Conocophillips Company

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Dennis Ray Wilson

Curtis G Blount

John C Patterson

Jack Howard Cole

David M Weinberg

Christine A Buczek

Thomas A Bell, Jr

James C Cox

Thomas E Nations

Paraffin deposits from downhole tubing, pumps and valves are removed by hot water and recycling the hot water to allow continual intermittent cleaning throughout the lifespan of the well. Heated water travels down the hollow rod annulus, entering the hollow rod string through ports at the bottom, temporarily heating both strings to melt and mobilized paraffin to enable intermittent pumping paraffin and debris to surface.

Hot water recycle for paraffin cleanout

The invention relates to a double string slurry pump for pumping liquids to the surface of a hydrocarbon well and especially a hydrocarbon well that is producing both natural gas and liquid fluids. The double string slurry pump includes a hollow tube that raises and lowers the plunger and carries the liquids to the surface and an outer tube receives liquids down into the well to periodically flush area around the pump to stir up particles and fines for conveyance out of the wellbore with the liquids. The additional conduit for flushing may be used to provide biocides, solvents or other treatments including with liquids at elevated temperature to create desired results or changes downhole. Moreover, the additional conduit may be provided with ports to provide access to the interior of the gas production path to provide such treatments above the well. The natural gas is produced through the annulus between wellbore casing and the outer production tubing string.

Double string slurry pump

A double string pump transports liquids to the surface of a hydrocarbon well including a hydrocarbon well that is producing both natural gas and liquid fluids. The double string pump includes a hollow tube that raises and lowers the plunger and carries the liquids to the surface and an outer tube receives liquids down into the well to lubricate the moving parts and flush particles from areas prone to wear and back toward the production tube. The natural gas is produced through the annulus between wellbore casing and the outer production tubing string.

Double string pump for hydrocarbon wells

The invention relates to an arrangement for positively pumping liquids to the surface of a hydrocarbon well where the hydrocarbon well has bee previously completed with a permanent packer and tailpipe. A rod pump having a plunger connected to a hollow rod string can positively pump the liquids collecting at the bottom of the well while the natural gas is produced up the annulus between the production tubing and the hollow rod string. In this invention, the tail pipe is perforated above the rod pump and below the packer to all the natural gas into the production tubing.

Producing gas and liquid from below a permanent packer in a hydrocarbon well

A slim hole production system for pumping liquids to the surface of a hydrocarbon well and especially a hydrocarbon well that is producing both natural gas and liquids where the diameter of the hole in the production area is too small to get production tubing and a sucker rod into a productive arrangement. The slim hole pump includes a hollow tube that raises and lowers the plunger and carries the liquids to the surface and uses the annulus to produce the gas.

Slim hole production system and method

This invention relates to a downhole hydraulic pump for hydrocarbon wells that is installed and operated using coiled tubing. The downhole hydraulic pump is driven by a hydraulic power system positioned at the surface and connected through a closed loop system using multiple channels of the coiled tubing. The coiled tubing is formed of a combination of channels including strength component such as steel and having one channel that is at least lined with a non-metallic corrosion resistant surface where clean hydraulic fluid is carried from the hydraulic power system to the downhole hydraulic pump through the non-metallic corrosion resistant channel so to be less likely to pick up manufacturing and environmental particulates and corrosion by-products within the channel carrying the hydraulic fluid to the downhole hydraulic pump. The non-metallic corrosion resistant lined channel may comprise plastic pipe.

Multi-channel, combination coiled tubing strings for hydraulically driven downhole pump

The invention relates to cleaning wellbores and the near wellbore areas adjacent to a hydrocarbon bearing formations and coal bed methane formations. In a particular aspect, the invention relates to removing liquids such as water and/or oil from the formation near the wellbore. The cleaning and liquid removal is accomplished with liquid carbon dioxide or a treatment medium that includes liquid carbon dioxide. The treatment medium is injected into the wellbore through tubing in a controlled manner so that the treatment medium enters the formation in a liquid state, although a portion may be allowed to vaporize upon introduction into the wellbore. The treatment medium is then allowed to vaporize and loosen and entrain undesirable materials from the formation and from within the wellbore or casing, and mobilize water and oil present by effervescing and by dissolving. The water and oil may be blown or pumped to the surface or, if the present invention is practiced in a coal bed methane formation, may be driven into the coal bed methane formation such that it may no longer impose a barrier to methane production. In certain embodiments, the gaseous portion of the treatment medium is allowed to escape through the wellhead, carrying out the undesirable materials.

Liquid carbon dioxide cleaning of wellbores and near-wellbore areas using high precision stimulation

The present disclosure relates to a pump mechanism driven by differential pressure conditions and method for delivery of materials. In one embodiment, the pump mechanism may be used to deliver treatment chemical to a plunger apparatus or directly to a wellbore by exploiting pressure conditions found at a well. In certain embodiments, the pump mechanism is able to balance high pressure conditions available within a petroleum formation against low pressure conditions present in a common flow line serving the well. In so balancing these pressures, the pump mechanism is able to automatically tune itself to the needs of the well, ensuring continued operation over a wider range of operating conditions. The pump mechanism has the further advantages of lower operation costs and less environmental impact as compared with existing pumps. The pump mechanism can be used in connection with a chemical applicator which can be used to apply chemical into, onto, or below, a plunger or plunger/dispenser apparatus used in plunger lift operations, or to apply chemical directly down the well. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Method for utilizing pressure variations as an energy source

A system for preventing the migration of unconsolidated and/or loosely consolidated material into a wellbore. Such prevention is accomplished by introducing a well treatment medium comprising an expandable fluid and a bonding agent into an unconsolidated zone proximate the wellbore. The expandable fluid is allowed to expand and flow through the unconsolidated zone while the bonding agent cures, thereby forming a consolidated zone having sufficient porosity to allow fluid flow therethrough.

Expandable fluid cement sand control

A method of stimulating gas production from a coalbed methane well that involves injecting a foam forming liquid and an expandable fluid into a coal seam proximate the wellbore. When the wellbore pressure is reduced, at least a portion of the expandable fluid can vaporize, which can generate foam that aids in the formation and/or enlargement of a cavity in the coal seam proximate the wellbore.

Method of stimulating a coalbed methane well

The invention relates to a method to clean a wellbore and the near wellbore area adjacent to the wellbore of a hydrocarbon bearing formation adjacent to the production zone of the wellbore. The invention includes a method to clean a casing inserted into a wellbore and a method for cleaning a wellbore of fracturing fluid, with or without proppant. Each of the methods includes the steps of injecting a treatment medium comprising liquid carbon dioxide into a wellbore where pressure within the wellbore is regulated to either maintain the treatment medium in the liquid state, or allow at least a portion of the treatment medium to vaporize upon introduction into the wellbore. The treatment medium vaporizes to loosen and/or entrain undesirable materials from within the wellbore or casing and escape through the wellhead, carrying with it the undesirable materials.

An apparatus incorporating a chemical seal and method for removing fluids from a well is disclosed. The chemical seal is created by a foaming agent which, when in the presence of gas and fluids present in the well, and when agitated by the apparatus, creates foam between the apparatus and the walls of the well in which it operates. The foam improves the seal between the apparatus and the inner wall of the well, improving the efficiency of the apparatus in lifting fluids from the well. Furthermore, the chemical seal improves the distribution of treatment chemicals within the well as it reduces liquid flowback. Automatic recharging or reapplication of the foaming agent and/or treatment chemicals to the apparatus can be accomplished with a chemical application assembly associated with the well.

Well chemical treatment utilizing plunger lift delivery system with chemically improved plunger seal

An apparatus and method for delivery of treatment chemicals to the bottom of the wellbore. The delivery system can be a chemical dispenser which can be attached to a plunger used in plunger lift operations, a plunger which has been impregnated with treatment chemicals, a plunger/dispenser apparatus which has an interface section for interfacing with the inside of the tubing and a dispenser section. Automatic recharging or reapplication of chemicals to the chemical delivery system can be accomplished with a chemical application assembly attached to the plunger manifold.

Well chemical treatment utilizing plunger lift delivery system

A method for fracturing subterranean coal formations by injecting air into the formation, igniting the coal, driving the fire away from the wellbore by injecting a cooling media into the burning formation adjacent the wellbore, and subsequently extinguishing the fire. The method allows fractionation and fracture crosion of subterranean coal formations and offers the benefit of increasing production of clean gas from the coal formation.

Burn assisted fracturing of underground coal bed

A method to clean the wellbore and the near wellbore formation adjacent to the wellbore of the gas bearing formation adjacent to the production zone of the wellbore. The method includes the steps of injecting a treatment liquid containing from 84.5 to 100% of liquid carbon dioxide, 0 to 15% of an alcohol, and 0 to 0.5% of a surfactant into the well in a predetermined quantity and maintaining the pressure of the treatment liquid in the near wellbore formation of the gas bearing formation below the fracturing pressure of the formation, releasing the pressure on the wellbore and allowing the liquid COto vaporize and other materials to blow out of the well.

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Aztec, NM, United States of America

Dennis Ray Wilson