US2549706A - Bottom hole separator - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1951 J. 5. PAGE BOTTOM HOLE SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 24, 1948 //1/ VAT/V705 JOH/I/ -9- PAGE Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNIT ED 1 PAT ENT OFFICE I I I 2549,706 t I noil'ioMliHoLE SEPARATOR JoIin -SE- Bage} Long Beach}: Galif.,-- assignor to- Page v Oil T-o'ols' lncz, Lohg 'Bea'ch; Califi, a; cor poration offlalifornia V V Application February 24, 194s;.senamo; r0370 which'is'o'perated' to pump'liquids" produced by the well. many cases where th'eusual arrangement of such elements occurs'g'as that accom panies the liquid interferes with'proper or efficient operation of thepump.

It is a general object of the-present invention to provide a' structure applicable" to or operable in connectionwith atubirigica-sin'g, and well pump so that gas accompanyingsolids orliquids as they are-producedifrom theearths formation is effec tively separated'from the liquids so that the pump receives only liquids that can, be efiectively handled thereby. 7

Another object of the-present invention is to provide a gas separator of the general character" referred to" which involves few simple-,- efiective' parts andwhichis inexpensiveof manufacture;

It-is a-furtherobject of thepresent invention to provide-aseparator of the general character referred-to including apackerthatengages with the well casing and is shi'ftable relativeto thepart-by which"- it is supported, ,so-that' itmay be'operated relative to Said part to dislodge" sand that may settle onto thepacker;

The variousobjects and features" of my inven--- tion will be fully understood from thefollowing' detailed description of a typical preferred form and} application" of the invention; throughout"- which description reference'is made tothe accompanyingdrawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional viewof a well showi'n'g equipment located therein and embodying'the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of'the structure shown Fig. l with certain of the parts of the equipment embodying the invention shownin section. Fig. 3'is a detailed transverse'se'ctional view taken as indicated byline-3 3 on Fig. 2-, and Fig.4 is arienlarged sectional viewtaken as' indicated by line 4- -4 on Fig. 1.

The structure embodying the present inven-+- tion is shown applied to a well equipped with a liner or casing A; A string of tubing B enters the'well from its upper end and fits within the casing A with substantial clearance, leaving an annular space" I0 between the casing and the tubing In the drawings-I haveshciwrithe tubingwith inclined faces ['2' carrying slips lti 2 equipped"with a; typical" anchor G which is'- located att'he" lower end portion of-' the stringof" tubing and which serves to anchor or fix the tubing in the casing A- against movement verticallytherein duringnormal operation-of the apparatus. The-tubing B-isfurther equipped with a pump seat or'shoe D carrying asuitable Well pump-E which, in'accordanc'e with commonprac tice; is located within the tubingand" projects upwardly from the seat.

The particular tubing anchor" C shown-inthe drawings is located inoron the tubing" B at a" point abovethepumpseatDi The anchor illustrated is of the general type more iullydescribed and claimedin my copending application entitled HydraulicallyOperated Anchor for 'Iubing'orthe Like; filed April 2T, 1947, Serial Not 742,937 now Patent No; 2,532,418, December 5, 1950.- This particular anchor involves; generally; a body 1 l The"- slips are coupled'orlinked'to an operating means it through pivoted links I5. The operating means H3- is hydraulically operated, making it possible? for the operator to'set the slips at will.

The pump seat or shoeD" isshown joined to the lower end portion of the tubing by a suitable threaded connection- Hand has'a' taperedseat l8 conventional parts such as are employed'in'wellsf i for the pumping of liquids, and so far as my'present invention is concerned these elements may vary widely in form andconstruction;

The separator orstructure of" the present invention includes, generally, an inlet fitting 2i in connection with the'pump shoe or seat D, a tubular body 22 extending'upwardlyfrom the'fit-- ting 2] around the lower end portion of the tubing B to establish an upwardly extending flow passage 24 and a settling chamber25. ThGiStI'llC-i 'ture further involves liquid inlet; ducts 26' that connect the lower end portion of the settling chamber and the interior of the fitting 2i, and a packer 21- seals withthe-c'asing" A of thewell, closing the lower end of chamber 25. In the" particular form illustrated the invention further involves" an extension 28 of'the body 22 which depends below the fitting 2| to carry the packer 21 and to define a catch chamber 29.

The several parts of the separator cooperate with the tubing and the casing and the pump seat so that the body extension 2'3 forms an inlet duct admitting flow to the structure while the flow passage 24 is an annular passage extending a substantial distance above the fitting 2| and is formed between the exterior of the lower end portion of tubing B and the interior of the body 22.

The settling chamber 25 is an annular chamber that occurs between the exterior of the body 22 and the interior of the well casing A and is such that liquid discharged from the flow passage to the upper end of the body 22 settles down in the chamber 25 and finally enters the fitting 2| through the ducts 26. The catch chamber 29 is established between the exterior of body extension 28 and the interior of casing A above the packer 21 forming a chamber below the inlet ducts 26 such as to catch sand or like matter which may settle out of the material handled by the chamber '25.

The inlet fitting 2| is a vertically disposed tubular part with a bottom 38 closing its lower end. The fitting 2B is shown joined to the pump shoe D by a suitable coupling or connection 3|. The coupling illustrated is threaded to the shoe and to the fitting so that these parts can be taken apart or separated when necessary.

The tubular body 22 may be formed of a length of tubing or casing larger in diameter than the tubing B and smaller in diameter than the casing A. In thepreferred form of the invention the body 22 is joined or attached to the fitting 2| through or by means of the inlet ducts 25, although it will be apparent that other mounting or supporting means may be provided to carry the body 22 or to help in carrying the body 22, if desired. In the particular case illustrated the body has a main or central portion 34 that surrounds the fitting 2| with clearance and it has an upper portion 35 joined to the portion 34 as by a threaded connection 38, or the like, and extending a substantial distance above the fitting 2|.

The ducts 25 support the body portion of section 34 concentric with the fitting 2|, leaving a fiow passage between these parts, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The upper section 35 of the body 22 being threaded to the lower section is supported thereby and is held concentric with the tubing which is joined to the fitting 2| through the coupling 3| and shoe D. In practice the upper section 35 of the body 22 may be of considerable length, so that it defines a long annular fiow passage 24 and a long annular'settling chamber 25.

In the case illustrated the upper end of the upper section 35 is open and a plurality of side outlet openings 38 are provided in the upper'end portion of body section 35. In practice, by perforating the upper end portion of body section 35 to form openings 38 as shown in thedraw ings, liquid passed up through the passage 24 is allowed to escape or spill into the chamber 25 while gases pass straight up and out through the open top end of the body section 35. It will be In practice the extension 28 may 4 be considerably smaller in diameter than the upper end portion of body 35, and in the case illustrated the main portion 34 of the body is shown with a reduced lower end part 39 to which the upper end of the extension 28 is joined. It will be noted from the drawings that the reduced portion 39 of section 34 occurs below the fitting 2|. Through this construction the extension 28 is open at its lower end to receive flow from the Well and it admits the material received from the well to the flow passage 24 around the fitting 2| to fiow past the ducts 25.

The inlet ducts 26 may vary in size, arrangement, and construction. The primary function of the ducts 26 is to admit fiow or material from the lower portion of settling chamber 25 tothe interior of fitting 2| and in accordance with my construction the ducts also serve as the means by which the tubular body is coupled to the fitting 2| I have shown a construction wherein there are several ducts 26 and when several ducts are employed it is preferred that they be circumferentially spaced, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The ducts are tubular parts radially disposed with their inner ends joined with or to the fitting 2|, while their outer ends are joined with or to the main section 34 of body 22. In the particular case illustrated the ducts 26 are integrally joined with or are in the nature of projections on the exterior of fitting 2| and they are joined to the body 34 by welding W.

The packer 27 is provided primarily as a closure for the lower end of the settling chamber 25. In the preferred arrangement the packer is carried by the body extension 28 and so that it is well below the ducts 26, in which case it is efiective in forming a, catch chamber 29. .The packer 2! is such as to seal between the exterior of body extension 28 and the interior of the well casing A.

In accordance with my invention the extension '28 is of considerable length and the packer 21 is slidable on the extension 28 as between the lower end portion 39 of body section 34 and a coupling or stop 49 on the extension. With this construction relative movement may be obtained between the extension and the packing in the event that sand, or the like, should lodge upon or be deposited above the packer the extension can be including a, tubular core 42 carrying a body or sleeve '43 of rubber, or the like. The sleeve is confined on the core'by flanges or retaining parts 44 and 45.

From the foregoing description'it will be apparent that I have, through my present invention, provided a structure readily applicable to a conventional arrangement of parts and that the separator will serve to handle material produced by the well so that gas is effectively separated from the solid matter, the gas being allowed to escape upwardly in the casing around the tubing after passing. from the upper end of the separator body 22 while the solid matter or liquid settles in the chamber 25 to be admitted to the pump through the fitting 2|. out, sand settling out of the material handled by the chamber 25 and deposited above the packer may be dislodged or worked loose through movement of the extension 28 relative to the packer.

As above pointed The structure of the present invention involves but few simple parts, all of which are inexpensive of manufacture and do not complicate or encumber the equipment employed in the well.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the 'art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim;

1. A separator applicable to a tubing located in a casing including, an inlet fitting for connection with the tubing, the fitting being closed at its lower end and opening upwardly into the tubing, a tubular body carried by the fitting open at its ends and surrounding the tubing with clearance and fitting the casing with clearance, a

packer between the body and casing and having a sealing part actuated to seal with the casing by fluid pressure against its lower end, and an inlet duct connecting the exterior of the body with the fitting at a point above the packer, the body having a section depending below the fitting and slidably carrying the packer.

2. A separator applicable to a tubing located in a casing including, an inlet fitting for connection with the tubing, the fitting being closed at its lower end and opening upwardly into the tubing,

a tubular body carried by the fitting open at its ends and surrounding the tubing with clearance and fitting the casing with clearance, a packer between the body and casing, and an inlet duct connecting the exterior of the body with the fitting at a point above the packer, the packer having an inner element in sealed sliding engage-' ment with the body for limited movement longie tudinally thereof and having an outer fluid pressure actuated'element having sealing engagement with the casing.

3. A separator applicable to a tubing located in a casing including, an inlet fitting for connection with the tubing to be carried thereby, the fitting being closed at its lower end and opening up-,

wardly into the tubing, a tubular body fitting the casing with clearance and having an upper end 5. A separator applicable to a tubing located in a casing including, an inlet fitting for connection to the lower end of the tubing to be supported thereby, the fitting being closed at its lower end and opening upwardly into the tubing, an open ended tubular body entirely free of the tubing and having a main section surrounding the fitting, a lower section depending from the main section, and an upper section wholly supported by the main section and projecting upward from the main section and around the tubing without attachment thereto, a packer carried by the lower section to seal between the body and casing, and an inlet duct joining the main section and fitting and connecting the exterior of the body with the interior of the fitting.

lower section including, a sleeve slidably engagedon the said lower section to have limited movement longitudinally thereof, a seal between the sleeve and said lower section, and a packing element on the sleeve to seal with the casing and being actuated by fluid pressure on the lower end of the packer,.and an inlet duct joining the main section and fitting and connecting the exterior of the body with the interior of the fitting.

7. A fitting applicable to a well tubing to support a tubular element around the tubing including, a vertically disposed tubular its lower end and having. athreaded coupling portion at its upper end, and a plurality of cirportion surrounding the tubing with clearance,

the body being open at its ends, and a packer between the'body and casing below the'fitting,

the fitting having inlet ducts projecting outwardly therefrom and attached to the body, the ducts connecting the exterior of the body with the fitting at apoint above the packer and being the sole support for the body.

4. A separator applicable to a tubing located in a casing including an inlet fitting for connection with the tubing, the fitting being closed at its lower end and opening upwardly into the tubing, a, tubular body carried by the fitting open at its ends and surrounding the tubing with clearance and fitting the casing with clearance, a packer sealing between the body and casing, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced inlet ducts connecting the exterior of the body with the fitting at a point above the packer, the body being supported by the fitting through the inlet ducts and the packer being freely slidable on a portion of the body depending below the fitting for limited movement relative thereto and having an elefluid pressure against the lower end of the packer.

cumf-erentially spaced projections on the exterior of the body for attachment to said element and having openings through them from the exterior of said element to the interior of the body, the said projections being the sole connections between the body and said element.

8. A fitting applicable to a well tubing to support a tubular element around the tubing including, a vertically disposed tubular body closed at its lower end and having a pump connection at its upper end, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections on the exterior of the body and having outer ends for the reception of welding material for joining the projections and said element, the projections having openings through them from the exterior of said element to the interior of the body, the said projections being the sole connections between the body and said element.

JOHN S. PAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Shultz Feb. 3, 1942 body closed at

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