System and Method for Separating Gaseous Material From Formation Fluids

Abstract

There is provided a system for effecting production of formation fluids from a subterranean formation. The system includes a gas anchor for mitigating gas lock. Sealing engagement of the gas anchor against the wellbore tubular is effected without use of a conventional packer, which would otherwise be susceptible to receiving debris deposited from the formation fluid, which thereby results in the packer, as well as the gas anchor, becoming vulnerable to becoming stuck within the wellbore tubular.

1 . A system for effecting production of formation fluid from a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a wellbore tubular disposed within a wellbore, wherein the wellbore tubular includes a receptacle portion, wherein the receptacle portion includes a receptacle sealing surface;   a production tubular, disposed within the wellbore tubular, including:
 a formation fluid-receiving conduit portion, defining a formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion for receiving the formation fluid, and including a sealing member-engaging surface portion; 
 a gas separator portion configured to co-operate with at least the wellbore tubular for effecting separation of at least a fraction of gaseous material, that is entrained within the received formation fluid, from the received formation fluid to generate a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid; 
 a gaseous material-depleted fluid formation conduit defining a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion for conducting a flow of the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to the surface; and 
 a prime mover disposed for inducing flow of the formation fluid from a subterranean formation and into the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, and for receiving and energizing the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to flow through the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion to the surface; and 
 a sealing member disposed between the sealing member-engaging surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface for effecting a seal between at least the sealing member-engaging surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface, for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of the formation fluid between at least the sealing member-engaging external surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface; 
   wherein the co-operation between the gas separator portion and at least the wellbore tubular is with effect that, while the flow of the formation fluid is being induced by the prime mover and received through the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, flowing of the received formation fluid is directed through a gas separator annulus disposed between the gas separator portion and the wellbore tubular, in a direction opposite to that which the formation fluid is flowing while being received by the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular, prior to being received by the prime mover, and the formation fluid flowing through the gas separator annulus is prevented, or substantially prevented, from returning to the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular by the effected seal between at least the sealing member-engaging surface portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular, wherein, while the flowing of the received formation fluid is being directed through the gas separator annulus, the at least a fraction of the entrained gaseous material becomes separated, in response to buoyancy forces, from the received formation fluid that is being directed through the gas separator annulus; and   wherein the receptacle sealing surface is disposed less than a distance “D” of 2.5 millimetres from the sealing member-engaging surface portion.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the wellbore tubular includes a casing, and the receptacle portion is defined by an inwardly extending protrusion of the casing. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the wellbore tubular includes:
 a casing string;   a liner string, coupled to the casing string, the liner string including:
 a polished bore receptacle that includes the receptacle portion; and 
 a sealing surface, sealingly engaged to the casing string for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of formation fluid between the sealing surface and the casing string; 
   and wherein the production tubular is disposed within the polished bore receptacle.   
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 ; wherein the coupling of the liner string to the casing string is by way of hanging of the liner string to the casing string. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 ;
 wherein the sealing member is disposed in sealing engagement with both of the sealing member-engaging surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface, and urging of the sealing engagement is effected with a seal latch assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 3 ; wherein the casing string includes a packer for effecting the sealing engagement between the sealing surface of the liner string and the casing string. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; further comprising:
 a conducting annulus disposed between the production tubular and the wellbore tubular and configured to receive and conduct the separated gaseous material to the surface;   wherein the gas separator annulus is disposed in vertical alignment with the conducting annulus.   
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the gas separator further co-operates with the wellbore tubular with effect that the received formation fluid flow being flowed through the gas separator annulus is flowing in a downwardly direction. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the disposition of the wellbore tubular relative to the wellbore is with effect that the effected fluid communication between the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the production tubular and the subterranean formation treatment zone is isolated, or substantially isolated, from at least one other zone of the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the prime mover is disposed within a horizontal wellbore portion of the wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the production tubular is releasably secured to the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the production tubular is disposed in an interference fit relationship with the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the sealing member is coupled to the production tubular. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the sealing member is carried by the production tubular. 
     
     
         15 . A system for effecting production of formation fluids from a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a wellbore tubular disposed within a wellbore, wherein the wellbore tubular includes:
 a casing string; 
 a liner string, coupled to the casing string, the liner string including:
 a polished bore receptacle that includes a receptacle portion, wherein the receptacle portion includes a receptacle sealing surface; and 
 a sealing surface, sealingly engaged to the casing string for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of formation fluid between the sealing surface and the casing string; and 
 
 a production tubular, disposed within the wellbore tubular, including:
 a formation fluid-receiving conduit portion, defining a formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion for receiving the formation fluid, and including a sealing surface disposed in sealing engagement with the receptacle sealing surface for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of the formation fluids between the sealing surface and the receptacle sealing surface; 
 
   a gas separator portion configured to co-operate with at least the wellbore tubular for effecting separation of at least a fraction of gaseous material, that is entrained within the received formation fluid, from the received formation fluid to generate a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid;   a gaseous material-depleted fluid formation conduit defining a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion for conducting a flow of the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to the surface; and   a prime mover disposed for inducing flow of the formation fluid from a subterranean formation and into the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, and for receiving and energizing the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to flow through the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion to the surface;   wherein the co-operation between the gas separator portion and at least the wellbore tubular is with effect that, while the flow of the formation fluid is being induced by the prime mover and received through the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, flowing of the received formation fluid is directed through a gas separator annulus disposed between the gas separator portion and the wellbore tubular, in a direction opposite to that which the formation fluid is flowing while being received by the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular, prior to being received by the prime mover, and the formation fluid flowing through the gas separator annulus is prevented, or substantially prevented, from returning to the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular by at least the sealing engagement between the sealing surface of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular, wherein, while the flowing of the received formation fluid is being directed through the gas separator annulus, the at least a fraction of the entrained gaseous material becomes separated, in response to buoyancy forces, from the received formation fluid that is being directed through the gas separator annulus.   
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 ; wherein the production tubular is disposed within the polished bore receptacle, and urging of the sealing engagement between the sealing surface of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the polished bore receptacle is effected with a seal latch assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 ; wherein the coupling of the liner string to the casing string is by way of hanging of the liner string to the casing string. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 ; wherein the production tubular is releasably secured to the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 15 ; wherein the production tubular is disposed in an interference fit relationship with the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 19 ; wherein the interference fit relationship is effected between the sealing surface of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         21 . A system for effecting production of formation fluids from a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a wellbore tubular disposed within a wellbore, wherein the wellbore tubular includes a casing, wherein the casing includes a receptacle portion, wherein the receptacle portion is defined by an inwardly extending protrusion of the casing and includes a receptacle sealing surface; and   a production tubular, disposed within the wellbore tubular, including:   a formation fluid-receiving conduit portion, defining a formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion for receiving the formation fluid, and including a sealing surface disposed in sealing engagement with the receptacle sealing surface for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of the formation fluids between the sealing surface and the receptacle sealing surface;   a gas separator portion configured to co-operate with at least the wellbore tubular for effecting separation of at least a fraction of gaseous material, that is entrained within the received formation fluid, from the received formation fluid to generate a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid;   a gaseous material-depleted fluid formation conduit defining a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion for conducting a flow of the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to the surface; and   a prime mover disposed for inducing flow of the formation fluid from a subterranean formation and into the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, and for receiving and energizing the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to flow through the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion to the surface;   wherein the co-operation between the gas separator portion and at least the wellbore tubular is with effect that, while the flow of the formation fluid is being induced by the prime mover and received through the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, flowing of the received formation fluid is directed through a gas separator annulus disposed between the gas separator portion and the wellbore tubular, in a direction opposite to that which the formation fluid is flowing while being received by the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular, prior to being received by the prime mover, and the formation fluid flowing through the gas separator annulus is prevented, or substantially prevented, from returning to the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular by at least the sealing engagement between the sealing surface of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular, wherein, while the flowing of the received formation fluid is being directed through the gas separator annulus, the at least a fraction of the entrained gaseous material becomes separated, in response to buoyancy forces, from the received formation fluid that is being directed through the gas separator annulus.   
     
     
         22 . The system as claimed in  claim 21 ; wherein the receptacle portion defines a constricted passage within the casing. 
     
     
         23 . The system as claimed in  claim 21 ; wherein the production tubular is releasably secured to the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         24 . The system as claimed in  claim 21 ; wherein the production tubular is disposed in an interference fit relationship with the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         25 . The system as claimed in  claim 24 ; wherein the interference fit relationship is effected between the sealing surface of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         26 - 68 . (canceled)