| CPC E21B 43/38 (2013.01) [E21B 43/128 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. An apparatus for use in a submersible pump assembly, in a casing of a well, for separating a gas phase from a well production fluid received in the casing from a subterranean formation, the apparatus comprising:
an elongate body having a longitudinal axis, a lower end, an upper end, and an exterior which extends from the lower end to the upper end;
a lower mechanical separation chamber in the elongate body, the lower mechanical separation chamber having one or more intake openings through the exterior of the elongate body, above the lower end of the elongate body, through which a first portion of the well production fluid in the casing of the well is received, and the lower mechanical separation chamber having a gas separator assembly therein which separates the first portion of the well production fluid to form a separated gas phase product and a concentrated fluid product;
a higher mechanical separation chamber in the elongate body which operates in parallel with the lower mechanical separation chamber, the higher mechanical separation chamber having one or more side intake openings through the exterior of the elongate body through which a second portion of the well production fluid in the casing of the well is received, the one or more side intake openings of the higher mechanical separation chamber being provided at a higher longitudinal location through the exterior of the elongate body than the one or more intake openings of the lower mechanical separation chamber, the second portion of the well production fluid being a different portion of the well production fluid in the casing of the well than the first portion of the well production fluid, and the higher mechanical separation chamber having a gas separator assembly therein which separates the second portion of the well production fluid to form a separated gas phase product and a concentrated fluid product;
the elongate body having an internal concentrated fluid pathway which extends upwardly through the elongate body from the lower mechanical separation chamber to a concentrated fluid discharge at the upper end of the elongate body and is configured to deliver the concentrated fluid product formed by the lower mechanical separation chamber to the concentrated fluid discharge, and the concentrated fluid product formed by the higher mechanical separation chamber also being discharged from the concentrated fluid discharge with the concentrated fluid product formed by the lower mechanical separation chamber;
a fluid intake structure for the higher mechanical separation chamber, included in the elongate body above the lower mechanical separation chamber, comprising one or more intake channels for the higher mechanical separation chamber which extend from the one or more side intake openings for the higher mechanical separation chamber, and the fluid intake structure further comprising one or more bypass channels of the internal concentrated fluid pathway, different from the one or more intake channels of the fluid intake structure, which divert the internal concentrated fluid pathway, and the concentrated fluid product therein formed by the lower mechanical separation chamber, toward the concentrated fluid discharge at the upper end of the elongate body;
an elongate rotating shaft which extends longitudinally through the elongate body;
the elongate body having a gas phase discharge which is provided at a higher longitudinal location than the one or more side intake openings of the higher mechanical separation chamber, and
the elongate body also having an internal gas phase pathway which is different from the internal concentrated fluid pathway, wherein the internal gas phase pathway extends through the elongate body from the lower mechanical separation chamber to the gas phase discharge and is configured to deliver the separated gas phase product formed by the lower mechanical separation chamber to the gas phase discharge.
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