Hydrocarbon production system and method of use

Abstract

The method of the present invention provides a means to intake hydrocarbon fluid from a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir, including any accompanying ground water or earthen contaminants, into the subsurface lower end of a tubing system. Compressed gas is then used to purge the hydrocarbon fluid and earthen contaminants from within the tubing system to a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facility at surface.

1 . A method of displacing hydrocarbon fluid which may contain earthen contaminants, from the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir of an oil well to a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at ground surface, by means of a compressed gas conveyance tubing system, comprising the steps of; 
 constructing a compressed gas conveyance tubing system extending from a source of compressed gas at surface, through the wellhead and down the well-bore to the approximate subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir depth of the well-bore and returning up out of the well-bore, through the wellhead and into a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at ground surface;    flooding hydrocarbon fluid from the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir by means of subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir pressure, through the casing perforations and into the well-bore; venting excessive gas pressure from the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system;    flooding hydrocarbon fluid from the well-bore by means of well-bore hydrocarbon fluid head pressure, into the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system; closing the compressed gas conveyance tubing system's subsurface intake valve to contain the hydrocarbon fluid within the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system;    purging the contained hydrocarbon fluid from within the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system, into the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank at ground surface, by means of feeding a sufficient volume and pressure of compressed gas into and through the compressed gas conveyance tubing system, and into the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at surface; venting gas from the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at surface; repeating the hydrocarbon production system's production cycle; recovering hydrocarbon fluid from the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other facilities at ground surface;    lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system; closing the subsurface intake valve to contain the hydrocarbon fluid within the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system;    purging contained hydrocarbon fluid from within the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system, into the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank at ground surface, by means of feeding a sufficient volume and pressure of compressed gas into and through the compressed gas conveyance tubing system, and into the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at surface; venting gas from the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other facilities at ground surface; repeating the hydrocarbon production system's production cycle; recovering hydrocarbon fluid from the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other facilities at ground surface;    
   
   
       3 . A method of displacing hydrocarbon fluid which may contain earthen contaminants and water from an oil well's well-bore into the lower subsurface section of a compressed gas conveyance tubing system and containing the hydrocarbon fluid therein, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the apparatus of  claim 1;  evacuating excessive gas pressure from within the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system; flooding hydrocarbon fluid from the well-bore by means of well-bore fluid head pressure, into and through the subsurface intake valve and into the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system; closing the subsurface intake valve to contain the hydrocarbon fluid within the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system.    
   
   
       4 . A vacuum assisted method of displacing hydrocarbon fluid which may contain earthen contaminants and water from an oil well's well-bore into the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system, and containing the hydrocarbon fluid therein, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the apparatus of claim  2 ; evacuating gas from within the subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system by means of a vacuum pump; drawing hydrocarbon fluid from the well-bore, by means of vacuum, into and through the subsurface intake valve and into the lower subsurface end of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system;    closing the subsurface intake valve to contain the hydrocarbon fluid within the subsurface section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system.    
   
   
       5 . A method of displacing hydrocarbon fluid which may contain earthen contaminants and water from the subsurface section of an oil well's compressed gas conveyance tubing system to a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at ground surface, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the method of  claim 1  or claim  2  or  claim 6;     purging hydrocarbon fluid and earthen contaminants from within the compressed gas conveyance tubing system into a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities at ground surface, by means of feeding a sufficient volume and pressure of compressed gas from a source at surface, through the compressed gas conveyance tubing system and into a storage tank or other handling facilities at surface.    
   
   
       6 . A method of displacing hydrocarbon fluid which may contain earthen contaminants from a horizontal well-bore section placed within the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir of an oil well, to a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling facilities on ground surface, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the method of  claim 1  or claim  2 ; extending the compressed gas conveyance tubing system through the dog-legged section of the well-bore and into the lower subsurface horizontal section of the well-bore; providing the length of the subsurface horizontal section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system with one or more subsurface intake valves fastened to an external surface of the horizontal section of the compressed gas conveyance tubing system.    
   
   
       7 . A method to displace accumulations of earthen particulates or rock or coal fragments or pyrite balls or paraffin from an oil well's well-bore into a hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling and storage facility at surface, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the apparatus of  claim 1  or claim  2  or  claim 6;  pressurizing the well-bore; purging hydrocarbon fluid from the compressed gas conveyance tubing system to surface storage, as often as is necessary, to clear a satisfactory amount of hydrocarbon fluid and earthen contaminants from the compressed gas conveyance tubing system; feeding a sufficient volume and pressure of compressed gas from a source at surface, through the casing vent valve and into the well-bore, to create a gas carrier stream of sufficient velocity to entrain and carry earthen well-bore contaminants and hydrocarbon fluid from the lower well-bore, into and through the gas conveyance tubing system, and into the hydrocarbon production fluid storage tank or other handling and storage facility at surface. Continuing the feed of compressed gas until a satisfactory amount of earthen contaminants are displaced from the well-bore.    
   
   
       8 . A method to heat hydrocarbon fluid and reduce the viscosity and fluid flow friction factor of hydrocarbon fluid within the subsurface tubulars of an oil well, comprising the steps of; 
 providing the method of  claim 1  or claim  2  or  claim 6;  heating the hydrocarbon fluid within the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string wherein the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string is placed concentrically within the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string and wherein the heated compressed gas fed through the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string is in contact with the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string; permitting heat from the compressed gas to conduct through the wall of the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string and into the hydrocarbon fluid, or;    wherein the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string is placed concentrically within the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string, permitting the heat from the compressed gas to conduct through the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string wall and into the hydrocarbon fluid that is contained within or flowing through the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string, or;    wherein the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string is placed parallel to the subsurface hydrocarbon production tubing string, permitting the heat from the compressed gas to conduct through the subsurface compressed gas feed tubing string's wall; permitting the heat from the compressed gas feed tubing string's wall to radiate heat through the well-bore gas; collecting and conducting the radiated heat into and through the hydrocarbon production tubing string's wall and into the hydrocarbon fluid.