Patent ID: 9004166
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A gas separator for separating gas from a fluid in a production stream in a producing hydrocarbon well, the gas separator comprising: a central tube, the central tube being sized to fit into a well casing of the producing hydrocarbon well and having an input at its lower end for receiving the production stream and perforations at its upper end to allow the production stream to flow into the space between the central tube and the well casing; a suction tube inside the central tube, the suction tube operable to draw fluid from the space between the central tube and the well casing and to deliver the fluid to an artificial lift mechanism; a baffle assembly comprising a series of baffles, each baffle extending between an inner wall of the central tube and an outer wall of the suction tube for a portion of the available space between the inner wall of the central tube and the outer wall of the suction tube, each baffle offset from the other baffles in the baffle assembly, each baffle being angled upward from the inner wall of the central tube to the outer wall of the suction tube and blocking about half of the available space for fluid flow, such that the baffle assembly continually redirects the fluid and gas toward a next baffle in the baffle assembly as the fluid and gas it travels through the central tube.