Downhole gas flow powered deliquefaction pump
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for removing water from gas wells are described herein. The water is removed by positioning a pump in a liquid layer below the perforations through which gas enters a gas well and powering a water pump with electrical power generated by an energy recovery system which produces electricity from a gas flow through the energy recovery system to an earth surface.
1. A method for removing liquid from a gas well comprising a wellbore extending from an earth surface to penetrate a subterranean gas-bearing formation and a casing positioned in the wellbore, the casing including perforations to permit gas to flow from the subterranean gas-bearing formation into an inside of the casing, the method consisting essentially of:
a) sealingly positioning a packer in the casing above the perforations to sealingly close an inside of the casing;
b) positioning a pump beneath a first liquid surface below the packer in the casing;
c) producing electrical power with an energy recovery system by passing a gas recovered from the subterranean gas-bearing formation at a pressure greater than a pressure at the earth surface through the energy recovery system;
d) powering the pump with the electrical power and operating the pump at a variable rate to maintain the first liquid surface below a first selected level by pumping liquid via a line through the packer to the earth surface; and,
e) providing a liquid drain through the packer and draining liquid from above the packer to maintain a second liquid surface above the packer at a second selected level, wherein the second selected level is maintained at a depth above the packer to provide a hydrostatic head pressure in the liquid drain greater than a gas pressure drop through the energy recovery system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the perforations are positioned above the first selected level.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid is an aqueous liquid.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid is an oleaginous liquid.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid pumped by the pump comprises both an aqueous liquid and an oleaginous liquid.