Plunger lift and safety valve system

Abstract

A plunger lift production system uses a production string including a bottom hole assembly, a production tubing having an inside diameter and including a safety valve having an inside diameter, and a plunger with an outside diameter which closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve, and an expandable lug and pad assembly, which when expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the production tubing, and when not expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve.

1 . A plunger lift production system comprising:
 (a) a production string comprising a bottom hole assembly, a production tubing having an inside diameter and including a safety valve having an inside diameter;   (b) a plunger comprising a plunger body having an outside diameter which closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve, and an expandable lug and pad assembly, which when expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the production tubing, and when not expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve.   
     
     
         2 . A method of producing fluids from a subterranean wellbore having a production string comprising a bottom hole assembly, a production tubing having an inside diameter and including a safety valve having an inside diameter, the method comprising the step of cycling a plunger within the production string through the safety valve, wherein the plunger comprises a plunger body having an outside diameter which closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve, and an expandable lug and pad assembly, which when expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the production tubing, and when not expanded closely matches the inside diameter of the safety valve.