In gas well dewatering applications it is desired to draw the well down to the lowest reservoir pressure as possible in order to maximize gas production. To prevent lift pumps from gas locking, inverted shrouds are used as a way to separate gas from liquid. Inverted shrouds are typically long and in effect, raise the intake of the pump to the top of the shroud. Further pressure increase occurs due to the frictional drag in the annulus between the shroud and the casing.
It is becoming increasingly desirable to dewater a zone by placing the ESP pump in a horizontal well-bore. In horizontal gas wells, however, the gas bubble buoyancy forces are not acting in the optimum direction for moving gas out of the well bore. In these wells much of the gas production goes up the casing/tubing annulus. Because a significant length of well-bore is horizontal, it is very difficult to keep the necessary fluid level over the pump. Thus, static liquid in a horizontal gas well may choke the gas flow.
A technique is thus needed to boost the gas and liquid to the vertical or high angle to allow the buoyancy forces to separate the gas from liquid.