主权项 |
1. A hydrocarbon lift system for lifting petroleum fluid(s) from an enclosed subterranean reservoir to the earth's surface, the system comprising:
a) a plurality of buoyant balls entrained in a first fluid in an outer pipe, the balls configured to at least one of displace a fluid mass and have a surface friction moving in the first fluid therein; b) an entrained column of the buoyant balls in the first fluid in the outer pipe, an aggregate weight thereof configured to entrain the balls into a second fluid in an inner pipe; and c) a pressure differential in the inner pipe with respect to the reservoir via the entrained buoyant balls, the pressure differential configured to lift the second fluid and the entrained balls via the inner pipe to enhance petroleum production to the surface. |