Hydraulically actuated downhole pump with traveling valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102536-A1
Application number	US-201514877021-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 7, 2015
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a hydraulic pump with gas lock prevention. The pump includes a pump barrel having an intake port and a discharge port and a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel. The pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume connected to the discharge port and a second pump volume connected to the intake port. A pump flow path is formed through the pump piston connecting the first pump volume and the second pump volume. The pump further includes a first valve disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston. The first valve selectively permits fluid flow from the second pump volume to the first pump volume. The pump further includes a second valve disposed at the discharge port to selectively permit fluid flow out of the first pump volume through the discharge port.

First claim

1 . A pump, comprising:
a pump barrel having an intake port and a discharge port; a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel, wherein the pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume fluidly connected to the discharge port and a second pump volume fluidly connected to the intake port, and wherein a pump flow path is formed through the pump piston fluidly connecting the first pump volume and the second pump volume; a first valve disposed in the pump flow path in the pump piston, wherein the first valve selectively permits fluid flow from the second pump volume to the first pump volume; and a second valve disposed at the discharge port to selectively permit fluid flow out of the first pump volume through the discharge port.

2 . The pump of claim 1 , wherein the second valve is pressure activated valve.

3 . The pump of claim 2 , wherein the first valve and the second valve are individually selected from the group consisting of a check valve, a disk valve, a ball and seat valve, and a flapper valve.

4 . The pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
an engine barrel; an engine piston movably disposed in the engine barrel; and a middle rod rigidly coupled between the engine barrel and the pump piston so that the engine piston drives the pump piston.

5 . The pump of claim 4 , wherein the middle rod has a rod passage formed therethrough, and the rod passage selectively permits a power fluid from the engine barrel to the first pump volume.

6 . The pump of claim 5 , wherein the rod passage is connected to the pump flow path.

7 . The pump of claim 1 , further comprising a third valve disposed at the intake port to selectively permit fluid flow into the second pump volume through the intake port.

8 . A hydraulic pump, comprising:
an engine barrel; a pump barrel; an engine piston movably disposed in the engine barrel, wherein the engine piston divides an inner volume of the engine barrel into a first engine volume and a second engine volume, and the engine barrel has an engine inlet port connecting to the inner volume; a pump piston movably disposed in the pump barrel, wherein the pump piston divides an inner volume of the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume, the first pump volume has an outlet port, and the second pump volume has an intake port; a middle rod connecting the engine piston and the pump piston, wherein the middle rod has a rod passage selectively connecting the first engine volume and the first pump volume; a first check valve disposed in the pump piston to control flow from the first pump volume to the second pump volume; and a second check valve disposed to control flow from the first pump volume through the outlet port of the pump barrel.

9 . The hydraulic pump of claim 8 , further comprising an intake valve disposed to control flow from the intake port of the pump barrel to the lower pump volume.

10 . The hydraulic pump of claim 8 , further comprising a reversing valve movable to alternatively connect the first engine volume to the second engine volume or the first pump volume.

11 . The hydraulic pump of claim 8 , wherein the second check valve is pressure activated check valve.

12 . The hydraulic pump of claim 11 , wherein the second check valve is selected from a disk valve, a ball and seat valve, and a flapper valve.

13 . The hydraulic pump of claim 8 , wherein the engine inlet port open to the second engine volume, and the engine inlet port is configured to receive power fluid for driving the hydraulic pump.

14 . The hydraulic pump of claim 8 , further comprising:
a seating cup disposed outside the housing between the engine barrel and the pump barrel, wherein the seating cup is configured to form a seal with a tubing.

15 . The hydraulic pump of claim 14 , further comprising:
an engine check valve disposed above the engine barrel.

16 . The hydraulic pump of claim 15 , further comprising a sealing member disposed outside the housing between the engine check valve and the engine barrel.

17 . A method for pumping production fluid from a wellbore, comprising:
stroking a pump piston disposed in a pump barrel repeatedly between an upstroke and a down stroke, wherein the pump piston divides the pump barrel into a first pump volume and a second pump volume, and includes a pump flow path between the first pump volume and the second pump volume; during each upstroke, drawing production fluid into the second pump volume through an intake port of the pump barrel; and discharging fluid in the first pump volume through a discharge port of the pump barrel; and
during each down stroke,
flowing the production fluid in the second pump volume to the first pump volume via the pump flow path while the discharge port remains closed.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein stroking the pump piston comprises:
deploying a power fluid down a tubing; and stroking an engine piston disposed in an engine barrel between an upstroke and a down stroke, wherein the engine piston is rigidly attached to the pump piston by a middle rod.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
during each up stroke, flowing the power fluid from the engine barrel to the first pump volume through a rod passage formed through the middle rod.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising controlling fluid communication through the pump flow path using a first valve.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising controlling fluid communication through the discharge port using a second valve, and wherein discharging the fluid in the first pump volume comprises pressurizing the first pump volume to above an opening pressure of the second valve.

Assignees

• Weatherford Technology Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Knoeller Michael C

Classifications

• F04B53/12

  arranged in or on pistons · CPC title

• F04B9/105

  reciprocating movement of the pumping member being obtained by a double-acting liquid motor · CPC title

• F04B47/08

  the motors being actuated by fluid · CPC title

• F04B7/0266

  the inlet and discharge means being separate members · CPC title

• F04B53/14

  Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections · CPC title