IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,404,761
Granted Patent B2
US 12,404,761 · App. 18/630,540 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Electric submersible pump (ESP) gas slug processor and mitigation system

Inventors: Donn Jason Brown (Tulsa, OK); Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth (Tulsa, OK); Casey Laine Newport (Tulsa, OK); Trevor Alan Kopecky (Tulsa, OK)
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
E21B43/38E21B43/128
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,404,761
App. No.
18/630,540
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A downhole gas separator assembly. The gas separator comprises a drive shaft; a first fluid mover mechanically coupled to the drive shaft having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the drive shaft define a first annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover; a second fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the second fluid mover is located downstream of the fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the second fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the first annulus; and a gas flow path and liquid flow path separator having a gas phase discharge port open to an exterior of the assembly and a liquid phase discharge port.

Claims (64)

1. A downhole gas separator assembly, comprising:

a drive shaft;

a first fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft wherein an inside surface of the first fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the drive shaft define a first annulus within a portion of the first fluid reservoir that does not enclose a radial support of the drive shaft, wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.6875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 70 cubic inches and less than 100 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 85 cubic inches and less than 120 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.0 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 180 cubic inches and less than 250 cubic inches; and wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.1875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 220 cubic inches and less than 300 cubic inches;

a first fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid mover is located downstream of the first fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the first fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the first annulus;

a separation chamber concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the separation chamber and the outside surface of the drive shaft define a second annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover; and

a crossover defining a gas flow path and liquid flow path separator having a gas phase discharge port open to an exterior of the assembly and a liquid phase discharge port, wherein the gas flow path and liquid flow path separator has a fluid inlet that is fluidically coupled to the second annulus.

2. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a downhole end of the downhole gas separator assembly and the gas phase discharge port of the crossover is at least 8 feet and less than 500 feet.

3. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a downhole end of the downhole gas separator assembly and the gas phase discharge port of the crossover is at least 14 feet and less than 500 feet.

4. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a downhole end of the downhole gas separator assembly and the gas phase discharge port of the crossover is at least 22 feet and less than 500 feet.

5. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spider bearing comprising a plurality of vanes, wherein the spider bearing is concentric with the drive shaft, the spider bearing is located within the first fluid reservoir, and the spider bearing provides flow paths between the vanes.

6. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first fluid reservoir is at least 17 inches long and less than 34 inches long.

7. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 5 , wherein the spider bearing comprises four vanes.

8. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 5 , wherein the spider bearing comprises five vanes.

9. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid mover is a stationary auger, an auger mechanically coupled to the drive shaft, an impeller mechanically coupled to the drive shaft, or a paddle wheel mechanically coupled to the drive shaft.

10. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid mover disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid reservoir.

11. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:

a second fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the second fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the drive shaft define a third annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the second fluid mover; and

a third fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the third fluid mover is located downstream of the second fluid reservoir and is located upstream of the separation chamber, wherein the fluid inlet of the third fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the third annulus, and wherein the fluid outlet of the third fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the second annulus.

12. The downhole gas separator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a base having an inlet;

a second fluid mover mechanically coupled to the drive shaft, located downstream of the base, having a fluid outlet, and having a fluid inlet fluidically coupled to the inlet of the base;

a second fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the second fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the second fluid reservoir and the outside surface of the drive shaft define a third annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the second fluid mover;

a third fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the third fluid mover is located downstream of the second fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the third fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the third annulus;

a second separation chamber concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the third fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the second separation chamber and the outside surface of the drive shaft define a fourth annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the third fluid mover; and

a second crossover defining a gas flow path and liquid flow path separator having a second gas phase discharge port open to an exterior of the assembly and a second liquid phase discharge port fluidically coupled to the fluid inlet of the first fluid reservoir, and wherein the second crossover has a fluid inlet fluidically coupled to the fourth annulus.

13. A method of lifting liquid in a wellbore, comprising:

running an electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly into a wellbore, wherein the ESP assembly comprises an electric motor having a motor drive shaft, a seal section having a seal drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft, a gas separator assembly having a separator drive shaft coupled to the seal drive shaft,

a fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the separator drive shaft, wherein an inside surface of the fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the separator drive shaft define a first annulus within a portion of the fluid reservoir that does not enclose a radial support of the drive shaft, wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.6875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 70 cubic inches and less than 100 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 85 cubic inches and less than 120 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.0 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 180 cubic inches and less than 250 cubic inches; and wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.1875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 220 cubic inches and less than 300 cubic inches,

a first fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid mover is located downstream of the fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the first fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the first annulus,

a separation chamber concentrically disposed around the separator drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the separation chamber and the outside surface of the separator drive shaft define a second annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover, and

a crossover defining a gas flow path and liquid flow path separator having a gas phase discharge port open to an exterior of the assembly and a liquid phase discharge port, wherein the crossover has a third fluid inlet that is fluidically coupled to the second annulus,

and a centrifugal pump assembly having a pump drive shaft coupled to the separator drive shaft and a fluid inlet fluidically coupled to the liquid discharge port of the crossover of the gas separator assembly;

turning the separator drive shaft by the electric motor of the ESP assembly;

drawing reservoir fluid from the wellbore into the gas separator assembly;

filling the first annulus with the reservoir fluid;

flowing the reservoir fluid from the first annulus to the first fluid mover

moving the reservoir fluid downstream by the first fluid mover to the crossover;

discharging at least some of the gas phase fluid portion of the reservoir fluid via the gas phase discharge port of the crossover to an exterior of the gas separator assembly;

discharging at least some of the liquid phase portion of the reservoir fluid via the liquid phase discharge port of the crossover to the centrifugal pump assembly;

pumping the portion of the reservoir fluid discharged via the liquid phase discharge port by the centrifugal pump assembly; and

flowing the portion of the reservoir fluid discharged via the liquid phase discharge port out a discharge of the centrifugal pump assembly via a production tubing to a surface location.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

drawing reservoir fluid from the wellbore into the gas separator assembly at a second time, wherein the reservoir fluid at the second time contains only gas phase fluid;

mixing the reservoir fluid containing only gas phase fluid with reservoir fluid retained by the first annulus within the gas separator assembly to form a mix of gas phase fluid and liquid phase fluid; and

flowing the mix of gas phase fluid and liquid phase fluid from the first annulus within the gas separator assembly to the first fluid mover of the gas separator assembly.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising stabilizing the drive shaft by a spider bearing comprising a plurality of vanes, wherein the spider bearing is concentric with the drive shaft, the spider bearing is located within the fluid reservoir, and the spider bearing provides flow paths between the vanes.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising stabilizing the drive shaft by a spider bearing comprising four vanes, wherein the spider bearing is concentric with the drive shaft, the spider bearing is located within the fluid reservoir, and the spider bearing provides flow paths between the vanes.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising stabilizing the drive shaft by a spider bearing comprising five vanes, wherein the spider bearing is concentric with the drive shaft, the spider bearing is located within the fluid reservoir, and the spider bearing provides flow paths between the vanes.

18. A method of assembling an electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly at a wellbore location, comprising:

coupling a downstream end of an electric motor to an upstream end of a seal unit;

lowering the electric motor, and seal unit partially into the wellbore;

coupling a downstream end of the seal unit to an upstream end of a gas separator assembly, wherein the gas separator assembly comprises

a drive shaft,

a fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft, wherein an inside surface of the fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the drive shaft define a first annulus within a portion of the fluid reservoir that does not enclose a radial support of the drive shaft, wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.6875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 70 cubic inches and less than 100 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 0.875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 85 cubic inches and less than 120 cubic inches; wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.0 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 180 cubic inches and less than 250 cubic inches; and wherein when the separator drive shaft is about 1.1875 inches in diameter, the first annulus has a volume of at least 220 cubic inches and less than 300 cubic inches;

a first fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid mover is located downstream of the fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the first fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the first annulus;

a separation chamber concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the separation chamber and the outside surface of the drive shaft define a second annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover; and

a crossover defining a gas flow path and liquid flow path separator having a gas phase discharge port open to an exterior of the assembly and a liquid phase discharge port, wherein the gas flow path and liquid flow path separator has a fluid inlet that is fluidically coupled to the second annulus;

lowering the electric motor, seal unit, and gas separator assembly partially into the wellbore;

coupling a downstream end of the gas separator assembly to an upstream end of a centrifugal pump assembly; and

lowering the electric motor, seal unit, gas separator assembly, and centrifugal pump assembly partially into the wellbore.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the gas separator assembly comprises:

a second fluid reservoir concentrically disposed around the drive shaft and located downstream of the first fluid mover, wherein an inside surface of the second fluid reservoir and an outside surface of the drive shaft define a third annulus that is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover; and

a second fluid mover having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the second fluid mover is located downstream of the second fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid inlet of the second fluid mover is fluidically coupled to the second fluid reservoir, wherein the crossover is located downstream of the second fluid mover, wherein the fluid inlet of the crossover is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the second fluid mover, and wherein the fluid inlet of the crossover is fluidically coupled to the fluid outlet of the first fluid mover via the second fluid mover and via the second fluid reservoir.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the gas separator assembly further comprises a spider bearing concentric with the drive shaft and located within the first fluid reservoir, wherein the spider bearing comprises four vanes or five vanes, and further comprising stabilizing the drive shaft by the spider bearing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2024
From: BROWN, DONN JASON; SHETH, KETANKUMAR KANTILAL; NEWPORT, CASEY LAINE; KOPECKY, TREVOR ALAN
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC
Reel/Frame 067050/0939 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17369526 · Jul 7, 2021
Related Publication 20240254872A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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