Patent ID: 7784548

Claim:
A natural gas well unloading system operable to unload liquid from a gas-producing well and thereby allow gas to flow to the surface, said unloading system comprising: tubing having a fluid collection end operable to be positioned in the well, with the tubing presenting at least two chambers, said tubing being operable to extend into the well and transmit the gas and liquid from the fluid collection end to the surface, said chambers being in fluid communication with one another adjacent the fluid collection end, at least one of said chambers being configured to collect liquid from the well; a compressor presenting an inlet and discharge, said compressor discharge being in fluid communication with one of the chambers; and a fluid separator configured to separate the liquid from the gas and being in fluid communication with the other of the chambers, an accumulator in fluid communication with and between the compressor discharge and the one of the chambers; and said fluid separator being in fluid communication with the compressor inlet, with the chambers, compressor, and fluid separator cooperatively forming at least part of an endless fluid conduit so that the system is operable to drive the collected liquid from the tubing into the fluid separator by forcing compressed gas behind the collected liquid and drawing vacuum in front of the collected liquid.