System for pumping viscous fluid from a well

Details System for pumping viscous fluid from a well System for pumping viscous fluid from a well

1999-02-24

2001-03-27

Suchfield, George (Department: 3672)

Wells

With heating, refrigerating or heat insulating means

Electrical heater in well

C166S062000, C166S064000, C166S066400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206093

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to pumping systems utilized in raising fluids from wells, and particularly to a submergible pumping system able to lower the viscosity of a desired fluid to facilitate pumping and movement of the fluid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In producing petroleum and other useful fluids from production wells, it is generally known to provide a submergible pumping system, such as an electric submergible pumping system, for raising the fluids collected in a well. Typically, production fluids enter a wellbore via perforations made in a well casing adjacent a production formation. Fluids contained in the formation collect in the wellbore and may be raised by the pumping system to a collection point above the earth's surface. The submergible pumping systems can also be used to move the fluid from one zone to another.
In an exemplary submergible pumping system, the system includes several components, such as a submergible electric motor that supplies energy to a submergible pump. The system may further include additional components, such as a motor protector for isolating the motor oil from well fluids. A connector also is used to connect the pumping system to a deployment system, such as cable, coil tubing or production tubing.
Power is supplied to the submergible electric motor via a power cable that runs along the deployment system. For example, the power cable may be banded to the outside of the coil tubing or production tubing and run into the well for electrical connection with the submergible motor.
In some wellbore environments, the desired fluids are highly viscous. The high viscosity creates difficulty in utilizing conventional submergible pumps, such as centrifugal pumps, for pumping the fluids to another zone or to the surface of the earth. It would be advantageous to have a system and method for reducing the viscosity of the fluid, such as petroleum, to facilitate movement, e.g. pumping of the fluid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a submergible pumping system for pumping fluids from a wellbore to the surface of the earth. The system includes a submergible pumping system having a submergible pump, a submergible motor and a heater. The submergible motor includes a drive shaft coupled to the submergible pump to power the submergible pump. The heater is mounted in the string of components between the submergible motor and the submergible pump. The heater includes an axial opening through which the drive shaft extends.
According to another aspect of the invention, a system is provided for pumping a viscous fluid from a wellbore. The system includes a submergible pump and a pump intake through which a fluid is drawn. The system further includes a submergible electric motor to power the submergible pump, a motor protector and a heater to lower the viscosity of the fluid. The submergible pump, the pump intake, the submergible electric motor, the motor protector and the heater are sequentially arranged for placement in a wellbore.
According to another aspect of the invention, a system is provided for pumping a viscous fluid disposed in a subterranean well. The system includes a heating chamber, a first pump and a second pump. The first pump may be a positive displacement pump and is disposed to pump a fluid into the heating chamber. The second pump includes a fluid intake disposed proximate the heating chamber. The heating chamber, first pump, and second pump are connected together in a pumping system that may be disposed in a wellbore.


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