Bernoulli Assisted Hydrocarbon Lift System and Method to Prohibit Water-Coning

Abstract

The disclosed hydrocarbon lift system and method prohibits water-coning in production of oil from a subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface. The system comprises a well bore with a first and a second section. The first section has perforations which draw a first fluid into and up the well bore based on a negative pump pressure applied thereto. The second section has perforations which draw a second fluid into the well bore based on a differential pressure between the pump pressure and a lower induced pressure therein. The system also comprises a venturi structure fixtured into the well bore. The venturi structure has flaring ends connected by a constricting throat defining perforations therein. The constricting throat perforations draw the second fluid through the second section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the lower induced pressure in the second section created by an increased first fluid velocity there through.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydrocarbon lift system for prohibiting water-coning in production of oil from a subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
 a well bore having at least a first section and a second section, the first section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw a first fluid into and up the well bore based on a pump pressure applied thereto, the second section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw a second fluid into the well bore based on a differential pressure between the pump pressure and a lower induced pressure therein; and   a venturi structure configured to be fixtured into the well bore, the venturi structure having flaring ends connected by a constricting throat defining a plurality of perforations therein configured to draw the second fluid through the second section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the lower induced pressure in the second section created by an increased first fluid velocity through the venturi throat.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pass through tube extending a length from the well bore head to a section below the first section of well bore pipe, the pass through tube configured to pass recovered first flow from the surface back down into the well. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a scoup structure adjacent a venturi throat perforation, the scoup structure configured to assist in drawing the second flow there through into the venturi throat, an opening defined by the scoup directed upward at a 15 degree angle to the well bore plus or minus a 10% manufacturing tolerance. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plug/packer into the well bore below the first and second sections of well bore pipe, the plug configured to prohibit extraneous fluid flow and materials from entering the well bore during production. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a packing material placed adjacent the well bore and the flaring ends of the venturi structure, the packing material configured to semi-permanently fix the venturi structure in a predetermined section of the well bore. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of first section perforations in the well bore is greater than a number of second section perforations in the well bore. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the first section perforations in the well bore is greater than a diameter of the second section perforations in the well bore. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of second section perforations in the well bore is greater than a number of first section perforations in the well bore. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the flaring ends of the venturi structure is larger than a diameter of the constricting throat. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the flaring ends of the venturi structure is approximately the same as an inner diameter of the well bore. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the first section is disposed below the second section with respect to the surface and both the first and second sections are disposed beneath a terminus of a pipe string within the well bore. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the constricting throat of the venturi structure is remotely adjustable up to an inner diameter of the well bore and is remotely adjustable down to approximately zero based on the induced pressure difference predetermined by an operator. 
     
     
         13 . A hydrocarbon lift system for prohibiting water-coning in production of oil from a subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
 a well bore having at least a first section and a second section, the first section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw a water flow into and through the well bore based on a pump pressure applied thereto, the second section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw an oil flow into and through the well bore based on a differential pressure between the pump pressure and a lower induced pressure therein; and   a venturi structure configured to be fixtured into the well bore, the venturi structure having flaring ends connected by a constricting throat defining a plurality of perforations therein configured to draw oil through the second section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the lower induced pressure in the second section created by an accelerated water flow through the venturi throat and flow with the oil there through to the surface.   
     
     
         14 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 14 , further comprising a pass through tube extending a length from the well bore head to a section below the first section of well bore pipe, the pass through tube configured to pass a recovered water flow to the surface back down into the well. 
     
     
         15 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 14 , further comprising a scoup structure adjacent a venturi throat perforation, the scoup structure configured to assist in drawing the second flow there through into the venturi throat, an opening defined by the scoup directed upward at a 15 degree angle to the well bore plus or minus a 10% manufacturing tolerance. 
     
     
         16 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 14 , further comprising;
 a plurality of buoyant balls entrained in a pipe string in oil and water, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in the oil and water therein;   an entrained column of the buoyant balls in the pipe string, an aggregate weight of the balls and the oil and water configured to entrain the balls into the oil and water 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 oil and water and the entrained balls to enhance petroleum production in the annulus to the surface.   
     
     
         17 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 14 , further comprising;
 a pipe string configured with a quiescent gas therein under a steady state gas pressure with any quiescent gas escape offset by an equal gas input;   a plurality of buoyant balls gravity fed down the pipe string, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in a fluid therein;   a column of the buoyant balls in the pipe string, an aggregate weight of the balls in the column configured to entrain the balls into a fluid in an annulus formed with an outer bore pipe; and   a hydrostatic pressure differential in the annulus with respect to the reservoir via the buoyant balls, the pressure configured to lift a fluid in the annulus to the surface.   
     
     
         18 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 14 , further comprising a designer buoyant object introduced into the well bore, the designer buoyant object engineered to assist in the flow of water and oil to the surface, the designer buoyant object comprising at least one concavity on a surface thereof, the concavity engineered to one of carry a fluid to the surface and increase an effective buoyant force on the object. 
     
     
         19 . A hydrocarbon lift method for prohibiting water-coning in production of oil from a subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the method comprising:
 providing a well bore having at least a first section and a second section, the first section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw a water flow into and through the well bore based on a pump pressure applied thereto, the second section having a plurality of perforations configured to draw an oil flow into and through the well bore based on a differential pressure between the pump pressure and a lower induced pressure therein;   fixturing a venturi structure into the well bore, the venturi structure having flaring ends connected by a constricting throat defining a plurality of perforations therein configured to draw oil through the second section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the lower induced pressure in the second section created by a greater water flow velocity through the venturi throat with respect to a water flow velocity through the well bore; and   drawing the water flow through the first section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the pressure applied to the well bore head and drawing the oil flow through the second section perforations into the venturi throat in response to the lower induced pressure and drawing both the water flow and the oil flow through the well bore to the surface due to the pressure applied to the well bore head.   
     
     
         20 . The hydrocarbon lift method of  claim 19 , further comprising recovering water from the oil at the surface and pumping the recovered water via a pass through tube extending a length from the well bore head to an area below the first section of well bore pipe.