Submersible pumping system and method

Abstract

A method of isolating a production fluid from a fluid-containing reservoir is provided. The method includes disposing a first pump within a horizontal section of a production well. The method also includes disposing a second pump within a vertical section of the production well. Further, the method includes pumping a reservoir fluid via the first pump towards the second pump. The method also includes capturing at least a portion of the reservoir fluid from the first pump in a fluid-retaining section located around the second pump. Furthermore, the method includes pumping the reservoir fluid captured in the fluid-retaining section to a fluid containment vessel via the second pump to provide an isolated production fluid.

1 . A method of isolating a production fluid from a fluid-containing reservoir, the method comprising:
 (a) disposing a first pump within a horizontal section of a production well;   (b) disposing a second pump within a vertical section of the production well;   (c) pumping a reservoir fluid via the first pump towards the second pump;   (d) capturing at least a portion of the reservoir fluid from the first pump in a fluid-retaining section located around the second pump; and   (e) pumping the reservoir fluid captured in the fluid-retaining section to a fluid containment vessel via the second pump to provide an isolated production fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling a flow of fluids pumped from the first pump, the second pump and maintaining an optimal level of fluids in the fluid retaining section by one or more control systems. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more control systems are located above or below ground and configured to control the operating speed of the first pump and the second pump. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir fluids comprises a flow of multiphase fluids and solid matter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the multiphase fluids comprises a mixture of gases, water, sand, crude oil, and the like. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first pump and the second pump are controlled by a first power supply unit and a second power supply unit respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising powering the first pump and the second pump using the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit via a first power delivery conduit and a second power delivery conduit respectively that are disposed in the production well. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit comprises an electrical supply unit, a hydraulic supply unit, and a pneumatic unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first pump and the second pump is a multistage pump comprising a turbo pump, a progressive cavity pump, a reciprocating piston pump and a jet pump. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the turbo pump comprises a centrifugal pump or an axial pump and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of claim wherein the first pump comprises an electric submersible pump having at least one or more helico-axial configuration for pumping multiphase fluids having high gas volume fractions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pump comprises an electric submersible pump having at least one or more pump stages in radial or mixed flow configuration for generating desired head pressure for lifting the fluids from the fluid retaining section to the wellhead located aboveground. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising isolating a first zone having the first pump from a second zone having the second pump in the production well by disposing a production packer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second zone is the fluid-retaining section. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first zone in the horizontal section comprises one or more pumps along with the first pump. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-retaining section comprises a cylindrical shroud section arranged around the second pump comprising a basin for holding fluids that are pumped from the first pump. 
     
     
         17 . A pumping system for isolating a production fluid from a fluid-containing reservoir comprising:
 a first pump configured to be deployed in a horizontal section of a production well for pumping a reservoir fluid;   a second pump configured to be deployed in a vertical section of the production well; and   a fluid-retaining section disposed around the second pump,
 wherein the first pump and the second pump are in fluid communication via a first fluid conduit. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first pump and the second pump are controlled by a first power supply unit and a second power supply unit respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a first power delivery conduit and a second power delivery conduit that are disposed in the production well configured for powering the first pump and the second pump respectively using the first power supply unit and the second power supply. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit comprises an electrical supply unit, a hydraulic supply unit, and a pneumatic unit. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first pump and the second pump is a multistage pump comprises a turbo pump, a progressive cavity pump, a reciprocating piston pump and a jet pump. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the turbo pump comprises a centrifugal pump or an axial pump and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first pump comprises an electric submersible pump configured for pumping multiphase fluids having high gas volume fractions and comprising at least one or more helico-axial configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the second pump comprises an electric submersible pump having at least one or more pump stages in radial or mixed flow configuration configured to generate desired head pressure for lifting the fluids from the fluid retaining section to the wellhead located aboveground. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprises a production packer disposed in the production well configured to separate a first zone and a second zone, wherein the second zone is the fluid retaining section. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the fluid-retaining section comprises a cylindrical shroud section arranged around the second pump comprising a basin for holding fluids that are pumped from the first pump. 
     
     
         27 . A subterranean pumping system comprising:
 a first pump configured to be deployed in a horizontal section of a production well for pumping a reservoir fluid;   a second pump configured to be deployed in a vertical section of the production well;   a fluid-retaining section disposed around the second pump for holding fluids that are pumped from the first pump; and   a control system configured for controlling flow of fluids pumped from the first pump, the second pump and maintaining an optimal level of fluids in the fluid-retaining section.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprises a production packer disposed in the production well configured to separate a first zone and a second zone, wherein the second zone is the fluid retaining section. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the fluid-retaining section comprises a cylindrical shroud section arranged around the second pump comprising a basin for holding fluids that are pumped from the first pump.