Downhole oil recovery system and method of use

Abstract

An improved hydraulic downhole oil recovery system may incorporate an above ground hydraulic pumping unit and a submersible, bidirectional, reciprocating downhole hydraulic slave cylinder-based pumping unit. Water, rather than hydraulic fluid, may be responsible for actuating the reciprocating downhole pump unit. The water may be transferred through the system using seamless, coil tubing.

1 . An oil recovery system comprising: 
 a generally hollow production tube having an interior space;    an upstroke reservoir and a downstroke reservoir disposed in said interior space;    a downstroke powerline in fluid communication with said downstroke reservoir;    an upstroke powerline in fluid communication with said upstroke reservoir;    a power piston disposed in said interior space of said production tube and in fluid communication with said downstroke reservoir and said upstroke reservoir;    a connecting rod disposed in said interior space of said production tube and having a first end attached to said power piston;    a production piston being attached to a second end of said connecting rod;    a seal disposed between said production piston and said power piston;    an oil inlet in fluid communication with an oil reservoir;    wherein said seal separates said downstroke reservoir and said upstroke reservoir from said oil reservoir disposed in said interior space of said production tube;    wherein said power piston is actuatable over a range of motion between a first position and a second position by differential pressure exerted on said power piston by a power fluid; and    an oil inlet valve in fluid communication with said oil inlet.    
   
   
       2 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said downstroke powerline and said upstroke powerline comprise coil tubing.  
   
   
       3 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said production tube comprises coil tubing.  
   
   
       4 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said production piston is disposed at a bottom end of said connecting rod and said power piston is disposed at a top end of said connecting rod.  
   
   
       5 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said production piston is disposed at a top end of said connecting rod and said power piston is disposed at a bottom end of said connecting rod.  
   
   
       6 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said power fluid comprises water-based fluid.  
   
   
       7 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said production tube is removable.  
   
   
       8 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  further comprising a surface pump unit having a sensor wherein said surface pump unit is connected to said downstroke powerline and said upstroke powerline.  
   
   
       9 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said upstroke powerline and said downstroke powerline extend along a length of said production tube.  
   
   
       10 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said power piston and said production piston are shaped and sized such that production fluid is sucked through said oil inlet valve and into a first oil reservoir upon an upstroke of said power piston.  
   
   
       11 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  further comprising a second oil inlet in fluid communication with a second oil reservoir located in said interior space of said production tube.  
   
   
       12 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said downstroke powerline and said upstroke powerline are disposed outside of said production tube.  
   
   
       13 . The oil recovery system of  claim 1  wherein said oil inlet is disposed adjacent to said seal.  
   
   
       14 . The oil recovery system of  claim 13  further comprising a valve disposed adjacent to said oil inlet valve.  
   
   
       15 . An improved hydraulic downhole oil recovery system, comprising: 
 elongate, substantially seamless fluid transfer tubes;    a hydraulic surface unit in substantially sealed fluid communication with a hydraulic surface unit end of said fluid transfer tubes, said hydraulic surface unit comprising pressurized fluid transfer means for transferring a pressurized fluid through said fluid transfer tubes; and    a submersible downhole unit, in substantially sealed fluid communication with said hydraulic surface unit though a substantially sealed connection with a downhole unit end of said fluid transfer tubes, said submersible downhole unit comprising: 
 a power piston and cylinder assembly, a power piston component of which is actuatable over a range of motion to and between a first power piston position and a second power piston position by differential pressure exerted on said power piston by said pressurized fluid, 
 a connecting rod extending between said power piston and a production piston and cylinder assembly, a production piston component of which is actuatable over a range of motion to and between a first production piston position and a second production piston position, wherein said connecting rod holds said power piston and said production piston in a fixed position with respect to one another,  
 
 a plurality of valves configured in relation to a production cylinder portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly for sequentially and repetitively, upon actuation of said production piston effecting, in response to said actuation of said production piston:  
 first drawing production fluid into a first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially simultaneously ejecting production fluid from a second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly;  
 second drawing production fluids into said second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially, simultaneously ejecting production fluid from said first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly; and  
 third drawing production fluid into said first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially simultaneously ejecting production fluid from said second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly;  
 a first effluent tube and a second effluent tube, configured, respectively, for receiving said production fluid as ejected from said first and second portions of said production piston and cylinder assembly and conveying said production fluid to a production fluid collection receptacle; and  
 a hydraulic fluid comprising water.  
   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said pressurized fluid comprises water, at least one-half by volume.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said connecting rod extends from said power piston and cylinder assembly to said production piston and cylinder assembly through an orifice, said orifice having a margin which is metallic and is sized and shaped to form a metal-to-metal seal between said connecting rod and said margin of said orifice.  
   
   
       18 . A method of using an improved hydraulic downhole oil recovery system comprising: 
 selecting a hydraulic downhole oil recovery system, comprising: 
 elongate, substantially seamless fluid transfer tubes;  
 a hydraulic surface unit in substantially sealed fluid communication with a hydraulic surface unit end of said fluid transfer tubes, said hydraulic surface unit comprising pressurized fluid transfer means for transferring a pressurized fluid through said fluid transfer tubes; and  
 a submersible downhole unit, in substantially sealed fluid communication with said hydraulic surface unit though a substantially sealed connection with a downhole unit end of said fluid transfer tubes, said submersible downhole unit comprising: 
 a power piston and cylinder assembly, a power piston component of which is actuatable over a range of motion to and between a first power piston position and a second power piston position by differential pressure exerted on either side of said power piston by said pressurized fluid,  
 a connecting rod extending between said power piston and a production piston and cylinder assembly, a production piston component of which is actuatable over a range of motion to and between a fist production piston position and a second production piston position, wherein said connecting rod holds said power piston and said production piston in a fixed position with respect to one another,  
 a plurality of valves configured in relation to said a production cylinder portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly for sequentially and repetitively, upon actuation of said production piston effecting, in response to said actuation of said production piston:  
 first drawing production fluid into a first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially simultaneously ejecting production fluid from a second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly;  
 second drawing production fluids into said second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially, simultaneously ejecting production fluid from said first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly; and  
 third drawing production fluid into said first portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly and substantially simultaneously ejecting production fluid from said second portion of said production piston and cylinder assembly;  
 a first effluent tube and a second effluent tube, configured, respectively, for receiving said production fluid as ejected from said first and second portions of said production piston and cylinder assemble and conveying said production fluid to a production fluid collection receptacle; and  
 a hydraulic fluid comprising water;  
 
 positioning said hydraulic surface unit substantially at ground level and near a well bore of an oil well;  
 positioning said submersible downhole substantially adjacent to a production zone of said oil well; and  
 actuating said hydraulic downhole oil recovery system for producing oil from said oil well.  
   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said pressurized fluid comprises water, at least one-half by volume.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said connecting rod extends from said power piston and cylinder assembly to said production piston and cylinder assembly through an orifice, said orifice having a margin which is metallic and is sized and shaped to form a metal-to-metal seal between said connecting rod and said margin of said orifice.