Gas well having water disposal pump

Abstract

A gas well includes a well casing forming a cavity and a gas inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. A pump is disposed in the cavity and includes a pump chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity and an outlet in fluid isolation with the cavity. The pump further includes a plunger reciprocally moveable along upstroke and downstroke paths. At least a portion of the plunger is positioned and is reciprocally moveable within the chamber between the inlet and outlet during at least a portion of the upstroke and downstroke paths.

1 . A gas well having a water disposal pump comprising: 
 a well casing having an interior surface and at least one gas inlet;    a production tube having a top, a generally open bottom, an exterior surface and an interior cavity, wherein said production tube is disposed inside said well casing with at least a portion of said exterior surface being spaced from said interior surface of said well casing so as to form an exterior cavity therebetween along an upper portion of said production tube, said production tube having at least one inlet in fluid communication with said exterior cavity, and wherein said exterior cavity is sealed along a lower portion of said production tube below said gas inlet; and    a pump disposed inside said production tube, said pump having a chamber with an outlet communicating with said interior chamber of said production tube, and a first one-way valve communicating with said chamber, said first one-way valve configured to permit one-way flow of fluid from said at least one inlet to said chamber, said pump further comprising a plunger moveable within said chamber, said plunger comprising a top with an outlet in fluid communication with said outlet in said chamber, a bottom and a second one-way valve configured to permit one-way flow of fluid from said bottom to said top of said plunger.    
   
   
       2 . The gas well of  claim 1  wherein said chamber comprises an upper chamber and wherein said pump comprises a lower chamber communicating with said at least one production tube inlet, wherein said first one-way valve is disposed between said lower and upper chambers and is configured to permit one-way flow of fluid from said lower chamber to said upper chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The gas well of  claim 2  wherein an exterior of at least a portion of said lower chamber is spaced from an interior of said production tube so as to define in part said interior cavity of said production tube and so as to provide fluid communication between said upper chamber outlet and said generally open bottom of said production tube.  
   
   
       4 . The gas well of  claim 2  wherein said lower chamber is closed at a bottom thereof, wherein said lower chamber is not in direct fluid communication with said interior cavity of said production tube.  
   
   
       5 . The gas well of  claim 1  further comprising a packer disposed between said lower portion of said production tube and said interior surface of said well casing, said packer sealing said exterior cavity.  
   
   
       6 . The gas well of  claim 1  wherein said plunger is moveable on a upstroke within said chamber between a lower position and an upper position, and is moveable on a downstroke within said chamber between said upper position and said lower position, wherein said first one-way valve is open and said second one-way valve is closed during said upstroke, and wherein said first one-way valve is closed and said second one-way valve is open during said downstroke.  
   
   
       7 . The gas well of  claim 1  further comprising a first gas outlet communicating with said exterior cavity and a second gas outlet communicating with said interior cavity.  
   
   
       8 . A method of removing gas from a gas bearing formation comprising: 
 providing a well casing and a production tube, said well casing having at least one gas inlet communicating with said gas bearing formation and said production tube having an interior cavity, wherein said production tube is disposed inside said well casing and said well casing and said production tube define an exterior cavity therebetween;    permitting a flow of gas and water into said exterior cavity from said gas bearing formation, wherein said water in said exterior cavity has a first static head;    pumping water in said interior cavity to a second static head; and    permitting a flow of said water in said interior cavity through at least one water outlet to a water disposal strata.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said pumping said water comprises moving a plunger on a upstroke within a chamber, permitting water to enter said chamber through a first one-way valve on said upstroke and forcing water through an outlet in said chamber with said plunger on said upstroke, moving said plunger on a downstroke within said chamber and permitting water to flow through said plunger through a second one-way valve on said downstroke.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising removing gas from said exterior chamber through a first gas outlet and removing gas from said interior chamber through a second gas outlet.  
   
   
       11 . A gas well having a water disposal pump comprising: 
 a well casing having at least one gas inlet;    a production tube having an interior cavity with a water outlet positioned below said at least one gas inlet, wherein said production tube is disposed inside said well casing, said well casing and said production tube defining an exterior cavity therebetween; and    a pump disposed inside said production tube, said pump having an inlet in fluid communication with said exterior cavity and an outlet in fluid communication with said interior cavity, wherein said outlet is positioned above said inlet.    
   
   
       12 . A gas well having a water disposal pump comprising: 
 a well casing forming a cavity and having at least one gas inlet in fluid communication with said cavity; and    a pump having a chamber, a plunger moveably disposed in said chamber and a one-way valve, said chamber having at least one inlet in fluid communication with said cavity and an outlet, wherein said one-way valve is disposed at said outlet so as to allow one-way fluid flow from said chamber through said outlet, and wherein said plunger has a top and a bottom and is moveable between at least a lower position and an upper position, wherein said at least one chamber inlet is positioned below said bottom of said plunger when said plunger is in said upper position such that said chamber inlet is in fluid communication with said chamber, and wherein said at least one chamber inlet is positioned above said bottom of said plunger when said plunger is in said lower position.    
   
   
       13 . The gas well of  claim 12  wherein said one-way valve includes a biasing member biasing said valve from an open position to a closed position.  
   
   
       14 . The gas well of  claim 12  further comprising a packer disposed between said well casing and said pump, said packer preventing fluid communication between said cavity and said outlet.  
   
   
       15 . The gas well of  claim 12  comprising at least one gas outlet in fluid communication with said cavity.  
   
   
       16 . A method of removing gas from a gas bearing formation comprising: 
 providing a well casing defining a cavity and having at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet in fluid communication with said cavity, and a pump having a chamber and a plunger moveable in said chamber between at least an upper and lower position;    permitting a flow of gas and water into said cavity from said gas bearing formation;    permitting said water to flow from said cavity into said chamber through a pump inlet when said plunger is in said upper position;    moving said plunger on a downstroke from said upper position to said lower position;    closing said pump inlet as said plunger is moved on said downstroke; and    forcing said water from said chamber through a one-way valve and into a lower formation.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising preventing water in said lower formation from communicating with said cavity.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising moving said plunger on said upstroke and simultaneously closing said one-way valve.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said moving said plunger on said upstroke comprises putting said pump inlet in fluid communication with said chamber and thereby repeating said permitting said water to flow from said cavity into said chamber.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said closing said one-way valve comprises biasing said one-way valve to a closed position with a biasing member and wherein said forcing said water from said chamber through said one-way valve and into said lower formation comprises opening said one-way valve against a biasing force of said biasing member.  
   
   
       21 . A gas well comprising: 
 a well casing forming a cavity and having a gas inlet in fluid communication with said cavity; and    a pump disposed in said cavity and comprising a pump chamber and a plunger, said pump chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with said cavity and an outlet in fluid isolation with said cavity, wherein said plunger is reciprocally moveable along upstroke and downstroke paths, wherein at least a portion of said plunger is positioned and is reciprocally moveable within said chamber between said inlet and said outlet during at least a portion of said upstroke and downstroke paths and wherein said inlet and said outlet are in fluid communication during at least a portion of at least one of said upstroke and downstroke paths.    
   
   
       22 . A method of extracting gas with a gas well comprising: 
 providing a well casing forming a cavity and having a gas inlet in fluid communication with said cavity; and a pump disposed in said cavity and comprising a pump chamber and a plunger, said pump chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with said cavity and an outlet in fluid isolation with said cavity;    reciprocally moving said plunger along upstroke and downstroke paths, wherein at least a portion of said plunger is positioned and is reciprocally moveable within said chamber between said inlet and said outlet during at least a portion of said upstroke and downstroke paths; and    moving water through said chamber from said inlet to said outlet with said plunger.