US Patent 11746631 Horizontal wellbore separation system and method

A flow management and separation system for a wellbore having a horizontal section, vertical section and intermediate build section, a production tubing, and an annulus surrounding the production tubing, is combined with a primary vertical lift device disposed in the intermediate build section or a heel segment of the horizontal section. The fluid flow management system may be located adjacent to and downhole from the primary vertical lift device. The system includes an intake to an intake passage, to receive produced fluids from the reservoir; a wavebreaker for calming produced fluid flow; a fluidseeker having a rotatable inlet extension having a weighted keel and an internal bypass passage in fluid communication with the intake flow passage; and a separator for separating gas and liquid phases uphole from the fluidseeker.