Plunger with flow passage and chamber

Abstract

A chamber for use in plungers used in wells that produce liquids and/or gases under, which is connected to an internal flow passage to facilitate more rapid descent of the plunger to the well stop. A closure means is housed within the chamber, and is in the open position when the plunger descends down the tubulars. The closure means is actuated when the plunger and stopper stem reach the well stop. Once the closure means is seated, it is held in the closed position by the build up of pressure below the plunger. The invention also covers a plunger and a method of using the plunger.

1 . A plunger for use in a gas/liquid lift system in downhole production tubulars in a well producing fluids and/or gases under variable well pressures, comprising: 
 a body slidingly engageable within the tubulars and capable of movement up and down said tubulars;    said body having a top end, a bottom end, and an inner passage within said body for receiving well fluids and/or gases and enabling more rapid descent of said plunger in a well;    a chamber in said body, wherein said body provides a wall at least partially surrounding said chamber, wherein said chamber is capable of receiving well fluids and/or gases;    an opening between the chamber and the inner passage that allows fluid communication between the chamber and the inner passage;    a closure member at least partially located inside the chamber, the closure member having a top end and a bottom end, said member being moveable between an open and a closed position; and    at least one port through said wall, wherein well fluids and/or gases can flow into said chamber and into said inner passage.    
   
   
       2 . The plunger of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one opening near or at the top of said plunger, wherein said fluids and/or gas can exit out of the inner passage.  
   
   
       3 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein the closure member is a stopper, and wherein said stopper has a heat, a top end, and a bottom end with a stem attached thereto.  
   
   
       4 . The plunger of  claim 1 , having a plurality of ports in side walls of the plunger, the ports opening into the chamber, said ports allowing well fluids and/or gases to enter or exit the chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The plunger of  claim 3 , further comprising a roof within said chamber, and an opening in the roof, wherein a portion of the stopper rests against said roof opening in the closed position, thereby closing the opening between the chamber and the inner passage, thereby obstructing a flow of well fluids and/or gases into the inner passage.  
   
   
       6 . The plunger of  claim 3 , having a chamber with a roof and a floor, wherein said floor is parallel to the roof.  
   
   
       7 . The plunger of  claim 3 , having a stopper with a triangular head.  
   
   
       8 . The plunger of  claim 3 , having a chamber with a floor and a roof, wherein said roof is dome shaped, and said floor is nonparallel to said roof.  
   
   
       9 . The plunger of  claim 3 , having a stopper with a semicircular head.  
   
   
       10 . The plunger of  claim 1 , further comprising a fishing part attached to the top end of said plunger, the fishing part having an inner passage for the flow of fluids and/or gases.  
   
   
       11 . The plunger of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening within the floor of the chamber, wherein said bottom end of said closure member rests against the chamber floor in the open position and a stem attached to the bottom end of said closure member, said stem extending downwardly through said opening.  
   
   
       12 . The plunger of  claim 11 , wherein said stem engages a well stop when the plunger descends to the well stop, thereby pushing the stem and the closure member upward, the head of the closure member closing the opening between the chamber and the inner passage, thereby obstructing a flow of well fluids and/or gases into the inner passage, said closure member being held against the roof by a build up of pressure below the closure member.  
   
   
       13 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet openings of said at least one port opens into the chamber above the top end of the closure member when the closure member is in the open position and below the bottom end of the closure member when the closure member is in the closed position.  
   
   
       14 . The plunger of  claim 4 , having an inlet in the wall of the chamber that leads to said at least one port that opens into said chamber, wherein the inlet of said port is oblong in shape.  
   
   
       15 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plunger body has a plurality of spirals thereon.  
   
   
       16 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plunger body has a brush disposed thereon.  
   
   
       17 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the body of the plunger body has plurality of washers thereon, said washers being movable about said body.  
   
   
       18 . The plunger of  claim 1 , having a least one external pad disposed about a portion of said plunger body.  
   
   
       19 . The plunger of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body of the plunger is coated with a compound that reduces friction between the plunger and the tubulars.  
   
   
       20 . A chamber for use in gas lift plungers, comprising: 
 an cap for attachment to a gas lift plunger body, said cap having an inner passage and a chamber for receiving well liquids and/or gases, said chamber having a roof at the upper end and a floor at the lower end, with an opening in said roof that allows fluid communication with an inner passage in a plunger; and    wherein a plunger stopper is at least partially located inside the chamber, the plunger stopper being moveable between an open and a closed position.    
   
   
       21 . The chamber of  claim 20 , having at least one port in said wall for the entry of well liquids and/or gases into the chamber, said at least one port having an inlet opening in the plunger body and an outlet opening in the walls of the chamber, with a passage between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the outlet openings of said port is positioned in the chamber above the top end of the stopper when the stopper is in the open position and below the bottom end of the stopper when the stopper is in the closed position.  
   
   
       22 . The chamber of  claim 20 , further comprising an opening in the floor that communicates with a bore below the floor, said bore extending downward and having an opening at the bottom of said cap.  
   
   
       23 . The chamber of  claim 20 , the stopper has a head, the head having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the head resting against the roof in the closed position, the lower end having a stem attached thereto, and resting against the chamber floor in the open position and the stem extending downwardly through said opening in the floor and into said bore and extending outwardly from said bottom end opening, whereby the stem engages a well stop when the plunger descends down the well tubulars thereby pushing the stopper stem and the head upward, at least a portion of the head being seated against the roof to close the opening between the chamber and the inner passage, thereby obstructing a flow of well liquids and/or gases into the inner passage, said stopper being held against the roof by a build up of pressure below the stopper.  
   
   
       24 . The chamber of  claim 20 , wherein said cap is securably or removably attached to said plunger body.  
   
   
       25 . The chamber of  claim 20 , used in a plunger wherein at least a portion of the plunger body has a plurality of spirals thereon.  
   
   
       26 . The chamber of  claim 20 , used in a plunger wherein at least a portion of the plunger body has a brush disposed thereon.  
   
   
       27 . The chamber of  claim 20 , used in a plunger wherein a portion of the body of the plunger body has plurality of washers thereon, said washers being movable about said body.  
   
   
       28 . The chamber of  claim 20 , used in a plunger having a least one external pad disposed about a portion of said plunger body.  
   
   
       29 . The chamber of  claim 20 , used in a plunger body wherein at least a portion of the plunger body is coated with a compound that reduces friction.  
   
   
       30 . The chamber of  claim 20 , wherein said chamber has a roof that is parallel to said floor.  
   
   
       31 . The plunger of  claim 20 , wherein said chamber has a roof that is nonparallel to said floor.  
   
   
       32 . A method of lifting well liquids and/or gases from a subterranean reservoir to a well surface in tubulars in a well by increasing pressure in the well tubulars, comprising: 
 providing a plunger with a body that is capable of movement up and down said tubulars, said body having a top end, a bottom end, and an inner passage within said body for receiving well fluids and/or gases and enabling more rapid descent in a well;    making a chamber within said plunger body for receiving well fluids and/or gases, with an opening that communicates with the inner passage and wherein well liquids and/or gases can flow into said chamber and into said inner passage, wherein said body provides at least one side wall at least partially surrounding said chamber;    placing a stopper at least partially inside the chamber, the stopper being moveable between an open and a closed position;    positioning the closure means in the open position;    putting said plunger in a well having tubulars that produces fluids and/or gases; and    allowing said plunger to descend or gravitate to the well bottom or well stop.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising step of attaching a stem to the stopper and positioning the stopper so that the stem extends outside the bottom of said plunger body, wherein said stem contacts said well bottom or well stop when said plunger gravitates down said tubulars, thereby pushing said stopper upwardly to close said opening to said inner passage.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising steps of: 
 allowing pressure to build up in the well to a predetermined or desired level and enabling fluids from a reservoir to accumulate in the well; and    opening a valve connected to the tubulars that decreases the pressure inside the tubulars thereby elevating the plunger and the accumulated well fluids and/or gases to the surface.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of attaching a fishing part to the top end, said fishing part having an inner passage for the flow of fluids and/or gases.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of placing a plurality of ports disposed in side walls of the fishing part, the ports having an inlet opening in the walls of the inner passage and an outlet opening in the fishing part, said ports allowing well fluids and/or gases to exit the inner passage when the stopper is in the open position.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of providing a plurality of ports in the chamber wall, said ports allowing well fluids and/or gases to enter or exit the chamber.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flow of said liquids and/or gases into said chamber is greater than the flow of said liquids and/or gases into the inner passage, thereby creating a choking effect.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the choking effect assists in keep the stopper in the open position.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising steps of: 
 placing the plunger in the tubulars without shutting in the well; and    allowing the plunger to ascend to the well surface when sufficient pressure has built up in the well.