Triwall Hydrocarbon Well Recovery System and Method

Abstract

A buoyant ball assisted hydrostatic lift system and method comprises a second annulus formed between a well bore and an outer pipe within the well bore, and a first annulus formed between the outer pipe and an inner pipe. The system includes a seal disposed on the second annulus on at least a top end and a bottom end thereof with respect to the earth's surface. The seal is configured to prevent a fluid flow there through and preserve a condition of the well bore and the outer pipe and protect the environment against well perforations. The system also includes buoyant balls entrained in a first fluid in one of the annuli and an entrained column of the buoyant balls in the first fluid in one of the annuli, an aggregate weight thereof configured to entrain the balls and the first fluid into a second fluid in the inner pipe.

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 second annulus formed between a well bore and an outer pipe within the well bore, and a first annulus formed between the outer pipe and an inner pipe; and   a seal formed on the second annulus on at least a top end and a bottom end thereof with respect to the earth's surface, the seal configured to prevent a fluid flow there through and preserve a condition of the well bore and the outer pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a plurality of buoyant balls entrained in a first fluid in one of the annuli, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in the first fluid therein; and   an entrained column of the buoyant balls in the first fluid in one of the annuli, an aggregate weight thereof configured to entrain the balls and the first fluid into a second fluid in the inner pipe.   
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure differential in the inner pipe with respect to the reservoir via the entrained buoyant balls, the pressure differential configured to lift the second fluid and the entrained balls via the inner pipe to enhance petroleum production to the surface. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , wherein the inner pipe is a continuous coil tubing configured to be pushed into the outer pipe and into the reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the annuli is the first annulus, primarily in stripping wells. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the annuli is the second annulus, primarily in newer and higher producing wells. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 1 , further comprising a packer disposed on the second annulus on a top end and a bottom end thereof with respect to the earth's surface, the packer configured to prevent a fluid flow there through and preserve a condition of the well bore and the outer pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump attached to the outer pipe, the pump configured to pressurize the first fluid and the buoyant balls entrained therein through the outer pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , wherein the column of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid is vice versa disposed in the inner pipe and the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid are vice versa disposed in the second annulus to enable a pressure differential in the second annulus with respect to the inner pipe to lift the buoyant balls and the second fluid to the earth's surface. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , 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 outer pipe to a column height greater than a height of the first fluid in the outer pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 2 , further comprising a controlled rise velocity of the buoyant balls relative to the first fluid predetermined by a specific gravity of each buoyant ball entrained in the first fluid and a variable diameter of each buoyant ball therein. 
     
     
         12 . 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 annuli formed between an encased well bore and an outer pipe within the well bore and an inner pipe drill string within the outer pipe;   a column of a plurality of buoyant balls in the plurality of annuli, a weight thereof configured to entrain the buoyant balls into a first fluid in the plurality of annuli and an aggregate weight of the column and the first fluid configured to entrain the column and first fluid into a second fluid in the inner pipe drill string; and   an increased rise velocity of the buoyant balls and the second fluid to the surface via the inner pipe drill string based on an increase in a radius of each buoyant ball in relation to a smaller radius and a slower velocity of the buoyant balls in the first fluid.   
     
     
         13 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of annuli comprises both a second annulus formed between the encased well bore and the outer pipe and a first annulus formed between the outer pipe and the inner pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 12 , further comprising a dynamic seal on at least one of a top end and a bottom end of the second annulus with respect to the earth's surface, the dynamic seal configured to be remotely controllable. 
     
     
         15 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 12 , wherein the mass density of the first fluid is comprised of a predetermined water and petroleum mixture and is higher in mass density than the mass density of the second fluid comprised of petroleum from the reservoir and petroleum separated from the first fluid wherein the buoyant balls have a controlled rise velocity within the second fluid in the inner pipe drill string. 
     
     
         16 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 12 , wherein a ratio of water to petroleum in the first fluid is greater than one and a ratio of water to petroleum in the second fluid is less than one to enable a positive rise velocity of the buoyant balls in the second fluid via a constant radius of the buoyant balls. 
     
     
         17 . The hydrocarbon lift system of  claim 12 , further comprising a buoyant ball specific gravity of 0.23 plus or minus a 10 percent tolerance and an approximate 0.64 to 2.54 centimeters (0.25 inch to 1 inches) variable diameter for rise velocities between 3.56 cm/sec (1.4 in/sec) up to 56.0 cm/sec (22+ inches/second). 
     
     
         18 . A method for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of annuli between an encased well bore and an outer pipe within the well bore and an inner pipe within the outer pipe, a first annulus defined between the inner pipe and the outer pipe and a second annulus defined between the encased well bore and the outer pipe;   creating a column of a plurality of buoyant balls in the plurality of annuli, a weight thereof configured to entrain the buoyant balls into a first fluid in the plurality of annuli; and   entraining the column of buoyant balls and the first fluid in the second annulus via the weight thereof and entraining the buoyant balls and the first fluid into a second fluid in the inner pipe via an aggregate weight thereof.   
     
     
         19 . The method for lifting petroleum fluids of  claim 18 , further comprising vice versa disposing the column of buoyant balls entrained in the first fluid to the inner pipe drill string and vice versa disposing the entrained buoyant balls in the second fluid in the outer pipe to enable a pressure differential in the outer pipe with respect to the subterranean pressure to lift the buoyant balls and the second fluid to the earth's surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method for lifting petroleum fluids of  claim 18 , further comprising forming a seal on the second annulus on at least a top end and a bottom end thereof with respect to the earth's surface, the seal configured to prevent a fluid flow there through and preserve a condition of the well bore and the outer pipe.