Downhole oil–water separation technology

Downhole oil–water separation (DOWS) technologies are apparatuses and methods that separate production fluids into a petroleum-rich stream and water-rich stream within an oil well. A DOWS system installed in a borehole will receive the fluids from an oil-producing zone in an oil reservoir and separate the mixture into a stream that is mostly water and a stream that is primarily crude oil and natural gas and direct the streams to different destinations. After the separation in the borehole, DOWS systems pump the petroleum-rich stream to the surface and inject the water-rich stream into a different zone or formation accessible to the same wellbore.