Patent ID: 6354371
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: E21B,F04F

Abstract:
An improved jet pump assembly for positioning downhole in a subterranean wellbore, the jet pump assembly producing fluids from the subterranean wellbore, the jet pump assembly being suspended in the wellbore from a first tubular conduit, the jet pump assembly and the first tubular conduit enclosed in a second tubular conduit, a packoff seal hydraulically sealing the annular area between the jet pump assembly and the second tubular conduit, the jet pump assembly comprising:a pump housing having a housing tubing end and a housing production intake end, the pump housing having an internal through bore extending between the housing tubing end and the housing production intake end, the housing tubing end of the pump housing being connected to a downhole end of the first tubular conduit, the pump housing and the first tubular conduit suspended in the wellbore in the second tubular conduit, the pump housing including a production inlet port in the production intake end of the pump housing, at least one produced fluid conduit conducting produced fluid from the production intake end of the pump housing to a mixing area in an insert assembly, and the pump housing including at least one circulation port to conduct fluid through the wall of the pump housing between the second tubular conduit and a through bore of the insert assembly; the insert assembly within the pump housing, the insert assembly having an insert tubing end and an insert production intake end, the insert assembly having an internal through bore extending between the insert tubing end and the insert production intake end, the insert assembly being selectively retrievable from and selectively locatable in the pump housing while the pump housing remains in the wellbore supported from the first tubular conduit, the insert assembly including a power section where energy is imparted into the produced fluid to lift the produced fluid to the surface, a production intake section to conduct fluid from the production inlet port of the pump housing to the at least one produced fluid conduit, a diverter plug plugging a portion of the internal through bore in the insert assembly, a lower insert adapter connecting the production intake section to the power section, and an upper insert adapter connecting the first tubular conduit to the power section; the power section having an power section intake end and a power section discharge end, the power section having an internal through bore extending between the power section intake end and the power section discharge end, the power section including a nozzle inlet body supporting a nozzle, the nozzle creating a pressure drop in a power fluid and accelerating the power fluid, a throat insert providing a conduit for mixing the produced fluid and the power fluid, and a mixing tube body supporting the throat insert, the power section being reversible and including connectors on each end of the power section that interchangeably connect with mating connectors on the upper insert adapter and the lower insert adapter such that the orientation of the power section may be reversed in order to selectively recover produced fluid from the wellbore through one of the first or second tubular conduits; and the production intake section of the insert assembly having a fluid inlet end and a diverter plug end, the production intake section having an internal through bore extending between the fluid inlet end and the diverter plug end, the production intake section including the standing valve assembly to prevent back-flow of fluids into a lower end of the wellbore from within one of the first and second tubular conduits, and an outlet port conducting fluid from the internal through bore of the production intake section to the at least one produced fluid conduit in the pump housing.