Wells – Processes – Producing the well
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-04
2001-06-26
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Wells
Processes
Producing the well
C313S054000, C313S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250390
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to systems for raising fluids from wells, and particularly to a dual submergible pumping system for use in a narrowly confined wellbore to produce fluids from separate reservoirs without commingling of the fluids.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In producing petroleum and other useful fluids from production wells, it is generally known to provide a submergible pumping system for raising the fluids collected in a well. Production fluids enter a wellbore via perforations formed in a well casing adjacent a production formation. Fluids contained in the formation collect in the wellbore and may be raised by the submergible pumping system to another zone or to a collection point above the surface of the earth.
In an exemplary submergible pumping system, the system includes several components, such as a submergible pump, a submergible electric motor and a motor protector. The submergible electric motor typically supplies power to the submergible pump by a drive shaft, and the motor protector serves to isolate the internal motor oil from the well fluids. A deployment system, such as deployment tubing in the form of coiled tubing or production tubing, is used to deploy the submergible pumping system within a wellbore. Generally, power is supplied to the submergible electric motor or motors by one or more power cables supported along the deployment system.
Some wells have the capability of producing from two or more zones or reservoirs. However, because of constraints such as incompatibility of fluids, differential pressures in the reservoirs, and other constraints, it is sometimes undesirable to commingle the fluids produced from separate production zones.
Production from the separate zones or reservoirs can be accomplished by running separate submergible pumping systems deployed on separate tubing strings. This can be problematic in certain applications, however, due to space constraints. In other words, the wellbore must be of substantial diameter to accommodate two separate systems. Many of the common or standard wellbore diameters do not readily accommodate the use of independently deployed submergible pumping systems.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have a dual submergible pumping system that could be deployed on a single tubing deployment system within a narrowly confined wellbore. It would also be advantageous to utilize separate fluid flow paths to prevent commingling of fluids pumped from the separate zones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a pumping system for use in a wellbore. The system comprises a deployment tubing, a first submergible pumping system suspended from the deployment tubing and a second submergible pumping system suspended from the deployment tubing. Additionally, the system includes a fluid transport having a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path separated from the first fluid flow path. The first submergible pumping system is connected to the fluid transport such that fluid may be discharged into the first fluid flow path, and the second submergible pumping system is connected to the fluid transport such that fluid may be discharged into the second fluid flow path.
According to another aspect of the invention, a dual electric submergible pumping system is provided for interaction with at least two separate zones within a wellbore. The system includes a single deployment tubing having a hollow interior through which a fluid may be pumped. Additionally, a dual submergible pumping system is suspended from the single deployment tubing. The dual pumping system has a first submergible pump connected to a first pump intake disposed in a first zone as well as a second submergible pump connected to a second pump intake disposed in a second zone. The dual system also includes an alternate fluid transport. The first submergible pump is disposed in fluid communication with the hollow interior, while the second submergible pump is disposed in fluid communication with the alternate fluid transport.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for pumping fluids from a pair of zones within a narrowly confined wellbore without commingling the fluids pumped from the individual zones. The method includes separating a first wellbore zone from a second wellbore zone by a packer. The method further comprises suspending a first and a second pump from a deployment tubing having a hollow interior, and drawing fluid into the first pump from the first wellbore zone while drawing fluid into the second pump from the second wellbore zone. Additionally, the method includes pumping fluid from the first pump along a first fluid flow path within the hollow interior, and pumping fluid from the second pump along a second fluid flow path isolated from the first fluid path.
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Fielder Robert P.
Narvaez Diego
Rivas Olegario
Scarsdale Kevin T.
Batson Victor
Camco International Inc.
Fletcher Yoder & Van Someren
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