摘要 |
A plunger lift for a hydrocarbon well includes a multipart piston that is dropped into the well in separate pieces. When the pieces reach the bottom of the well, they fall into an accumulation of the formation liquid in the bottom of the well and unite. Gas from the formation pushes the unit upwardly, pushing liquid above the piston toward the surface. The multipart piston includes a upper sleeve and a lower component. A decoupler at the surface comprises a separator rod which the sleeve passes onto thereby dislodging the lower component and allowing it to fall into the well. The sleeve is held on the separator rod by the action of well contents flowing around and/or through the sleeve. When well flow around the sleeve is interrupted, the sleeve falls into the well. The length of time the sleeve is held at the surface is varied in response to the amount of liquid produced on each cycle.
|