Cyclonic solids removal unit for downhole oil-water separation (DOWS)
An apparatus comprises one or more solids separators to be positioned downhole in a well formed in a subsurface formation, wherein each of the one or more solids separators are configured to receive a fluid from the subsurface formation and separate out sediment from the fluid, wherein the sediment is transported after separation to a destination location.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
one or more solids separators positioned in a downhole oil-water separation system in a well formed in a subsurface formation, wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to receive a fluid from the subsurface formation, and wherein each of the one or more solids separators are configured to separate out sediment from the fluid, and wherein the sediment is transported after separation to a destination location, and wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to remain in position in the well when the one or more solids separators are retrieved.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to generate a centrifugal movement in the fluid to separate out the sediment from the fluid.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to separate out the sediment from the fluid via gravity.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators are positioned in the downhole oil-water separation system in the well, and wherein the one or more solids separators are positioned to tangentially receive the fluid from the downhole oil-water separation system.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the downhole oil-water separation system remains in position in the well when the one or more solids separators or components of the downhole oil-water separation system are retrieved.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein retrieving the one or more solids separators include retrieval via wireline, jointed tubing, and coiled tubing.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more solids accumulators configured to temporarily store the sediment discharged from the one or more solids separators.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
one or more solids movers positioned in the respective solids accumulators and configured to transport the sediment to the destination location, wherein the one or more solids movers includes an auger or a jetting device.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more solids accumulators are retrievable from the downhole oil-water separation system while the downhole oil-water separation system remains in position, and wherein the one or more solids movers are retrievable from the downhole oil-water separation system while the downhole oil-water separation system remains in position.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising one or more sensors affixed to the one or more solids movers, the one or more solids accumulators and/or the downhole oil-water separation system.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , comprising one or more computers to sense one or more parameter of the one or more solids mover, and/or the one or more solids accumulators or a component thereof, and perform one or more of monitoring, testing, controlling, troubleshooting, adjusting, diagnosing, analyzing, repairing, and/or maintaining the downhole oil-water separation system or component thereof.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more computers comprise at least an instruction from an Artificial Intelligence processor, an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, a Machine Learning processor, and/or a Machine Learning algorithm.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the destination location includes surface of the well or another downhole location in the well.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators include a hydrocyclone, a helical separator, or any combination thereof.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators are oriented with respect to gravity.
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solids separators are positioned in series or in parallel.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a first solids separator configured to separate first sediment from the fluid; and
a second solids separator positioned downstream of the first solids separator and configured to separate second sediment from the fluid discharged from the first solids separator, wherein the first sediment is larger than the second sediment.
18 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a backpressure device positioned proximate an apex and configured to manage pressure in a respective one of the one or more solids separators.
19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes a formation fluid, a production fluid, a nonproduction fluid, or any combination thereof.
20 . A system comprising:
a downhole oil-water separation system to be positioned in a well formed in a subsurface formation, wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to receive a fluid from the subsurface formation; and
one or more solids separators to be positioned in the downhole oil-water separation system, wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to separate out sediment from the fluid, and wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to remain in position in the well when the one or more solids separators are retrieved.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to separate the fluid into a production fluid and a nonproduction fluid, and wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to receive the nonproduction fluid from the downhole oil-water separation system, and wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to separate the sediment from the nonproduction fluid.
22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the downhole oil-water separation system is configured to separate the fluid into a production fluid and a nonproduction fluid, and wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to receive the production fluid from the downhole oil-water separation system, and wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to separate the sediment from the production fluid.
23 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more solids separators are configured to separate the fluid into a production fluid and a nonproduction fluid.
24 . The system of claim 20 , wherein a discharge fluid of the one or more solids separators is recirculated into the one or more solids separators to maintain a tangential fluid velocity in the one or more solids separators.
25 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the sediment is transported after separation to a destination location, wherein the destination location includes surface of the well, another downhole location in the well, or a subsea well.
26 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the well comprises a multi-bore well, wherein the fluid is to be received from the subsurface formation surrounding a first bore of the multi-bore well.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein transportation of the sediment to a destination location includes circulating to surface, injection into the subsurface formation surrounding a second bore of the multi-bore well, or any combination thereof.
28 . The system of claim 26 , wherein a nonproduction fluid is injected into the subsurface formation surrounding a third bore of the multi-bore well.
29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein a computer is configured to sense a one or more parameter of the downhole oil-water separation system, the one or more solids separators, the downhole oil-water separation system to separate the fluid into a production fluid and a nonproduction fluid or a component thereof, and/or the production fluid, the nonproduction fluid, the sediment, a discharge fluid of the one or more solids separators, the sediment that is transported after separation, a multi-bore well fluid received from the subsurface formation, a multi-bore well fluid to be injected into the subsurface formation and, perform one or more of monitoring, testing, controlling, troubleshooting, adjusting, diagnosing, analyzing, repairing, and/or maintaining operation on a one or more downhole separation system or component thereof.
30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein the computer comprise at least an instruction from an Artificial Intelligence processor, an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, a Machine Learning processor, and/or a Machine Learning algorithm.
31 . A method comprising:
performing a downhole separation of at least one of fluids or solids downhole in a well that is formed in a subsurface formation, the performing comprising, introducing a formation fluid from the subsurface formation into the well,
separating the formation fluid into a production fluid and a nonproduction fluid via a downhole oil-water separation system positioned in the well and configured to receive the formation fluid,
separating sediment from the nonproduction fluid via one or more solids separators positioned in the downhole oil-water separation system, wherein the sediment discharged from the one or more solids separators is temporarily stored in one or more solids accumulators while the downhole oil-water separation system receives the formation fluid, and
transporting the sediment to a destination location.
32 . The method of claim 31 further comprising:
removing the sediment from the one or more solids separators, via one more solids movers, to transport the sediment to the destination location.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the transporting of the sediment to the destination location includes circulating to surface, injection into the subsurface formation surrounding a bore of a multi-bore well, or any combination thereof.
34 . The method of claim 31 further comprising:
adding the sediment to a flow channel configured to deliver the production fluid to surface.
35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the nonproduction fluid is transported to a location downhole in the well after the sediment is removed.
36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the nonproduction fluid is transported to surface, and wherein the nonproduction fluid is disposed from the surface into a location beneath the surface, and separate from the well, for storage.
37 . The method of claim 36 further comprising;
transporting the nonproduction fluid to the surface for testing via a flow channel, wherein a flow control device is configured to control flow of the nonproduction fluid into the flow channel.
38 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the production fluid is transported to surface, and wherein the nonproduction fluid is disposed from the surface into a location beneath the surface, and separate from the well, for storage.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein a computer is configured to sense a one or more parameter of one or more flow channels, sediment injector, fluid separator, the formation fluid, the nonproduction fluid, the production fluid, or a component thereof, and perform one or more of monitoring, testing, controlling, troubleshooting, adjusting, diagnosing, analyzing, repairing, and/or maintaining a downhole separation system or component thereof.
40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein the computer comprise at least an instruction from an Artificial Intelligence processor, an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, a Machine Learning processor, and/or a Machine Learning algorithm.