Hybrid hydrocarbon lift system and method

Abstract

A system for hybrid gas lifting may include a gas-lift completion arranged to inject high-pressure gas into production tubing of a well. The system may include a downhole annular jet pump. The downhole annular jet pump may include an annular nozzle arranged to receive the injected high-pressure gas. The injected high-pressure gas exits the annular nozzle as an annular high-velocity gas jet. The downhole annular jet pump may include a throat section arranged to receive the annular high-velocity gas jet, and to mix the annular high-velocity gas jet with a low-pressure production fluid. The downhole annular jet pump may include a diffuser section arranged to facilitate conversion of kinetic energy into pressure energy in a mixture of the annular high-velocity gas jet and the low-pressure production fluid, and to produce the mixture to a surface via the production tubing.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for hybrid gas lifting, the system comprising:
 a gas-lift completion arranged to inject high-pressure gas into production tubing of a well; and   a downhole annular jet pump including:
 an annular nozzle arranged to receive the injected high-pressure gas, the injected high-pressure gas exiting the annular nozzle as an annular high-velocity gas jet; 
 a throat section arranged to:
 receive the annular high-velocity gas jet, and 
 mix the annular high-velocity gas jet with a low-pressure production fluid; and 
 
 a diffuser section arranged to:
 facilitate conversion of kinetic energy into pressure energy in a mixture of the annular high-velocity gas jet and the low-pressure production fluid, and 
 produce the mixture to a surface via the production tubing. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole annular jet pump is included in a through-tubing straddle system located within a wellbore of the well, the through-tubing straddle system further including a lower packer placed below a gas injection point within the production tubing, at a bottom-end of the annular jet pump, and an upper packer placed above the gas injection point within the production tubing, at a top-end of the annular jet pump. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole annular jet pump is included in a through-tubing straddle system located within a wellbore of the well, the through-tubing straddle system further including a lower packer placed below a gas injection point within the production tubing, at a bottom-end of the annular jet pump. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with coiled tubing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with wireline. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with e-line. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the high-pressure gas is injected into the production tubing of the well via a gas-lift valve arranged at a gas injection point within the production tubing. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the annular nozzle is of an annular shape that, when receiving the injected gas, produces the annular high-velocity gas jet. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure production fluid flows into the annular nozzle from a center of a wellbore of the well. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tube arranged to receive the low-pressure production fluid through a wellbore of the well and to carry the low-pressure production fluid to the throat section of the downhole annular jet pump, the tube extending to a particular depth within the wellbore that causes a reduction of liquid loading in the low-pressure production fluid.   
     
     
         11 . A method for hybrid gas lifting, the method comprising:
 injecting, by a gas-lift completion, high-pressure gas into production tubing of a well;   receiving, by an annular nozzle included in a downhole annular jet pump, the injected high-pressure gas, the injected high-pressure gas exiting the annular nozzle as an annular high-velocity gas jet;   receiving, by a throat section included in the downhole annular jet pump, the annular high-velocity gas jet;   mixing, by the throat section included in the downhole annular jet pump, the annular high-velocity gas jet with a low-pressure production fluid;   facilitating conversion, by a diffuser section included in the downhole annular jet pump, of kinetic energy into pressure energy in a mixture of the annular high-velocity gas jet and the low-pressure production fluid; and   producing, by the diffuser section included in the downhole annular jet pump, the mixture to a surface via the production tubing.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the downhole annular jet pump is included in a through-tubing straddle system located within a wellbore of the well, the through-tubing straddle system further including a lower packer placed below a gas injection point within the production tubing, at a bottom-end of the annular jet pump, and an upper packer placed above the gas injection point within the production tubing, at a top-end of the annular jet pump. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the downhole annular jet pump is included in a through-tubing straddle system located within a wellbore of the well, the through-tubing straddle system further including a lower packer placed below a gas injection point within the production tubing, at a bottom-end of the annular jet pump. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with coiled tubing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with wireline. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the through-tubing straddle system is deployed riglessly with e-line. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the high-pressure gas is injected into the production tubing of the well via a gas-lift valve arranged at a gas injection point within the production tubing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the annular nozzle is of an annular shape that, when receiving the injected gas, produces the annular high-velocity gas jet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the low-pressure production fluid flows into the annular nozzle from a center of a wellbore of the well. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a tube arranged to receive the low-pressure production fluid through a wellbore of the well and to carry the low-pressure production fluid to the throat section of the downhole annular jet pump, the tube extending to a particular depth within the wellbore that causes a reduction of liquid loading in the low-pressure production fluid.