Patent ID: 11933179
Assignee: GENESIS ALKALI WYOMING, LP
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 8:
9. A method of safely removing brine from a mine cavity having a roof and a floor utilizing an extraction well comprising:
drilling a well bore to a desired depth through the mine roof said well bore having an upper portion above the mine roof and a termination portion below the mine floor
installing a main casing inside the well bore, said main casing having a lower end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter, the lower end extending below the mine floor, said main casing having perforations in a portion exposed to the mine cavity for allowing mine fluids to flow into the termination portion of the well bore;
secure an inner casing inside said main casing, said inner having an upper end secured inside said main casing proximate to but above the perforations in the main casing, and a lower end extending downwardly through the main casing below a desired minimum liquid level, said inner casing having an external diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said main casing;
inserting a pump for pumping brine out of the cavity, said pump having a discharge line, a pump discharge, a pump motor, and an electric power cable, said pump motor being positioned in the well bore below said inner casing liner, the discharge line being operably connected to said pump discharge on one end and having a surface discharge on an opposite end above the upper portion of the well bore, the discharge line being positioned interior to the inside diameter of said main casing and inner casing and extending downwardly to the pump discharge, said electric power cable being operably connected to the pump motor and an electrical power source on the surface, the power cable being positioned inside the main casing and inner casing liner and extending downwardly to the pump motor;
establishing the minimum level for brine inside the termination portion of the well bore above the bottom end of said inner casing liner utilizing a liquid level indicator to control said pump;
and pumping excess brine from the terminal portion of the well bore with the pump through the pump discharge line to the surface discharge;
whereby brine in the termination portion of the well bore isolates mine gases from the interior said inner casing liner and main casing above the liner hanger, and the electrical cable.