Buoyant Ball Assisted Hydrocarbon Lift System and Method

Abstract

As disclosed, a buoyant ball assisted hydrostatic lift system and method for lifting fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, comprises a pipe string configured at a steady state gas pressure with any quiescent gas escape offset by an equal gas input. The system also includes a plurality of buoyant balls in the pipe string; the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in fluid(s) therein. The system additionally includes a column of the buoyant balls in the pipe string, an aggregate weight of the balls configured to entrain the balls into a fluid in an annulus formed with an outer bore pipe. The system further includes a hydrostatic pressure differential in the annulus with respect to the reservoir via the buoyant balls, the pressure configured to lift fluid(s) in the annulus to the surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
 a plurality of buoyant balls entrained in a pipe string in a first fluid, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in the first fluid therein;   an entrained column of the buoyant balls in the pipe string, an aggregate weight of the balls and the first fluid configured to entrain the balls into a second fluid in an annulus formed with an outer bore pipe; and   a pressure differential in the annulus with respect to the reservoir via the entrained buoyant balls, the pressure configured to lift the second fluid and the entrained balls to enhance petroleum production in the annulus to the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump attached to the pipe string, the pump configured to pressurize the first fluid and the buoyant balls entrained therein through the pipe string. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the column of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid is vice versa disposed in the annulus and the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid is vice versa disposed in the pipe string to enable a pressure differential in the pipe string to lift the buoyant balls and the second fluid to the earth's surface. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the column of buoyant balls forms under an aggregate weight of the buoyant balls and the first fluid and extends from a bottom end of the pipe string to a column height greater than a height of the fluid in the pipe string and the annulus. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the column of buoyant balls may further comprise a density of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid predetermined by a specific gravity of the first fluid and a weight of each buoyant ball therein. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the column of buoyant balls may further comprise a density of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid predetermined by an external pressure on the buoyant balls and the first fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 6 , further comprising a second density of buoyant balls entrained in the second fluid, the second density based on the first density and on the specific gravity of the second fluid. 
     
     
         8 . A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
 a column of a plurality of buoyant balls in a pipe string configured to entrain the buoyant balls into a fluid in an annulus formed with an outer bore pipe; and   a pressure differential in the annulus with respect to the reservoir via the entrained buoyant balls, the pressure differential configured to lift the fluid and the entrained balls to enhance petroleum production in the annulus to the surface.   
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 8 , wherein the surface friction of the buoyant balls moving through the fluid creates a loss of hydrostatic pressure in the annulus and creates a lift of the fluid at a lower pressure in the subterranean reservoir to the surface through the annulus. 
     
     
         10 . A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
 a plurality of buoyant balls configured in a column in a pipe string, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in a fluid;   a first pressure configured to entrain the buoyant balls in a first fluid in the pipe string and move the buoyant balls there through into a second fluid in an annulus formed with an outer bore pipe; and   a pressure differential in the annulus created via a second pressure of the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid with respect to a subterranean reservoir pressure, the pressure differential configured to lift the second fluid to the surface and enhance petroleum production in the annulus.   
     
     
         11 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 10 , wherein the column of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid is vice versa disposed in the annulus and the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid is vice versa disposed in the pipe string to enable a pressure differential in the pipe string with respect to the subterranean pressure to lift the buoyant balls and the second fluid to the earth's surface.