Method and apparatus for gas displacement well systems
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sampling fluid within a well having a riser pipe having an internal wall, the riser pipe extending from a ground surface to a fluid inlet structure comprising any of a filter and a screen, the apparatus comprising:
- a removable valve structure;
means for extending the removable valve structure down the riser pipe from the ground surface toward the fluid inlet structure;
a sample return line located in the riser pipe above the removable valve structure;
means for controllably establishing a seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe;
means for applying direct pneumatic pressure down the riser pipe structure;
means for sampling at least a portion of the fluid within the well;
means for controllably releasing the seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe; and
means for retrieving the sampling means and at least a portion of the removable valve structure up the riser pipe toward the ground surface, while retaining at least a portion of the removable valve structure within the well.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for reducing the purge volume of a well during purging and sampling operations. In some system embodiments, the apparatus can be retrofitted to existing small diameter wells. A further embodiment provides a method and apparatus for using direct pneumatic pressure to purge and sample small diameter wells using a removable valve. This aspect of the invention allows a direct pneumatic pressure pump with a primary valve to be withdrawn through the top of the inside to the pump'"'"'s pressure holding structure without removing a riser pipe or the system'"'"'s fluid inlet structure. The invention allows fitting or retrofitting small diameter wells with valves for direct pneumatic pressure purging and sampling. Other embodiments include sealing a removable valve at or above the bottom of a riser pipe, remotely attaching a tool at the top of a removable valve, withdrawing a direct pneumatic pressure pump system'"'"'s primary valve through the inside of the inside pump'"'"'s pressure holding structure without removing the riser pipe, and attaching a direct pneumatic pressure pump system'"'"'s sample return line to its primary valve. Further embodiments include a multiple return line pneumatic pump/well, which allows the use of multiple return lines on a pneumatic pump when used to pump water from very deep wells where piezometric surface of the water is also deep, as well as other uses for direct pressure pneumatic pumping and sampling.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sampling fluid within a well having a riser pipe having an internal wall, the riser pipe extending from a ground surface to a fluid inlet structure comprising any of a filter and a screen, the apparatus comprising:
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a removable valve structure; means for extending the removable valve structure down the riser pipe from the ground surface toward the fluid inlet structure; a sample return line located in the riser pipe above the removable valve structure; means for controllably establishing a seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe; means for applying direct pneumatic pressure down the riser pipe structure; means for sampling at least a portion of the fluid within the well; means for controllably releasing the seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe; and means for retrieving the sampling means and at least a portion of the removable valve structure up the riser pipe toward the ground surface, while retaining at least a portion of the removable valve structure within the well. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A process for sampling fluid within a well having a riser pipe having an internal wall, the riser pipe extending from a ground surface to a fluid inlet structure comprising any of a filter and a screen, the process comprising the steps of:
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providing a removable valve structure; extending the removable valve structure down the riser pipe from the ground surface toward the fluid inlet structure; controllably establishing a seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe; applying direct pneumatic pressure down the riser pipe structure; collecting at least a portion of the fluid within the well; controllably releasing the seal between the removable valve structure and the riser pipe; and retrieving a portion of the removable valve structure up the riser pipe toward the ground surface, while retaining at least a portion of the removable valve structure within the well. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An apparatus for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid flow into the hollow region; a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; and means for applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region; wherein the plurality of hollow return lines are chosen to improve the flow rate of fluid from the apparatus toward the ground surface. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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providing a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; providing a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid to flow into the hollow region; connecting a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; and applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region, which allows fluid within the hollow region to flow through the hollow return lines toward the ground surface; wherein the plurality of hollow return lines are chosen to improve the flow rate of fluid from the chamber to the ground surface.
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65. An apparatus for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid flow into the hollow region; a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; means for applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region, comprising an inflatable bladder located within the hollow region sealably attached between the chamber check valve and the plurality of hollow return lines; and a check valve located on each of the return lines, which allows flow from the interior region of the bladder toward the ground surface, and substantially prevents flow from the hollow return lines toward the interior region of the bladder. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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67. An apparatus for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid flow into the hollow region; a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; and means for applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region, comprising a pressure line extending from the ground surface to the hollow region; and a check valve located on the pressure line which prevents liquid to flow from the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface, wherein the check valve located on the pressure line allows gas to flow from the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface.
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68. An apparatus for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid flow into the hollow region; a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; means for applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region; and a valve on each of the hollow return lines. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. An apparatus for collecting fluid within a well extending from a ground surface, comprising:
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a chamber having a hollow region defined therein extending from a bottom end to a top end; a chamber check valve located on the chamber which allows fluid flow into the hollow region; a plurality of hollow return lines extending from within the hollow region of the chamber toward the ground surface; means for applying pneumatic pressure to the hollow region; and a check valve on each of the hollow return lines, which prevents fluid from flowing toward the hollow region.
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72. An apparatus for reducing the purge volume of a well, comprising:
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means for dividing the purge volume of the well into a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is sealably isolated from the second region, wherein the dividing means comprises a hollow tube having a first lower end and a second upper end opposite the first lower end, and an actuatable valve located at the first lower end of the hollow tube, wherein the valve is closable when the hollow tube is located within the well to isolate a fluid located within the hollow tube; a sample return line connected to the second region; and means for applying pneumatic pressure to the second region to promote sampling of fluid from the second region. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. An apparatus for reducing a purge volume of a well, comprising:
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a sample return line extending into the well; means for displacing at least a portion of the purge volume of the well, the displacing means comprising a removable object placed within the purge volume, the removable object comprising any of a solid object and at least one hollow tube other than the sample return line; and means for applying pressure to the well to promote sampling of fluid from the sample return line.
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76. An apparatus for reducing a purge volume of a well, comprising:
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a sample return line extending into the well; means for displacing at least a portion of the purge volume of the well, wherein the displacing means comprises a removable object placed within the purge volume, wherein the removable object comprises the sample return line, and wherein the wall thickness of the sample line is specifically chosen to reduce the purge volume; and means for applying pressure to the well to promote sampling of fluid from the sample return line.
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77. An apparatus for reducing a purge volume of a well, comprising:
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a sample return line extending into the well; means for displacing at least a portion of the purge volume of the well, the displacing means comprising an object other than the sample return line, wherein the displacing means comprises a removable object placed within the purge volume, wherein the removable object comprises any of a solid object and at least one hollow tube other than the sample return line; and means for applying pressure to the well to promote sampling of fluid from the sample return line.
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Specification