| CPC E21B 43/128 (2013.01) [E21B 43/38 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system for producing a multiphase formation fluid from a subsurface formation utilizing electric submersible pumps, the system comprising:
a surface collection point;
a wellbore extending from the surface collection point to the subsurface formation;
a packer positioned within the wellbore, the packer defining a first cavity and a second cavity, both the first cavity and the second cavity extending from a top surface of the packer to a bottom surface of the packer;
first and second electric submersible pumps (ESP) each comprising an ESP inlet end and an ESP outlet end, wherein the ESP outlet end of the first ESP and the ESP outlet end of the second ESP are coupled to the bottom surface of the packer at the first and second cavities respectively, and the ESP outlet ends of the first and second ESPs respectively comprise a first opening into an interior of the first ESP outlet end and a second opening into an interior of the second ESP outlet end;
first and second gas separators each comprising a multiphase formation fluid inlet, a gaseous phase outlet, and a liquid phase outlet, the liquid phase outlet of the first gas separator and the liquid phase outlet of the second gas separator being coupled to the ESP inlet ends of the first and second ESPs respectively;
first and second tubing strings coupled to the top surface of the packer at the first and second cavities respectively, wherein the first tubing string, the first ESP, and the first gas separator together define a first fluid pathway from the multiphase formation fluid inlet of the first gas separator to the surface collection point, and the second tubing string, the second ESP, and the second gas separator together define a second fluid pathway from the multiphase formation fluid inlet of the second gas separator to the surface collection point;
a first gate mechanism positioned within or outside the first ESP outlet end and configured to not obstruct the first opening when de-actuated and obstruct the first opening when actuated, such that the first tubing string and the first ESP outlet end together define a third fluid pathway from the first opening to the surface collection point when the first gate mechanism is de-actuated; and
a second gate mechanism positioned within or outside the second ESP outlet end and configured to not obstruct the second opening when de-actuated and obstruct the second opening when actuated, such that the second tubing string and the second ESP outlet end together define a fourth fluid pathway from the second opening to the surface collection point when the second gate mechanism is de-actuated, and wherein
the first and second gas separators are configured to separate the multiphase formation fluid into a gaseous phase and a liquid phase,
the first ESP is configured to produce the liquid phase from the subsurface formation through the first gas separator and the first tubing string to the surface collection point, and
the second ESP is configured to produce the liquid phase from the subsurface formation through the second gas separator and the second tubing string to the surface collection point.
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