Systems and apparatuses for downhole separation of gases from liquids

Abstract

A reservoir fluid production system for producing reservoir fluid from a subterranean formation is provided for mitigating gas interference by effecting downhole separation of a gaseous phase from reservoir fluids, and also mitigating the adverse effects of solid particulate matter that is entrained within the reservoir fluids by effecting downhole separation of the solid particulate matter from the reservoir fluids.

1 . A reservoir fluid conducting assembly for disposition within a wellbore string of a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation, wherein the assembly comprises:
 an assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart which is configured to co-operate with a wellbore string-defined flow diverter counterpart, of the wellbore string, to define a flow diverter within the wellbore, wherein the flow diverter includes: (i) a reservoir fluid-conducting passage for conducting reservoir fluid, that is received within a downhole wellbore space from the subterranean formation, to a reservoir fluid separation space of the wellbore, with effect that a gas-depleted reservoir fluid is separated from the reservoir fluid within the reservoir fluid separation space in response to at least buoyancy forces; and (ii) a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage for receiving the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid that is flowing in a downhole direction, and diverting the flow of the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid such that the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid is conducted by the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage in the uphole direction;   a pump disposed in fluid communication with the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage for receiving and pressurizing the gas-depleted reservoir fluid; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor disposed in fluid communication with the pump for receiving the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid and conducting the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the surface; wherein:   while the assembly is disposed within the wellbore, there is an absence, or substantial absence, of tensile force being applied to the pump by the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein:
 the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart includes:   a reservoir fluid-supplying conductor; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor;   the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor defines the reservoir fluid conducting passage of the flow diverter;   the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart and the wellbore string- defined flow diverter counterpart are further co-operatively configured such that, while the flow diverter is defined within the wellbore, an intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage is defined between the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart and the wellbore string-defined flow diverter counterpart for conducting the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid from the reservoir fluid separation space to the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor; and   the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor is disposed in fluid communication with the pump for supplying the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid, that has been received via the intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid- conducting passage, to the pump;   such that the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage includes the intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage and the gas-depleted reservoir fluid supplying conductor.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 20 feet.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 50 feet.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 100 feet.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein:   the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart includes a sealed interface effector; and   the sealed interface effector and the wellbore string-defined counterpart are co-operatively configured for defining a sealed interface preventing, or substantially preventing, bypassing, of the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor, by the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid.   
     
     
         7 . A reservoir fluid conducting assembly for disposition within a wellbore string of a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation, wherein the assembly comprises:
 an assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart which is configured to co-operate with a wellbore string-defined flow diverter counterpart, of the wellbore string, to define a flow diverter within the wellbore, wherein the flow diverter includes: (i) a reservoir fluid-conducting passage for conducting reservoir fluid, that is received within a downhole wellbore space from the subterranean formation, to a reservoir fluid separation space of the wellbore, with effect that a gas-depleted reservoir fluid is separated from the reservoir fluid within the reservoir fluid separation space in response to at least buoyancy forces; and (ii) a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage for receiving the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid that is flowing in a downhole direction, and diverting the flow of the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid such that the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid is conducted by the flow diverter in the uphole direction;   an accumulator;   a pump; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor;   
       wherein:
 the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage is disposed in fluid communication with the accumulator for supplying the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the accumulator, such that the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid is accumulated within the accumulator; 
 the pump is disposed within the accumulator and configured for receiving and pressurizing the gas-depleted reservoir fluid that has accumulated within the accumulator; and 
 the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor is disposed in fluid communication with the pump for receiving the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid and conducting the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the surface. 
 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart includes:   a reservoir fluid-supplying conductor; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor;   the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor defines the reservoir fluid conducting passage of the flow diverter;   the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart and the wellbore string-defined flow diverter counterpart are further co-operatively configured such that, while the flow diverter is defined within the wellbore, an intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage is defined between the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart and the wellbore string-defined flow diverter counterpart for conducting the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid from the reservoir fluid separation space to the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor; and   the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor is disposed in fluid communication with the accumulator for supplying the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid, that has been received via the intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage, to the accumulator, such that the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid is accumulated within the accumulator;   such that the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage includes the intermediate gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage and the gas-depleted reservoir fluid supplying conductor.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 while the assembly is disposed within the wellbore, the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart is suspended from the accumulator.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 . wherein:
 while the assembly is disposed within the wellbore, there is an absence, or substantial absence, of tensile force being applied to the pump by the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart.   
     
     
         11 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 20 feet.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 50 feet.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 the reservoir fluid-supplying conductor has a length, measured along its central longitudinal axis, of at least 100 feet.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7 ; wherein:
 the assembly-defined flow diverter counterpart includes a sealed interface effector; and   the sealed interface effector and the wellbore string-defined counterpart are co-operatively configured for defining a sealed interface preventing, or substantially preventing, bypassing, of the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-supplying conductor, by the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid.   
     
     
         15 . A reservoir fluid production system disposed within a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation, wherein the system comprises:
 a flow diverter including:   a reservoir fluid-conducting passage for conducting reservoir fluid, that is received within a downhole wellbore space from the subterranean formation, to a reservoir fluid separation space of the wellbore, with effect that a gas-depleted reservoir fluid is separated from the reservoir fluid within the reservoir fluid separation space in response to at least buoyancy forces; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage for receiving the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid that is flowing in a downhole direction, and diverting the flow of the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid such that the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid is conducted by the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage in the uphole direction;   a pump disposed in fluid communication with the gas-depleted reservoir fluid- conducting passage for receiving and pressurizing the gas-depleted reservoir fluid; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor disposed in fluid communication with the pump for receiving the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid and conducting the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the surface; wherein:   there is an absence, or substantial absence, of tensile force being applied to the pump by the flow diverter.   
     
     
         16 . A reservoir fluid production system disposed within a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation, wherein the system comprises:
 a flow diverter including:   a reservoir fluid-conducting passage for conducting reservoir fluid, that is received within a downhole wellbore space from the subterranean formation, to a reservoir fluid separation space of the wellbore, with effect that a gas-depleted reservoir fluid is separated from the reservoir fluid within the reservoir fluid separation space in response to at least buoyancy forces; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage for receiving the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid that is flowing in a downhole direction, and diverting the flow of the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid such that the received gas-depleted reservoir fluid is conducted by the flow diverter in the uphole direction;   an accumulator;   a pump; and   a gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor; wherein:   the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-conducting passage is disposed in fluid communication with the accumulator for supplying the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the accumulator, such that the separated gas-depleted reservoir fluid is accumulated within the accumulator;   the pump is disposed within the accumulator and configured for receiving and pressurizing the gas-depleted reservoir fluid that has accumulated within the accumulator; and   the gas-depleted reservoir fluid-producing conductor is disposed in fluid communication with the pump for receiving the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid and conducting the pressurized gas-depleted reservoir fluid to the surface.   
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 16 ; wherein:
 there is an absence, or substantial absence, of tensile force being applied to the pump by the flow diverter.