Downhole sucker rod pump

1 . A downhole sucker rod pump comprising:

a plunger;

a housing that defines a passage-defining surface, wherein the passage-defining surface includes an inner-surface configuration and a recess-defining surface, wherein the recess-defining surface is recessed from the inner surface configuration and defines a recess; and

a housing passage defined by the passage-defining surface;

wherein:

the plunger and the housing are co-operatively configured such that the plunger is operable for reciprocating movement through the housing passage, with effect that:

the plunger travels through the housing passage and traverses a plunger-traversable section of the passage-defining surface of the housing, wherein the travel, of the plunger, is characterized by an upper extent of travel of the plunger, at which the plunger becomes emplaced in an uppermost position, and is also characterized by a lower extent of travel of the plunger, at which the plunger becomes emplaced in a lowermost position;

a clearance is defined between the plunger and the inner surface configuration of the housing, such that flow communication is established across the plunger via the clearance; and

at least a portion of the recess extends from the plunger-traversable section to below the lowermost position of the plunger; and

the plunger and the housing are further co-operatively configured such that while the downhole sucker rod is emplaced within a wellbore, in flow communication with a reservoir within which is disposed a solids-comprising reservoir fluid material, and reciprocating movement, of the plunger, is being motivated:

the solids-comprising reservoir fluid material is displaced in an uphole direction, to an uphole space of the housing passage that is disposed uphole relative to the uppermost position of the plunger, a solid material separates from the solids-comprising reservoir fluid in response to gravity separation and the separated solid material is conducted via the housing passage to the clearance, and, after being received within the clearance, the separated solid material is conducted via the clearance to the recess, and, after being received within the recess, the separated solid material is conducted via the recess to a downhole space, of the housing passage, that is disposed downhole relative to the lowermost position of the plunger.

2 . The pump as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein:

the clearance has a maximum spacing of no more than 0.0120 of an inch.

3 . The pump as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein:

the solid material, of the solids-comprising reservoir fluid material, is comprised of solid particulate material, and at least 90% of the solid particulate material has a particle size that is greater than 20 mesh.

4 . The pump as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein:

the housing includes a barrel which defines at least a portion of the plunger-traversable recess.

5 . The pump as claimed in claim 1 ;

wherein:

the recess is a helical groove.

6 . The pump as claimed in claim 5 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a minimum groove depth of at least 0.1 millimetres.

7 . The pump as claimed in claim 5 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a minimum groove width of at least 0.5 millimetres.

8 . The pump as claimed in claim 5 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a maximum groove width of no more than 3 millimetres.

9 . The pump as claimed in claim 5 ;

wherein:

the reciprocating movement of the plunger is effectuated through a housing passage, defined by the inner surface of the housing, and the housing passage includes a central longitudinal axis; and

the helical groove has a pitch, measured from a reference plane to which the central longitudinal axis, of the housing passage, is normal, of greater than 30 degrees.

10 . The pump as claimed in claim 9 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a pitch that is less than 65 degrees from the reference plane.

11 . The pump as claimed in claim 9 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a pitch, measured from a reference plane to which the central longitudinal axis, of the housing passage, is normal, that is less than 65 degrees.

12 . The pump as claimed in claim 11 ;

wherein:

the helical groove winds about the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage; and

the helical groove spans a distance, measured along the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage, of at least 10 feet.

13 . The pump as claimed in claim 9 ;

wherein:

the helical groove winds about the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage; and

the helical groove spans a distance, measured along the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage, of at least 10 feet.

14 . The pump as claimed in claim 13 ;

wherein:

a length of the housing passage, measured along the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage, is greater than the distance spanned by the helical groove.

15 . The pump as claimed in claim 9

wherein:

the helical groove winds about the central longitudinal axis of the housing passage a total number of at least 20 times.

16 . The pump as claimed in claim 5 ;

wherein:

the helical groove has a central longitudinal axis, and a length of the helical groove, measured along the central longitudinal axis, is at least 12 feet.

17 . A downhole rod pump comprising:

a plunger;

a housing that defines a passage-defining surface, wherein the passage-defining surface includes an inner surface configuration and a recess-defining surface, wherein the recess-defining surface is recessed from the inner surface configuration and defines a recess; and

a housing passage defined by the passage-defining surface;

wherein:

the plunger and the housing are co-operatively configured such that the plunger is operable for reciprocating movement through the housing passage, with effect that:

the plunger travels through the housing passage and traverses a plunger-traversable section of the passage-defining surface of the housing, wherein the travel, of the plunger, is characterized by an upper extent of travel of the plunger, at which the plunger becomes emplaced in an uppermost position, and is also characterized by a lower extent of travel of the plunger, at which the plunger becomes emplaced in a lowermost position; and

a clearance is defined between the plunger and the inner surface configuration of the housing, such that flow communication is established across the plunger via the clearance; and

the recess extends from above the uppermost position of the plunger to at least the plunger-traversable section;

the plunger and the housing are further co-operatively configured such that, while the downhole sucker rod is emplaced within a wellbore, in flow communication with a reservoir within which is disposed a solids-comprising reservoir fluid material, and reciprocating movement, of the plunger, is being motivated:

the solids-comprising reservoir fluid material is displaced in an uphole direction, to an uphole space of the housing passage that is disposed uphole relative to the uppermost position of the plunger, a solid material separates from the solids-comprising reservoir fluid in response to gravity separation and is conducted downhole via the housing passage to the recess, and, after being received within the recess, the separated solid material is conducted via the recess to at least the plunger-traversable section.

18 . The downhole rod pump as claimed in claim 17 ;

wherein:

the recess spans a length L 1 that exceeds a length L 2 of the plunger.

19 . The downhole rod pump as claimed in claim 18 ;

wherein:

a ratio of the length L 1 to the length L 2 is at least 1.25 to 1.

20 . The downhole sucker rod pump as claimed in claim 17 ;

wherein:

the extension of the recess is an extension to above a lowermost ⅓ of the plunger-traversable section.

21 . The downhole sucker-rod pump as claimed in claim 17 ;

wherein:

the extension of the recess, from above the uppermost position of the plunger to at least the plunger-traversable section, is an extension to below the lowermost position of the plunger, such that the conducting of the separated solid material, via the recess, to at least the plunger-traversable section, for which the plunger and the housing are co-operatively configured while: (i) the downhole sucker rod is emplaced within a wellbore in flow communication with a reservoir within which is disposed a solids-comprising reservoir fluid material, and (ii) reciprocating movement, of the plunger, is being motivated, is a conducting of the separated solid material to a downhole space, of the housing passage, that is disposed downhole relative to the lowermost position of the plunger.