Downhole injector insert apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291041-B2
Application number	US-201313832992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Feb 6, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

An injector insert apparatus includes a body that has an inner oil passage that is configured and arranged to allow oil to pass therethrough. The body further has an annular chamber formed around the inner oil passage. The annular chamber has a chamber opening that is configured to be coupled to receive a flow of thermal gas medium. The body also has at least one injector orifice that provides a passage between the annular chamber and the inner oil passage. The at least one injector orifice is configured to inject the thermal gas medium into oil passing through the inner oil passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A downhole system comprising:
a tubular production string comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;
a Y-tool configured and located to provide an oil flow path between the upper portion and the lower portion of the production string, the Y-tool including a branch passage extending laterally from the side of the Y-tool;
an injector insert apparatus positioned within the oil flow path of the Y-tool, the injector insert apparatus comprising a body having an oil passage for oil flow from the lower portion to the upper portion of the production string, the body further having an annular chamber extending around the oil passage, the annular chamber having an opening to the branch passage, and at least one injector orifice extending upwardly from the annular chamber to communicate with one of the oil passage or the oil flow path of the upper portion of the production string;
a combustor configured to generate high temperature, high pressure exhaust gases;
a heat exchanger operably coupled to the combustor to receive and cool the high temperature, high pressure exhaust gases with a fluid to form a thermal gas medium, the heat exchanger operably coupled to an inlet of the branch passage of the Y-tool.

2. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein
the body has a first end and an opposed second end, the first end positioned toward the lower portion of the production string and the second end positioned toward the upper portion of the production string, the at least one injector orifice positioned to inject the thermal gas medium toward the second end of the body.

3. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the annular chamber is shaped to accelerate the thermal gas medium before the thermal gas medium is expelled out the at least one injector orifice.

4. The downhole system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one protrusion extending from a wall of the body into the annular chamber.

5. The downhole system of claim 1 , further comprising a plug configured and positioned to selectively plug the oil flow path of the Y-tool below the injector insert apparatus.

6. The downhole system of claim 1 , further comprising a plug configured and positioned to selectively plug the oil flow path of the production string above the injector insert apparatus.

7. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one injector orifice is oriented parallel to the oil passage.

8. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one injector orifice is oriented at a slight angle to the oil passage.

9. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one injector orifice is located upstream of a diverging portion of the oil passage.

10. The downhole system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one injector orifice is annular.

11. A method of stimulating oil production from an oil reservoir, the method comprising:
generating high pressure, high temperature exhaust gases from a combustor in a wellbore;
cooling the high pressure, high temperature exhaust gases in a heat exchanger in the wellbore operably coupled with the combustor with a fluid to form a high velocity thermal gas medium;
delivering the high velocity thermal gas medium through a branch passage of a Y-tool in the wellbore to an annular chamber surrounding an oil passage through the Y-tool extending between a lower portion and an upper portion of a production string in the wellbore in communication with an oil reservoir; and
injecting the thermal gas medium upwardly from the annular chamber through at least one injector orifice into a flow of oil from the reservoir through the oil passage.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
passing a plug through the oil passage to a position below the at least one injector orifice block oil flow from the reservoir.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising inserting an injector insert apparatus into the Y-tool through the upper portion of the production string and removing the plug.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the oil passage, annular chamber and at least one injector orifice are located in a body comprising an injector insert apparatus received in the Y-tool, and further comprising removing the injector insert apparatus from the Y-tool through the upper portion of the production string after blocking oil flow from the reservoir.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising passing a plug through the upper portion of the production string to a position above the at least one injector orifice to block the production string above the at least one injector orifice and direct the thermal gas medium into the lower portion of the production string.

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Alifano Joseph A
• Tilmont Daniel
• Peiffer Sean C

Classifications

• E21F7/00

  Methods or devices for drawing- off gases with or without subsequent use of the gas for any purpose · CPC title

• E21B43/24 Primary

  using heat, e.g. steam injection · CPC title

• E21B36/04

  using electrical heaters · CPC title

• E21B43/123

  Gas lift valves · CPC title

• E21B43/121

  Lifting well fluids (monitoring of down-hole pump systems E21B47/008) · CPC title