System and Method for Separating Gaseous Material From Formation Fluids

摘要

There is provided a system for effecting production of formation fluids from a subterranean formation. The system includes a gas anchor for mitigating gas lock. Sealing engagement of the gas anchor against the wellbore tubular is effected without use of a conventional packer, which would otherwise be susceptible to receiving debris deposited from the formation fluid, which thereby results in the packer, as well as the gas anchor, becoming vulnerable to becoming stuck within the wellbore tubular.

主权项

1. A system for effecting production of formation fluid from a subterranean formation, comprising:
a wellbore tubular disposed within a wellbore, wherein the wellbore tubular includes a receptacle portion, wherein the receptacle portion includes a receptacle sealing surface; a production tubular, disposed within the wellbore tubular, including:
a formation fluid-receiving conduit portion, defining a formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion for receiving the formation fluid, and including a sealing member-engaging surface portion;a gas separator portion configured to co-operate with at least the wellbore tubular for effecting separation of at least a fraction of gaseous material, that is entrained within the received formation fluid, from the received formation fluid to generate a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid;a gaseous material-depleted fluid formation conduit defining a gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion for conducting a flow of the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to the surface; anda prime mover disposed for inducing flow of the formation fluid from a subterranean formation and into the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, and for receiving and energizing the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid to flow through the gaseous material-depleted formation fluid conducting-fluid passage portion to the surface; anda sealing member disposed between the sealing member-engaging surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface for effecting a seal between at least the sealing member-engaging surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface, for preventing, or substantially preventing, flow of the formation fluid between at least the sealing member-engaging external surface portion and the receptacle sealing surface; wherein the co-operation between the gas separator portion and at least the wellbore tubular is with effect that, while the flow of the formation fluid is being induced by the prime mover and received through the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion, flowing of the received formation fluid is directed through a gas separator annulus disposed between the gas separator portion and the wellbore tubular, in a direction opposite to that which the formation fluid is flowing while being received by the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular, prior to being received by the prime mover, and the formation fluid flowing through the gas separator annulus is prevented, or substantially prevented, from returning to the formation fluid-receiving fluid passage portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular by the effected seal between at least the sealing member-engaging surface portion of the formation fluid-receiving conduit portion of the production tubular and the receptacle sealing surface of the receptacle portion of the wellbore tubular, wherein, while the flowing of the received formation fluid is being directed through the gas separator annulus, the at least a fraction of the entrained gaseous material becomes separated, in response to buoyancy forces, from the received formation fluid that is being directed through the gas separator annulus; and wherein the receptacle sealing surface is disposed less than a distance “D” of 2.5 millimetres from the sealing member-engaging surface portion.