Abstract: A method of assisting production of an oil and/or gas well involves reducing the pressure at the top of a well and aid in oil and gas production. If any gas exists in the produced fluid, gas expansion at the resulting reduced pressure will reduce the fluid density in the production pipe, thus further assisting fluid production. If some secondary production enhancement is in use (balance beam, downhole pump, gas lift, surfactant, etc.), this invention will increase the efficiency of the secondary lift. If supplemental gas is introduced anywhere along the production pipe as a “gas lift” method of secondary production, this supplemental gas expansion at the resulting reduced pressure will reduce the fluid density in the production pipe, thus further assisting fluid production.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an oil, water, and gas well using a gas carrier/transport system to remove produced liquids and contained solids by altering the flow regime of the production fluids towards or into a flow regime in which gas is the continuous fluid. This can be accomplished by use of supplemental gas flow (hydrocarbon or non-hydrocarbon) and/or stimulation of the production sand or coal bed gas flow with a reduced pressure drop across the well once near or in a gas-continuous flow regime. This invention can be applied to any well with insufficient formation gas pressure to prevent liquid buildup within the well during production. The present invention utilizes a second production pipe (or the annulus between the casing and the pipe), sized to transport compressed gas from the wellhead area down into the production liquid and into the production pipe. This flow of gas will cause the well fluids to flow up the pipe by approaching or entering a gas-continuous flow regime.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an oil, water, and gas well using a gas carrier/transport system to remove produced liquids and contained solids by altering the flow regime of the production fluids towards or into a flow regime in which gas is the continuous fluid (i.e., the rate of upflowing gas in the well is efficiently high in comparison with liquid production flow to generate plug flow, slug flow, froth flow, foam flow, annular flow, spray flow, and/or mist flow.) This is accomplished by use of supplemental gas flow (hydrocarbon or non-hydrocarbon) and/or stimulation of the production sand gas flow with a reduced pressure drop across the wall once near or in a gas-continuous flow regime. This invention can be applied to any gas, oil, and/or water well with insufficient formation gas pressure to prevent liquid buildup within the well during production.

Abstract: An oil separator for removing oil from a flowing waste stream of waste fluid comprising a cylindrical separator body having a bore with a center, and a plurality of vanes comprising a surface capable of coalescing oil particles traversing the bore in a spiral path. The center of the bore is occupied by a central portion defined by a cylinders progressively smaller than the body with a first and second set of vanes extending therefrom.

Abstract: An oil separator for removing oil from a flowing waste stream of waste fluid includes: a separator body having a flow bore with a center, an open bottom and an open top each communicating with the flow bore so that fluid can flow in the flow bore between the open bottom and the open top; and a plurality of vanes, each defining a spiral path for fluid flowing in the bore between the open bottom to the open top, the vanes being spaced radially from the center of the bore and each vane having upper and lower end portions.

Abstract: A method for removing waste oil particles having a particle size generally in the range of 1-97 microns from a waste water stream includes first transmitting seed oil particles having a particle size of at least 20 microns into the waste water stream. The seed oil is allowed to mix with waste oil particles suspended in the waste water stream. Oil is then removed which includes a combination of the seed oil and combined waste oil particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating oil, gas, and sand from a waste water stream and for separating oil from oily sand in said waste water stream including:a. upper oil manager means for removing low pressure gas and at the same time collecting and conveying any oil separated from said waste water stream;b. sand helix means connectable to said upper oil manager means for separating sand particles and oil particles from said waste water stream;c. sand manager means connectable to said sand helix means for collecting sand separated from said stream of waste water and removing oil from said sand;d. flow control means connectable to said sand manager means and the lower oil manager for controlling the flow of oil, water and sand through said apparatus;e. lower oil manager means connectable to said flow control means for receiving oil and transferring said oil to a storage tank outside of said apparatus;f. oil reservoir means located beneath said lower oil manager means for receiving and containing oil, andg.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating oil, gas, and sand from a waste water stream and for separating oil from oily sand in a waste water stream including an upper oil manager for removing low pressure gas and at the same time collecting and conveying any oil separated from the waste water stream; a sand helix connected to the upper oil manager for separating sand particles and oil particles from the waste water stream; a sand manager connected to the sand helix for collecting sand separated from the stream of waste water and removing oil from the sand; flow controls connected to the sand manager and the lower oil manager for controlling the flow of oil, water and sand through the apparatus; a lower oil manager connected to the flow controls for receiving oil and transferring oil to a storage tank outside of the apparatus; an oil reservoir located beneath the lower oil manager for receiving and containing oil, and an oil helix connected to the lower oil manager for separating trace oil from the waste water st