Hydrocarbon production apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery from a production well includes a pump, a motor for driving the pump, and an intake and gas separator between the motor and the pump, in the production well, such that the gas separator is coupled to the pump and is located closer to the wellhead than the motor and the intake is disposed between the gas separator and the motor. A production conduit extends inside the production well casing, from an outlet of the pump to a second end at the wellhead to facilitate pumping of liquid from a discharge outlet of the gas separator, through the production well casing, to the wellhead, and tubing is in fluid communication with a gas outlet of the gas separator and extends to expel gas received from the gas separator, at a location above a liquid level in the production well.

1 . An apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery from a production well that includes a production well casing extending from a segment of the hydrocarbon production well to a wellhead, the apparatus comprising:
 a pump disposed in the production well;   a motor disposed in the segment for driving the pump;   an intake and gas separator disposed in the production well, between the motor and the pump such that the gas separator is coupled to the pump and is located closer to the wellhead than the motor and the intake is disposed between the gas separator and the motor;   a production conduit extending inside the production well casing from an outlet of the pump to a second end at the wellhead to facilitate pumping of liquid from a discharge outlet of the gas separator, through the production well casing to the wellhead; and   tubing in fluid communication with a gas outlet of the gas separator and extending along the production well to expel gas received from the gas separator into the production well, at a location below the wellhead.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump, the motor, and the intake are disposed in a generally horizontal segment of the production well. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a seal disposed between the motor and the intake. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the seal inhibits wellbore fluid from contaminating the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the seal absorbs axial thrust from a drive shaft from the motor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , comprising an electric submersible pump that includes the motor, the seal, the intake, the gas separator, and the pump. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas separator comprises a rotary gas separator. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the motor drives the rotary gas separator and the pump. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a gas collection manifold extending around a head of the gas separator to receive gas expelled from at least one port of the gas separator. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the tubing is coupled to the gas collection manifold. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas to liquid ratio of fluid that travels through the pump is lower than a gas to liquid ratio of fluid around the motor. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubing is about 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) external diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubing is coupled to a cable that couples the motor to a power supply. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubing expels gas received from the gas separator, at a location above a liquid level in the production well.