Flow regulator for use in a subterranean well

• US 20060175052A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welldynamics, Inc. (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Welldynamics, Inc. (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Tips, Timothy R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/53
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/103 Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00

Abstract

A flow regulator for use in a subterranean well. A well flow regulating system includes a flow regulator for regulating a flow rate of a fluid in a wellbore, the flow rate remaining substantially constant while a differential pressure across the flow regulator varies. The flow regulator is adjustable while positioned within the wellbore to change the flow rate. Another well flow regulating system includes a flow regulator for maintaining a desired fluid flow rate between an annulus and an interior passage of a tubular string. The flow regulator includes a closure device, a biasing device which applies a biasing force to the closure device, and a flow restriction which operates to apply a restriction force to the closure device. The biasing force and/or the restriction force is adjustable downhole to change the flow rate.

Claims

1. A well flow regulating system, comprising:

a flow regulator for regulating a flow rate of a fluid in a wellbore, the flow rate remaining substantially constant while a differential pressure across the flow regulator varies, and the flow regulator being adjustable while positioned within the wellbore to change the flow rate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator is adjusted automatically in response to a change in at least one downhole parameter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, resistivity, density, water cut and gas cut.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising at least one sensor for sensing the parameter, the flow rate being adjusted in response to an output of the sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator includes an actuator for varying a biasing force applied to a closure device of the flow regulator to thereby adjust the flow rate.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the actuator is at least one of a hydraulic, electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical and magnetic actuator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator includes a flow restriction and a closure device, the closure device displacing in response to a variance in a pressure differential across the flow restriction to thereby maintain the flow rate substantially constant.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the closure device displaces to decrease a flow area in the flow regulator in response to an increase in the pressure differential across the flow restriction.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the flow restriction is adjustable downhole to thereby adjust the flow rate.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the flow restriction is formed between the closure device and the wellbore.

11. A well flow regulating system, comprising:

a tubular string positioned in a wellbore, an annulus being formed between the tubular string and the wellbore; and

a flow regulator for maintaining a desired fluid flow rate between the annulus and an interior passage of the tubular string, the flow regulator including a closure device, a biasing device which applies a biasing force to the closure device in a first direction, and a flow restriction which operates to apply a restriction force to the closure device in a second direction opposite to the first direction, at least one of the biasing force and the restriction force being adjustable downhole to change the flow rate.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the flow regulator includes an actuator which adjusts the biasing force applied to the closure device by the biasing device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the biasing force is incrementally adjusted by a mechanical mechanism of the actuator.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator includes a piston which displaces to vary the biasing force applied to the closure device by the biasing device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the piston is incrementally displaced by a fluid volume metering device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the piston is displaced by fluid pressure generated by a downhole pump connected to the flow regulator.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator includes a material responsive to temperature change in the wellbore to vary the biasing force applied to the closure device by the biasing device.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator varies the biasing force in response to a change in at least one downhole parameter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, resistivity, density, water cut and gas cut.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a sensor which senses the parameter.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the actuator also varies the flow restriction to thereby adjust the restriction force applied to the closure device.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the flow restriction is formed in the annulus between the flow regulator and the wellbore.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the flow restriction is formed internally in the flow regulator.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein the restriction force is adjusted by varying a flow area in the annulus.

25. The system of claim 11, wherein the restriction force is adjusted by varying a flow area within the flow regulator.

26. The system of claim 11, wherein the flow regulator further includes an actuator which adjusts the restriction force.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the actuator displaces a device to vary a flow area at the flow restriction.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the actuator varies the restriction force in response to a change in at least one downhole parameter.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, resistivity, density, water cut and gas cut.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising a sensor which senses the parameter.

31. The system of claim 11, further comprising a control module connected to the flow regulator, the control module including at least one sensor for sensing a downhole parameter.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the flow rate is changed in response to an output of the sensor.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the control module further includes a processor which is programmable to change the flow rate in response to an output of the sensor.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is programmable downhole.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising a pressure source connected to the flow regulator and the control module, the pressure source being operable to change the flow rate as directed by the control module.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the pressure source includes a downhole pump.

37. A well flow regulating system, comprising:

a flow regulator for regulating a flow rate of a fluid in a wellbore, the flow rate remaining substantially constant while a density of the fluid varies, and the flow regulator being adjustable while positioned within the wellbore to change the flow rate.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the flow regulator is adjusted automatically in response to a change in at least one downhole parameter.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, resistivity, pressure differential across the flow regulator, water cut and gas cut.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising at least one sensor for sensing the parameter, the flow rate being adjusted in response to an output of the sensor.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the flow regulator includes an actuator for varying a biasing force applied to a closure device of the flow regulator to thereby adjust the flow rate.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the actuator is at least one of a hydraulic, electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical and magnetic actuator.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the flow regulator includes a flow restriction and a closure device, the closure device displacing in response to a variance in a pressure differential across the flow restriction to thereby maintain the flow rate substantially constant.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the closure device displaces to decrease a flow area in the flow regulator in response to an increase in the pressure differential.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the flow restriction is adjustable downhole to thereby adjust the flow rate.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the flow restriction is formed between the closure device and the wellbore.

47. A well flow regulating system, comprising:

a tubular string positioned in a wellbore, an annulus being formed between the tubular string and the wellbore; and

a flow regulator for maintaining a desired fluid flow rate between the annulus and an interior passage of the tubular string, the flow regulator regulating the flow rate in response to a pressure differential across a flow restriction in the annulus.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow regulator maintains the flow rate substantially constant while a differential pressure across the flow regulator varies, and the flow regulator being adjustable while positioned within the wellbore to change the flow rate.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow regulator maintains the flow rate substantially constant while a density of the fluid varies, and the flow regulator being adjustable while positioned within the wellbore to change the flow rate.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow regulator is adjusted automatically in response to a change in at least one downhole parameter.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the parameter is at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, resistivity, density, water cut, gas cut and differential pressure across the flow regulator.

52. The system of claim 50, further comprising at least one sensor for sensing the parameter, the flow rate being adjusted in response to an output of the sensor.

53. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow regulator includes an actuator for varying a biasing force applied to a closure device of the flow regulator to thereby adjust the flow rate.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the actuator is at least one of a hydraulic, electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical and magnetic actuator.

55. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow regulator includes a closure device, the closure device displacing in response to a variance in the pressure differential across the flow restriction to thereby maintain the flow rate substantially constant.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the closure device displaces to decrease a flow area in the flow regulator in response to an increase in the pressure differential across the flow restriction.

57. The system of claim 47, wherein the flow restriction is adjustable downhole to thereby adjust the flow rate.