Abstract: A wire line cable in which composite rods are spaced apart and axially disposed between a flexible, elongated, membrane which can be pressurized and a flexible outer protective sheath surrounding but separate from the membrane.

Abstract: An electrical downhole centrifugal pump for pumping fluids from a deep well includes a relatively small diameter pump housing which is suspended from a tubing string and including a series of impellers and diffusers. The impellers are mounted on a vertical shaft connected to a motor for driving the impellers relative to the diffusers on the housing. Upper and lower shrouds enclose the top and bottom surfaces of impeller blades rotating with the shaft. A first group of impellers are arranged to move freely longitudinally on the shaft while a second group are fixed to the shaft to prevent relative longitudinal motion. A lifting vane is formed on the outer surface of the upper shroud on the impellers which are fixed to the shaft. A net lifting force is thus applied to the shaft by those impellers of the second group having upthrust impellers to diminish the load carried by a pump shaft thrust bearing.

Abstract: In an oilfield production system, a water driven jet pump is used to evacuate vapors from storage tanks to thereby recover the vapors and prevent emissions from passing to the atmosphere. The jet pump entrains the vapors in process water which is passed to a process separator already in the system. The gas is separated for recovery.

Abstract: An electrical cable in which composite rods and electrical conductors disposed between a flexible, elongated, membrane which can be pressurized and a flexible outer protective sheath surrounding but separate from the membrane, provide a pressure stiffened cable assembly that can be run into deviated boreholes.

Abstract: This invention relates to a downhole activated device for providing cathodic protection for pipes in a wellbore for the production of hydrocarbons. The downhole activated devices are carried within either the pipe casing or the collars or both and remain generally within the maximum outward profile of the pipe string so as not to interfere with the movement and placement of the pipe string in the wellbore. The pipe string may be rotated, reciprocated and circulated which enhances the ability of the installer to place the pipe string in a deviated or long reach wellbore. Once the pipe string is in place, the devices may be deployed by one of several methods such that pistons mounted in openings in the peripheral wall of the pipe string move outwardly to contact the wall of the wellbore. Such contact with the walls of the wellbore insures that the sacrificial material in the pistons will corrode in preference to the remainder of the pipe.

Abstract: In a drilling system where production fluids are produced during the drilling operation, a brine solution is used to prevent development of a filter cake on the formation and thereby in the absence of such filter cake, allow production to occur. A separation system at the surface separates out the gas component of the produced fluids, the fluidized particulate drill cuttings, and produced oil, to return a reusable drilling fluid to the system, which drilling fluid is substantially depleted of hydrocarbons so as to make the fluid usable. The separation system uses a hydrocyclone for processing an oily water phase to thereby minimize the complexity and cost of the oil/water separation portion of the drilling fluids system.

Abstract: A high efficiency small diameter hydrocyclone for separating liquid/liquid constituents of a mixture. An effective separation portion L.sub.e of the hydrocyclone separation chamber begins at a small diameter throat D.sub.T where acceleration and velocity of the mixture cease to increase. This effective portion L.sub.e ends at the underflow outlet from the separation chamber, and has an area to volume ratio that falls within certain limits to thereby promote efficient separation of the mixture, particularly small diameter droplets dispersed therein.

Abstract: A hydrocyclone separator for separating oil and water components of a fluid mixture to provide a more dense water component that is substantially free of oil, having three outlets at the end of the hydrocyclone opposite the inlet end. One of the outlets receives the more dense water component of the mixture. A second of these outlets receives an axial stream of the less dense oil components from the separating chamber. A third outlet is concentrically arranged around the first outlet for the removal of a stream of the oil/water mixture in which one of the components has a presence of the other component which is greater than desired. The stream from this third outlet is then recycled to the inlet end of the separating chamber.

Abstract: A cyclone separator with an inlet and two outlets for separating oil and water from an oil-water mixture wherein the separation chamber has a large diameter inlet end and a smaller diameter underflow outlet end, and is generally comprised of first, second and third chamber portions axially arranged in that order from the larger diameter end to the smaller diameter end, a first inlet portion is followed by a tapered, second portion and then a substantially cylindrical third portion. The overflow is arranged as an axial outlet at the inlet end of the chamber. The underflow outlet end is provided with a cone shaped end portion of increasing diameter in the direction of flow and a choke portion downstream of the cone shaped portion, the choke having a reducing diameter configuration.

Abstract: Liquid separator and method of separating oil and water components of a liquid mixture wherein the oil component is made up of droplets of a less dense phase in a more dense water phase, using a hydrocyclone for separating the components. A less dense component of the mixture separated by the hydrocyclone is passed from the underflow of the hydrocyclone to a filter device for further separation. A residence vessel may be provided upstream of the hydrocyclone for coalescing the mixture prior to passage into the hydrocyclone.

Abstract: A high efficiency hydrocyclone for separating a dispersed liquid phase from a continuous liquid phase in a mixture includes a separation chamber having an effective separation portion L.sub.e that begins where the slope or curve of the portion is less than 2.degree.. The area to volume ratio of this effective portion L.sub.e falls within certain limits which promote more efficient separation, particularly of smaller droplet sizes of the dispersed phase.

Abstract: A high efficiency hydrocyclone for separating liquid constituents of a mixture wherein one constituent is a dispersed phase in another continuous phase constituent. The separation chamber of the hydrocyclone is configured such that a first steep tapered or curved portion progresses to a second less steeply tapered or curved portion with the beginning of such second less tapered portion being arranged close to the inlet end. A third substantially cylindrical portion extends from the second portion to an underflow outlet and is of an extended length to provide for continued separation of the mixture and particularly to separate smaller droplet sizes of the dispersed phase.

Abstract: For separating an oil and water mixture, the mixture is applied to the inlet of a cyclone separator so that the oil emerges from an overflow outlet and the water from an underflow outlet. Sensors measure the purity of the separated water and oil components and under control of a suitable control device, additions are made to the inlet liquid of quantities of oil or water to alter the ratio of oil and water quantities in the inlet mixture in a fashion tending to maintain separation efficiency. The oil and water to be admixed are taken from reservoirs.

Abstract: Cyclone separator for separating liquid components from a liquid mixture, having an axially extending separating chamber (12) with an underflow outlet (22) for outlet of more dense components at one end thereof and an overflow outlet (18) for outlet of less dense components at the other end thereof, the separating chamber having a portion (16) which exhibts a taper, in the direction towards the underflow outlet, the taper angle (half angle to the separating chamber axis) of 11/2.degree. to 3.degree..

Abstract: Liquid separator including a liquid-liquid hydrocyclone (10) and a method for enhancing the operation of the liquid-liquid hydrocyclone in which the mixture to be separated is first passed through a mixing and/or residence vessel (90), such as a cross plate interceptor skimmer.

Abstract: A cyclone separator comprising at least a primary portion having generally the form of a volume of revolution and having a first end and a second end, the diameter at said second end being less than at said first end, at least one inlet, the or each said inlet having at least a tangential component at or adjacent said first end for introducing feed to be separated into the cyclone separator, and the separator further including at least two outlets, one at each end of the primary portion, in which cyclone separator the following parameters are related according to a specified set of design and operating conditions as defined in claim 1: (i) diameter of the primary portion where flow enters, d.sub.1 : (ii) projection of the cross sectional area of x.sup.th inlet, Aix; (iii) diameter of the primary portion at point Z.sub.2, d.sub.2 ; (iv) distance along the cyclone separator axis from the inlet, Z; (v) diameter of the cyclone at Z, d, (vi) axial position of the x.sup.th inlet, Z.sub.

Abstract: A separation system for separating oil and water components of a liquid mixture wherein the oil component is comprised of droplets of a less dense phase in a more dense water phase. The mixture is fed to separation devices including a hydrocyclone for generally reducing the oil in water concentration to less than 500 ppm. The underflow of the hydrocyclone is passed to a downstream flotation device for further separation as by settling, which may be further assisted by liberating gas in the mixture, in the flotation device, to adhere such gas to oil droplets and thereby carry such droplets to the surface of the device. Pressure of fluids leaving the hydrocyclone may be reduced before entering the flotation device. A residence vessel upstream of the hydrocyclone may be provided to precoalese the mixture prior to entering the hydrocyclone.

Abstract: A cyclone separator (10) of the dewatering type which comprises an elongated separating chamber (12) having an axis of symmetry between opposite first and second ends, the separating chamber being of greater cross-sectional dimension at the first end than at the second end. The cyclone separator further includes at least one inlet (20) which is adjacent the first end and at least one overflow outlet (25) for the less dense component and at least one underflow outlet (24) for the more dense component (24). The cyclone separator has a first section (14) which contains the feed inlet (20) and the first section is of reduced cross-sectional dimension d.sub.2 at its downstream end relative to the upstream end and is characterized in that the ratio of cross-sectional dimension of the overflow outlet for the less dense component d.sub.0 to the cross-sectional dimension of the first section at its downstream end d.sub.2 is as follows 0.25<D.sub.0 /d.sub.2 0.65.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating multi-phase liquid mixtures or at least partially separating a more dense liquid component of the mixture from a less dense liquid component thereof. An outer casing has a cavity therein, an intake port through which the mixture is fed to the apparatus, a first outlet port from which the less dense liquid component is discharged and a second outlet port from which the more dense liquid component is discharged. A cyclone separator is located within the cavity and has a plurality of separating chambers, each chamber having a primary portion which has a greater cross-sectional dimension at one end than at its other end and having a feed inlet, an overflow outlet at the end of the separating chamber of greater cross sectional dimension and an under flow outlet at the other end, and a closure for one end of the cavity.

Abstract: A cyclone separator for separating components of a liquid mixture including oil and water phases has oppositely disposed separating chambers with a common intermediate portion positioned between the separating chambers which provides a common inlet and in one embodiment, a common overflow outlet. The oppositely directed underflow outlets can be curved to meet at a common discharge point.