US 12,168,860 B2
Pneumatic lift and recharge system for horizontal water wells
Jarrod Nicholas Reynolds, Lipan, TX (US); Edward Frank Gelsone, Spring Branch, TX (US); and Wade Cosgrove, Weatherford, TX (US)
Assigned to Core Management, LLC, Lipan, TX (US)
Filed by Core Management, LLC, Lipan, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/222,406.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/389,199, filed on Jul. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0018757 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. E03B 5/06 (2006.01); E21B 47/047 (2012.01)
CPC E03B 5/06 (2013.01) [E21B 47/047 (2020.05)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pneumatic lift and recharge system for a horizontal water well extending through an aquifer formation, said system comprising:
a well head charger end, said well head charger end being located at ground level, said well head charger end comprising:
a well head;
a pneumatic tank;
an air compressor, said air compressor being able to pressurize said pneumatic tank;
an air valve, said air valve being connected between said pneumatic tank and said well head; and
a pressure release valve, said pressure release valve being connected to said well head;
a well head production end, said well head production end being located at said ground level, said well head production end comprising:
a production head, and
a ground storage tank, said ground storage tank being connected to said production head;
a well, said well being u-shaped and extending from said well head, substantially horizontally through said aquifer formation, and to said production head, said well comprising:
a pressure portion, said pressure portion being a first portion of said well between said well head and said aquifer formation;
an aquifer portion, said aquifer portion being a second portion of said well within said aquifer formation;
a production portion, said production portion being a third portion of said well between said aquifer formation and said production head;
a lateral casing, said lateral casing being within said well and extending from said well head to said production head, said lateral casing comprising:
a plurality of perforations within said aquifer portion of said well, said perforations being capable of allowing water to flow between said aquifer formation and said lateral casing; and
a production string, said production string being within said lateral casing within said well, extending between said well head and said production head, and connected to said well head and said production head, said production string comprising:
a high level sensor, said high level sensor being installed within said production string within said pressure portion and capable of detecting a high water level;
a low level sensor, said low level sensor being installed within said production string within said pressure portion and capable of detecting a low water level;
a plurality of aquifer check valves, said aquifer check valves being installed along said production string within said aquifer portion and being capable of allowing said water from said aquifer formation within said lateral casing to enter said production string while preventing said water from exiting said production string into said lateral casing; and
a production check valve, said production check valve being installed within said production string between said aquifer portion and said production portion and capable of allowing said water from within said production string in said aquifer portion to flow into said production string within said production portion while preventing said water from reentering said production string within said aquifer portion; and
a control module, said control module being able to control and interact with said air compressor, said air valve, said high level sensor, said low level sensor, and said pressure release valve;
wherein said water naturally flows from said aquifer formation into said lateral casing through said perforations;
wherein said water flows from said lateral casing to said production string through said aquifer check valves;
wherein said air compressor controlled by said control module pressurizes said pneumatic tank;
wherein, when said high level sensor detects said high water level in said production string in said pressure portion, said control module closes said pressure release valve and opens said air valve between said pneumatic tank and said production string, thereby pressurizing said production string in said pressure portion and forcing said water in said production string through said production check valve and into said production string in said production portion;
wherein, when said low level sensor detects said low water level in said production string in said pressure portion, said control module closes said air valve between said pneumatic tank and said well head and opens said pressure release valve, thereby releasing the pressure in said production string and allowing said water to enter said production string within said aquifer portion from said lateral casing through said aquifer check valves and allowing said air compressor to repressurize said pneumatic tank; and
wherein said control module repeats opening and closing said air valve and said pressure release valve in response to said high level sensor and said low level sensor until said ground storage tank is filled with said water from said production portion of said production string in order to use said water for distribution.