Patent ID: 7793727

Claim:
A dewatering device for removing water from a natural gas well, the device comprising: a housing defining a chamber with a fluid inlet valve and a fluid outlet valve; the fluid inlet valve being operable between an open position, wherein water within the natural gas well can enter the chamber, and a closed position wherein water is blocked from entering the chamber; the fluid outlet valve being in communication with a water removal conduit and being operable between a closed position, wherein fluid within the chamber cannot be communicated from the chamber to the water removal conduit, and an open position wherein fluid within the chamber can be communicated from the chamber to the water removal conduit; a soap supply operably interconnected with the housing to deliver soap into the chamber to intermix with water entering the chamber through the fluid inlet valve; and a gas supply operably interconnected with the housing to deliver a compressed gas into the chamber and agitate the soap and water into a foamy liquid mixture; and a controller operably interconnected with the fluid inlet valve and fluid outlet valve to operate the inlet and outlet valves between the open and closed positions.