Methods and apparatus for recovery of hydrocarbons from underground water tables

Patent · Tue Dec 02 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:7041332

McLaughlin, W C; Recker, W J; Modesitt, P C; Francescon, P K

An apparatus is described for recovery of both underground liquid petroleum origin hydrocarbons lying on ground water on a ground water table, and the ground water that is elevationally adjacent to the liquid hydrocarbons. The recovery is from a well extending below ground surface level into the ground water table and below the level of the liquid hydrocarbons within the well on the ground water therein. The apparatus comprises: a vessel having a liquid receiving chamber, the vessel including a liquid inflow port adjacent one of its ends and liquid inflow permitting static pressure responsive check valve means for the inflow port confining flow of the liquids through the inflow port to flow of same in an inflow direction into the vessel chamber, the vessel including a liquid outflow port disposed adjacent the lower end of the chamber and liquids outflow permitting. A static pressure responsive check valve means confines flow of the liquids from the chamber through the outflow port to flow of same in an outflow direction out of the chamber and having an outlet adjacent the upper end of the vessel, a source of gas under pressure, and piping for conveying the liquids from the well to and including separator means for specific gravity separation of the hydrocarbon liquids from the water.

• Assignee: Pump Engineer Associates, Inc., Addison, IL
• Patent Number(s): US 4625801
• OSTI ID: 7041332
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AIR
COMPRESSED AIR
COMPRESSED GASES
CONTAINERS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DENSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS INJECTION
GASES
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
LIQUID FLOW
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PIPES
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PRESSURIZING
PUMPING
RECOVERY
SEALS
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
STIMULATION
VALVES
WATER
WATER TABLES
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS