump flow path is formed through the pump piston connecting the first pump volume and the second pump volume. The pump further includes a first valve disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston. The first valve selectively permits fluid flow from the second pump volume to the first pump volume. The pump further includes a second valve disposed at the discharge port to selectively permit fluid flow out of the first pump volume through the discharge port.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to hydraulically activated pump.

2. Description of the Related Art

When reservoir pressure in a well is insufficient for the production fluid to reach the surface on its own, pumps can be used in the well to help bring production fluids to the surface. One type of pump for such operations is a hydraulically actuated pump.

A hydraulically actuated pump is typically deployed downhole in a tubing disposed in a wellbore. Surface equipment injects power fluid, e.g., produced water or oil, down the tubing to the pump. The power fluid operates to drive an engine piston internally between upstrokes and down strokes which, in turn, drives a pump piston connected to the engine piston via a rod. During upstrokes, the pump draws in production fluid to an intake pump volume below the pump piston. During down strokes, the pump transfers the production fluid from the intake pump volume to a discharge pump volume above the pump piston. In a subsequent upstroke, the production fluid is discharged from the discharge pump volume via the tubing-casing annulus or some such parallel path to the surface equipment for handling.

Hydraulically activated pumps use the incompressible characteristic of the production liquid to transfer the production liquid from the intake volume to the discharge volume and discharge the production liquid out of the discharge volume. However, in traditional hydraulically activated pumps, when gas is drawn into the intake pump volume during an upstroke, the gas in the intake volume will simply compress and expand during the subsequent down strokes and upstrokes, thereby causing the pump to gas lock. When gas lock occurs, the pump fails to move any production liquid to the surface.

There is, therefore, a need for a hydraulic pump capable of preventing gas lock.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a hydraulic pump with gas lock prevention.

One embodiment of a pump includes a pump barrel having an intake port and a discharge port, and a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel. The pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume connected to the discharge port and a second pump volume connected to the intake port. A pump flow path is formed through the pump piston connecting the first pump volume and the second pump volume. The pump further includes a first valve disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston. The first valve selectively permits fluid flow from the second pump volume to the first pump volume. The pump further includes a second valve disposed at the discharge port to selectively permit fluid flow out of the first pump volume through the discharge port.

Another embodiment provides a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump comprises an engine barrel and a pump barrel and an engine piston movably disposed in the engine barrel. The engine piston divides an inner volume of the engine barrel into a first engine volume and a second engine volume. The engine barrel has an engine inlet port connecting to the inner volume. The hydraulic pump further includes a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel. The pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume. The first pump volume has an outlet port and the second pump volume has an intake port. The hydraulic pump further includes a middle rod connecting the engine piston and the pump piston. The middle rod has a rod passage selectively connecting the first engine volume and the first pump volume. The hydraulic pump further includes a first check valve disposed in the pump piston to control flow from the first pump volume to the second pump volume, and a second check valve disposed to control flow from the first pump volume through the outlet port of the pump barrel.

Another embodiment provides a method for pumping production fluid from a wellbore. The method includes stroking a pump piston disposed in a pump barrel repeatedly between an upstroke and a down stroke, wherein the pump piston divides the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume, a pump flow path is formed through the pump piston between the first pump volume and the second pump volume, and a first check valve is disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston. The method further includes, during each upstroke, drawing production fluid into the second pump volume through an intake port through the pump barrel and discharging fluid in the first pump volume through a second check valve disposed on a discharge port through the pump barrel. The method further includes, during each down stroke, flowing the production fluid in the second pump volume to the first pump volume through the first check valve disposed in the pump piston while the second check valve remains closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the various aspects, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A is a schematic sectional view showing a hydraulic pump according to one embodiment of the present disclosure disposed in a wellbore.

FIG. 1B is a schematic sectional view showing the hydraulic pump of FIG. 1A during a down stroke.

FIG. 2A schematically illustrates the directions of fluid flow in the hydraulic pump of FIG. 1A during an upstroke.

FIG. 2B schematically illustrates the directions of fluid flow of the hydraulic pump of FIG. 1A during a down stroke.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation. The drawings referred to here should not be understood as being drawn to scale unless specifically noted. Also, the drawings are often simplified and details or components omitted for clarity of presentation and explanation. The drawings and discussion serve to explain principles discussed below, where like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.

FIG. 1A is a schematic sectional view showing one embodiment of a hydraulic pump 100 disposed in a wellbore. The hydraulic pump 100 may be used to produce production fluids from a wellbore to the surface.

FIG. 1A illustrates the hydraulic pump 100 is installed downhole in tubing 20 disposed in a wellbore casing 10. A tubing standing valve 18 may be disposed inside the tubing 20 at a lower end 20a. The tubing stand valve 18 selectively closes a tubing volume 24 inside the tubing 20 and a production region 16 below the tubing 20. The tubing standing valve 18 ensures that fluid flows from the production region 16 to the tubing volume 24, not vice versa. The tubing standing valve 18 also allows retrieval of the hydraulic pump 100 by pumping power fluid through an annulus 12 between the tubing 20 and the wellbore casing 10. One or more packer assembly 14 may be disposed between the tubing 20 and the wellbore casing 10 near the lower end 20a of the tubing 20. The one or more packer assembly 14 seals the annulus 12 from the production region 16. The tubing 20 may include one or more ports 22 near the lower end 20a to connect the tubing volume 22 and the annulus 12.

The hydraulic pump 100 may be disposed in the tubing volume 24 near the lower end 20a to pump production fluid in the production region 16 to the annulus 12. The hydraulic pump 100 may include a housing 102. The housing 102 has an engine barrel 104 and a pump barrel 106. A seating cup 108 may be disposed on the housing 102 between the engine barrel 104 and the pump barrel 106. The seating cup 108 is configured to contact an inner wall of the tubing 20 and form a seal with the tubing 20. The seating cup 108 seals a pump tubing volume 24b between the pump barrel 106 and the tubing 20. The port 22 connects the pump tubing volume 24b to the annulus 12. A sealing member 110 may be disposed on the housing 102 above the engine barrel 104. The sealing member 110 is configured to contact the inner wall of the tubing 20 and form a seal with the tubing 20. The seating cup 108 and the sealing member 110 seal an engine tubing volume 24a between the engine barrel 104 and the tubing 20.

The hydraulic pump 100 may include an engine check valve 124 disposed above the engine barrel 104. The engine check valve 124 allows fluid, such as a power fluid, to enter the engine tubing volume 24a. The engine barrel 104 encloses an engine volume 112 therein. The engine barrel 104 may have an engine inlet port 126 connecting the engine volume 112 to the engine tubing volume 24a. The engine inlet port 126 may be positioned to connect the lower engine volume 112b to the engine tubing volume 24a. An engine piston 116 is movably disposed in the engine barrel 104. The engine piston 116 divides the engine volume 112 into an upper engine volume 112a and a lower engine volume 112b.

The pump barrel 106 encloses a pump volume 114 therein. A pump piston 118 may be movably disposed in the pump barrel 106. The pump piston 118 divides the pump volume 114 into an upper pump volume 114a and a lower pump volume 114b. A middle rod 120 is coupled between the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118. The middle rod 120 enables the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118 to move in synchrony along a central axis 101 of the hydraulic pump 100. The engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118 move back and forth along the central axis 101 changing sizes of the upper engine volume 112a, the lower engine volume 112b, the upper pump volume 114a and the lower pump volume 114b. A rod seal 122 may be disposed inside the housing 102 between the engine barrel 104 and the pump barrel 106. The rod seal 122 forms a seal around the middle rod 120 to fluidly isolate the pump volume 114 from the engine volume 112.

In one embodiment, the engine piston 116 has an inner chamber 128 formed therein. The inner chamber 128 opens to the upper engine volume 112a. The inner chamber 128 has an upper port 138 and a lower port 140. The upper port 138 is connected to the lower engine volume 112b. The lower port 140 is connected to a rod passage 130 formed through the middle rod 120. The rod passage 130 may be connected to the upper pump volume 114a through one or more upper outlet 132.

In one embodiment, a reversing valve 146 may be disposed in the inner chamber 128 of the engine piston 116. The reversing valve 146 alternatively connects the upper engine volume 112a to the lower engine volume 112b and the rod passage 130. The reversing valve 146 may include a piston 148 disposed in the inner chamber 128. The piston 148 is movable vertically within the inner chamber 128 between an upper pressure seat 142 and a lower pressure seat 144. When the piston 148 is in contact with the upper pressure seat 142, the upper engine volume 112a is connected with the lower engine volume 112b through the upper port 138. When the piston 148 is in contact with the upper pressure seat 144, the upper engine volume 112a is connected with the rod passage 130 through the lower port 140.

A push rod 158 may be disposed on the engine piston 116. A bias element 160 may be attached to the push rod 158 to bias the push rod 158 away from the piston 148 of the reversing valve 146. As the engine piston 116 moves upwards, the push rod 158 may become in contact with an upper wall 104a of the engine barrel 104. The upper wall 104a pushes the push rod 158 and the push rod 158 compresses the bias element 160 to move downward. If the piston 148 of the reversing valve 146 is in contact with the upper pressure seat 142 when the push rod 158 is moving down, the push rod 158 contacts the piston 148 and pushes the piston 148 down to reverse the position of the reversing valve 146. Similarly, a lower push rod 162 disposed at an opposite end of the piston 148 to push the piston 148 up when the engine piston 116 is at a lower most position and the piston 148 of the reversing valve 146 is in contact with the lower pressure seat 144.

In one embodiment, the rod passage 130 may extend through the pump piston 118 and open to the lower pump volume 114b through a lower outlet 134. Thus, the rod passage 130 provides a fluid communication between the lower pump volume 114b and the upper pump volume 114a. A traveling valve 136 may be disposed in the pump piston 118 to selectively open the lower outlet 134. The traveling valve 136 allows fluid flow from the lower pump volume 114b to the rod passage 130 and prohibits fluid flow from the rod passage 130 to the lower pump volume 114. Alternatively, the fluid passage from the lower pump volume 114b to the upper pump volume 114a may be an independent flow path formed through the pump piston 118 and not connected to the rod passage 130.

The pump barrel 106 may include an intake port 150. The intake port 150 may be formed through a lower end of the pump barrel 106 to draw up production fluid into the lower pump volume 114b. An intake valve 152 may be disposed in the intake port 150 to selectively open and close the intake port 150. The intake valve 152 may be a check valve to ensure that fluid only flow into the pump volume 114 not out of the pump volume 114.

The pump barrel 106 may also include a discharge port 154. The discharge port 154 may be formed through an upper end of the pump barrel 106 to connect the upper pump volume 114a to the pump tubing volume 24a. A discharge valve 156 may be disposed in the pump barrel 106 to selectively open and close the discharge port 154. In one embodiment, the discharge valve 156 may be a disk valve having a valve body with a set of ports and a disk plate with sealing members configured to seal the set of ports in the valve body. In one embodiment, the discharge valve 156 may be disk valve including a self-cleaning mechanism configured to cause a disturbance in fluid flow within or near the valve body when the disk plate is sealing or unsealing the set of ports. The disturbance in the fluid flow may impede, remove and/or displace debris buildup on a surface of the valve body. The self-cleaning mechanism may include one or more cut outs formed a surface of the valve body in proximity to the set of ports. Alternatively, the discharge valve 156 may be any suitable valves, for example any suitable pressure activated valves, such as a ball and seat valve and a flapper valve.

During operation, the hydraulic pump 100 may be disposed at the lower end 20a of the tubing 20 with the pump barrel 106 facing the production region 16 and the engine barrel 104 away from the production region 16. The hydraulic pump 100 may be positioned against the tubing standing valve 18. The seating cup 108 and the sealing member 110 are pressed against the inner surface of the tubing 20 to seal off the pump tubing volume 24b and the engine tubing volume 24a from each other and from the remaining tubing volume 24 above the hydraulic pump 100. A power fluid may be applied from surface through the tubing volume 24 to drive the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118 up and down the engine barrel 104 and the pump barrel 106. FIG. 1A schematically illustrates the hydraulic pump 100 when the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118 are moving up, i.e. during an upstroke. FIG. 1B schematically illustrates the hydraulic pump 100 when the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118 are moving down, i.e. during a down stroke.

FIG. 2A schematically illustrates the directions of fluid flow during upstroke. During upstroke, the reversible valve 148 is in contact with the upper pressure seat 142 causing the inlet port 138 to be closed by the reversible valve 148 while the outlet port 140 is open. The closure of the inlet port 138 prevents fluid flow from the lower engine volume 112b to the upper engine volume 112a. The opening of the outlet port 140 allows fluid flow from the upper engine volume 112a to the bump volume 114 through the rod passage 130.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the power fluid in the tubing volume 24 enters the engine tubing volume 24a through the engine check valve 124. The power fluid then enters the lower engine volume 112b through the engine inlet port 126. Because the inlet port 138 is blocked by the reversible valve 148, the power fluid remains in the lower engine volume 112b. The pressure of the power fluid in the lower engine volume 112b increases until it overcomes the pressure of the fluid in the upper engine volume 112a, thereby moving the engine piston 116 upward. The upstroke of the engine piston 116 reduces the upper engine volume 112a, which forces the fluid in the upper engine volume 112a to flow through the outlet port 140 and into the rod passage 130.

The upstroke of the engine piston 116 is translated to the pump piston 118 through the middle rod 120. Upward movement of the pump piston 118 enlarges the volume of the lower pump volume 114b and reduces the volume of the upper pump volume 114a. The pressure in the lower pump volume 114b decreases as a result of enlarging the volume of the lower pump volume 114. When the pressure in the lower pump volume 114b is lower than the pressure of the production region 16, the check valves 18 and 152 open to draw the production fluid into the lower pump volume 114.

Because the travelling valve 136 is closed during the upstroke, fluid communication between the rod passage 130 and the lower pump volume 114b is blocked. The fluid in the rod passage 130 enters into the upper pump volume 114a through the upper outlet 132 of the rod passage 130. In this respect, the upper pump volume 114a contains a mixture of the production fluid and the power fluid (commingled fluid). Both the introduction of fluid into the upper pump volume 114a and the reduction in volume of the upper pump volume 114a contributes to the increase in pressure of the upper pump volume 114a during the upstroke. When the pressure in the upper volume 114a reaches the opening pressure of the discharge valve 156, the discharge valve 156 opens to allow fluid from the upper pump volume 114a to exit into the pump tubing volume 24b, then through the port 22 to the annulus 12, and then to the surface. The expelled fluid is a mixture of production fluid and power fluid (commingled fluid).

As the engine piston 116 moves to its upper location, the push rod 158 will contact the top wall 104a of the engine barrel 104. The push rod 158 moves relative to the engine piston 116 and compresses the bias element 160. The push rod 158 then contacts and pushes the piston 148 of the reversing valve 146. In response, the reversible valve 148 moves downward within the inner chamber 128, thereby opening the inlet port 138 and closing the lower port 140. The power fluid from the lower engine volume 112b flows through the inlet port 138 and into the upper engine volume 112a. The flow of power fluid into the upper engine volume 112a causes the upper engine volume 112a to expand and the engine piston 116 to move down, thus, starting a down stroke.

FIG. 2B schematically illustrates the directions of fluid flow during a down stroke. After the reversing valve 148 reverses its position at the top of an upstroke, power fluid flows from the lower engine volume 112b to the upper engine volume 112a through the inlet port 138. The upper engine volume 112a expands to push down the engine piston 116 and the pump piston 118. When the lower port 140 is closed, the upper pump volume 114a loses the pressure from the power fluid. The upper pump volume 114a also loses pressure because the upper pump volume 114a is expanding due to the pump piston 118 moving downward. The discharge valve 156 is closed as a result of the pressure drop in the upper pump volume 114a. The downward movement of the pump piston 118 also reduces the volume of the lower pump volume 114b, thereby causing the pressure in the lower pump volume 114b to increase. The increased pressure in lower pump volume 114b opens the travelling valve 136 and closes the intake valve 152. Thus, during a down stroke, the production fluid in the lower pump volume 114b flows into the upper pump volume 114a through the travelling valve 136.

When the engine piston 116 is moving downward to its bottom location, the reversing valve 146 may be reversed to open the lower port 140 and close the inlet port 138 to start the next upstroke. During the next upstroke, new production fluid may be drawn into the lower pump volume 114a, and the production fluid in the upper pump volume 114a will be discharged through the discharge valve 156 along with the spent power fluid in the upper engine volume 112a.

The hydraulic pump 100 according to the present disclosure has several advantages over traditional hydraulic pumps. For example, the hydraulic pump 100 is configured to prevent gas lock and is effective in high gas content wells, for example, horizontal shale well completions. As described above, during upstroke, when the production fluid in the upper pump volume 114a is being discharged into the annulus 12, the upper pump volume 114a is in fluid communication with the upper engine volume 112a so that the upper pump volume 114a is pressurized by the power fluid in the upper engine volume 114a. The pressure of the power fluid from the upper engine volume 112a provides sufficient pressure to open the discharge valve 156 to discharge the high gas content production fluid into the annulus 12. Even if the production fluid in the lower engine volume 114b includes a high percentage of compressive fluid, such as gas, the discharge check valve 156 isolates the upper pump volume 114a from the fluid pressure in the annulus 12 to permit the fluid in the lower engine volume 114b to be transferred to the upper engine volume 114a during down stroke, thus preventing gas lock in the lower engine volume 114b.

Additionally, compared to traditional pumps with gas lock preventing mechanism, the hydraulic pump 100 includes a simplified and more robust structure. Traditional gas lock preventing mechanism includes two check valves positioned next to each other on the pump barrel for intake and discharge respectively resulting in a complex structure. By using the travelling valve 136 in the pump piston 118 to control the intake of production fluid in the upper pump volume 114a, the hydraulic pump 100 of the present disclosure provides a simplified solution for gas lock prevention.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A pump, comprising: a pump barrel having an intake port and a discharge port;a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel, wherein the pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume fluidly connected to the discharge port and a second pump volume fluidly connected to the intake port, and wherein a pump flow path is formed through the pump piston fluidly connecting the first pump volume and the second pump volume;a first valve disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston, wherein the first valve selectively permits fluid flow from the second pump volume to the first pump volume; anda second valve disposed at the discharge port to selectively permit fluid flow out of the first pump volume through the discharge port.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the second valve is pressure activated valve.

3. The pump of claim 2, wherein the first valve and the second valve are individually selected from the group consisting of a check valve, a disk valve, a ball and seat valve, and a flapper valve.

4. The pump of claim 1, further comprising: an engine barrel;an engine piston movably disposed in the engine barrel; anda middle rod rigidly coupled between the engine barrel and the pump piston so that the engine piston drives the pump piston.

5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the middle rod has a rod passage formed therethrough, and the rod passage selectively permits a power fluid from the engine barrel to the first pump volume.

6. The pump of claim 5, wherein the rod passage is connected to the pump flow path.

7. The pump of claim 1, further comprising a third valve disposed at the intake port to selectively permit fluid flow into the second pump volume through the intake port.

8. A hydraulic pump, comprising: an engine barrel;a pump barrel;an engine piston movably disposed in the engine barrel, wherein the engine piston divides an inner volume of the engine barrel into a first engine volume and a second engine volume, and the engine barrel has an engine inlet port connecting to the inner volume;a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel, wherein the pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume, the first pump volume has an outlet port, and the second pump volume has an intake port;a middle rod connecting the engine piston and the pump piston, wherein the middle rod has a rod passage selectively connecting the first engine volume and the first pump volume;a first check valve disposed in the pump piston to control flow from the first pump volume to the second pump volume; anda second check valve disposed to control flow from the first pump volume through the outlet port of the pump barrel.

9. The hydraulic pump of claim 8, further comprising an intake valve disposed to control flow from the intake port of the pump barrel to the lower pump volume.

10. The hydraulic pump of claim 8, further comprising a reversing valve movable to alternatively connect the first engine volume to the second engine volume or the first pump volume.

11. The hydraulic pump of claim 8, wherein the second check valve is pressure activated check valve.

12. The hydraulic pump of claim 11, wherein the second check valve is selected from a disk valve, a ball and seat valve, and a flapper valve.

13. The hydraulic pump of claim 8, wherein the engine inlet port open to the second engine volume, and the engine inlet port is configured to receive power fluid for driving the hydraulic pump.

14. The hydraulic pump of claim 8, further comprising: a seating cup disposed outside the housing between the engine barrel and the pump barrel, wherein the seating cup is configured to form a seal with a tubing.

15. The hydraulic pump of claim 14, further comprising: an engine check valve disposed above the engine barrel.

16. The hydraulic pump of claim 15, further comprising a sealing member disposed outside the housing between the engine check valve and the engine barrel.

17. A method for pumping production fluid from a wellbore, comprising: stroking a pump piston disposed in a pump barrel repeatedly between an upstroke and a down stroke, wherein the pump piston divides the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume, and includes a pump flow path between the first pump volume and the second pump volume;during each upstroke,drawing production fluid into the second pump volume through an intake port of the pump barrel; anddischarging fluid in the first pump volume through a discharge port of the pump barrel; and

18. The method of claim 17, wherein stroking the pump piston comprises: deploying a power fluid down a tubing; andstroking an engine piston disposed in an engine barrel between an upstroke and a down stroke, wherein the engine piston is rigidly attached to the pump piston by a middle rod.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: during each up stroke, flowing the power fluid from the engine barrel to the first pump volume through a rod passage formed through the middle rod.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling fluid communication through the pump flow path using a first valve.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling fluid communication through the discharge port using a second valve, and wherein discharging the fluid in the first pump volume comprises pressurizing the first pump volume to above an opening pressure of the second valve.