Patent Application
20150068761
The present disclosure relates to subterranean storage assemblies and methods for storing fluids in subterranean rooms. In some embodiments, the method relates to modular systems that can be used to establish a subterranean fluid storage assembly, and the fluid that may be stored may be in gas or liquid form.
Petroleum products such as gas and/or liquid products may be acquired from subterranean rooms through the walls, ceilings, or surfaces of those rooms via different well drilling and pumping techniques. Storage of these liquids within these rooms can be more problematic as the rooms do not have a large amount of space and/or it is difficult to get tanks into these rooms from above ground level. The present disclosure provides subterranean storage assemblies and methods for storing fluids in a subterranean room.
Subterranean hydrocarbon recovery systems are provided with the systems including a plurality of conduit sections in fluid communication with at least some of which being aligned in parallel along at least one axis of each section. The recovery systems can also include a well head within a subterranean space with at least one of the sections being in fluid communication with the well head. Subterranean hydrocarbons systems are also provided that can include a plurality of conduit sections arranged in rows and columns.
Methods for recovering hydrocarbon within a subterranean space can include transferring hydrocarbon from at least part of the earth surrounding the space to a plurality of conduit sections within the space. Methods for providing hydrocarbon storage within a subterranean space can also include providing a plurality of sections of conduit to within the space, configuring the conduit to be in fluid communication and form a system of a plurality of conduit sections, and/or providing hydrocarbon from the earth surrounding the space to within the system of conduit.
Embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
The assemblies and methods of the present disclosure will be described with reference to
In horizontal arrangements, the inflow may be associated with a lower portion and/or upper portion as desired. In accordance with example implementations, as gravity provides fluid to the assembly, the fluid may rise from the lower portion of the assembly towards the upper portion of the assembly.
In some implementations, the assembly may be static. In other implementations, the system may include a pump in fluid communication with the well head with at least a portion of the assembly therebetween. The pump can be configured to facilitate the flow of fluid from the well head into the assembly.
According to example configurations, the assembly may be configured to contain as much as 50 to 120 barrels of fluid. In some implementations, greater than 50 barrels of fluid is desirable. Sections 20 can be greater than 6″ in diameter to less than 2′ in diameter, and the space in between these conduits within the assembly can be about 1.5 times the diameter or greater than 1.5 times the diameter of the sections. In accordance with example implementations, these assemblies can include cleanouts or catches that may be formed at bottom portions of the vertical members. Vertical members can connect horizontal members as well.
In accordance with example implementations, assembly 16 can include a plurality of conduit sections in fluid communication. At least some of the sections can be aligned in parallel along at least one axis of each section. As an example, sections 22 of assembly 16 are aligned in parallel along at least one axis of each section. In accordance with example implementations, section 24 may be lowest in elevational relation to the remaining sections of assembly 16, for example, and this section may be connected with well head 18. As can be seen, at least some of the sections of assembly 16 are cylindrical, in that they have the traditional pipe configuration.
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In accordance with example implementations, rung sections 42 and/or 44 can include a monitoring system that may be utilized to determine the fluid level within the assembly. This monitoring system can take the form of a viewing level and may be at one or more points along rung 42 or 44, for example. An upper ladder section may also include this monitoring system as well. The monitoring system may be a certain gas indicator and/or simply a fluid viewing portal, for example.
The monitoring system may be operationally coupled to a pump, and the pump may be configured to operate providing fluid to the assembly and/or ceasing fluid flow to the assembly.
In accordance with example configurations, the rail sections might also include cleanout portals 48, which may be used to remove material from the assembly upon multiple uses and/or as desired. As can be seen, the rail sections can include monitoring systems 50. System 12 may also include a pressure gauge associated therewith. In accordance with example implementations, system 12 can include a vent 52, and the pressure gauge may be associated therewith. In accordance with example implementations, at least one of the rail sections may terminate in vent 52.
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In compliance with the statute, embodiments of the invention have been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the entire invention is not limited to the specific features and/or embodiments shown and/or described, since the disclosed embodiments comprise forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
