Patent ID: 7744352

Claim:
A method for removing fluid from a well bore extending into a formation, comprising: connecting a jet pump to a lower end of a tubing string, the jet pump comprising a pump body having an outer surface, a lower end, an upper end, and a central axial bore intersecting the upper end at a discharge end and extending partially through the pump body toward the lower end, the pump body further having a plurality of radial inlet ports extending from the outer surface of the pump body and intersecting the central axial bore and a plurality of production ports extending from the lower end to the upper end in a non-intersecting relation to the inlet ports, the central axial bore having a substantially uniform diameter from the point the inlet ports intersect the central axial bore to the discharge end of the central axial bore so that the central axial bore provides a non-restricted flow path from the inlet ports into the upper tubular end of the body; positioning the tubing string and the jet pump in the well bore to form an annulus; sealing the annulus below the inlet ports of the pump body in such a way that fluid communication is established between the formation and the production ports; and injecting a gas into the annulus so as to cause the gas to pass into the inlet ports of the body of the jet pump and through the central axial bore thereby causing fluid located below the lower end of the pump body to be lifted up through the production ports, mix with the gas, and be lifted up the tubing string to the surface.