Patent ID: 7823635

Claim:
A well, comprising: a well tool comprising: a first stage separator disposed in a production zone of a production flowpath of the well and operable to pass, from the production flow path, water preferably over oil to an outlet thereof; a second stage separator having an inlet coupled to the outlet of the first stage separator that receives flow passed by the first stage separator and having a filter element comprising a water-selective membrane disposed in the production flowpath of the well at a level of a disposal zone, the filter element operable to pass, from the production flowpath, water preferably over oil, into the disposal zone; and a recirculation passage between the first stage separator and the second stage separator that communicates flow not passed by the second stage separator into the disposal zone back to a location above a downhole end of the first stage separator, the second stage separator disposed in the disposal zone of the production flowpath hydraulically isolated from the production zone.