Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Barry Nicholson

Ian Atkinson

John Sherwood

Pierre-Yves Corre

James Leighton

Jean Louis Saltel

A downhole apparatus and method for maintaining or reducing the level of liquids at the bottom of a gas producing well is described including a constriction or throat section, such as a Venturi, in which a production gas flow from the well is used to generate a low pressure zone having a pressure less that the ambient formation gas pressure and at least one conduit providing a flow path from an liquids at the bottom of said well to said low pressure zone. The conduit may be adaptable in length to provide for maintaining the flow path as the level of the liquids changes.

Method and apparatus for lifting liquids from gas wells

A downhole apparatus and method for maintaining or reducing the level of liquids at the bottom of a gas producing well is described including a constriction or throat section, such as a Venturi, in which a production gas flow from the well is used to generate a low pressure zone having a pressure less that the ambient formation gas pressure and at least one conduit providing a flow path from an up-stream location within said well to said low pressure zone. The conduit may have additional opening for production gas to enter the conduit.

The present invention relates to a method of regulating the flow rate of formation fluids produced from a determined zone of an underground well whose cased wall is provided with orifices through which said formation fluids can pass, said method consisting in applying a tubular structure along the casing in said zone, which tubular structure prevents the fluids from flowing directly while also preserving a flow path along which the fluids can flow via the annular space outside the tubular structure so as to generate head loss. The invention also relates to a device for implementing said method, which device is essentially constituted by a radially-expandable tubular structure that can be applied against the inside wall of the casing, the structure being provided with means for preserving the flow of the fluids via a path running along the casing and along the structure, in order to generate head loss.

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Carindale, Australia

Barry Nicholson