Abstract: A gas operated, submersible pumping system, is disclosed as being capable of recovering well fluids below ground surface from a natural gas production well and is adapted to be coupled to flexible continuous metal conveyance conduits. The system includes a housing constructed of a corrosion resistant material; gas inlet and output ports for accommodating respectively higher and lower pressures; well fluids inlet and outlet ports; an internal gas logic switching valve to control pumping action; and a pneumatic mechanical amplifier piston, which isolates gas from liquids, and transfers lower pressure gas into higher pressure liquid discharge pressure, wherein the submersible pumping system is operable between a refill and discharge mode so as to recycle inlet well gas back into the production well without substantially reconstituting the well gas.

Abstract: A soap film type gas flowmeter has an inverted U-shaped gas flow tube adjustably mounted in a sensor assembly. The inverted attitude of the gas flow tube prevents backflow of the soap film solution down to the sensor assembly and prevents diffusion of a heavier gas than the gas whose flow is being measured into the gas flow tube, thereby eliminating diffusion of a lighter gas through the soap film during measurement. The adjustable mounting of the gas flow tube enables optimum operation of the flowmeter for widely ranging gas flow rates. The glass flow tube is made from mandrel drawn glass to ensure high accuracy, which allows interchangeability from flowmeter to flowmeter with no change in accuracy.