Water Dissolvable Released Material Used as Inflow Control Device
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a flow of fluid from a subterranean formation, comprising:
- positioning a housing in a wellbore, the housing having a flow path formed therein;
suspending an element in a medium that disintegrates when exposed to a selected fluid;
positioning the element in housing; and
restricting a fluid flow across the flow path by releasing the element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices for controlling fluid flow into a wellbore tubular includes an in-flow control device, an element co-acting with the in-flow control device, and a disintegrating medium at least partially surrounding the element. The medium may be configured to release the element upon disintegration of the medium. The disintegrating medium may be configured to disintegrate when exposed to a selected fluid. The element may be configured to at least partially restrict flow across a flow path associated with the in-flow control device when released. The flow path may convey the fluid from the formation to a flow bore of the wellbore tubular and the element may be positioned along the flow path. The element may be: a liquid, a solid, a particle and/or particles. The selected fluid may be water, a hydrocarbon, an engineered fluid, and/or a naturally occurring fluid.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a flow of fluid from a subterranean formation, comprising:
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positioning a housing in a wellbore, the housing having a flow path formed therein; suspending an element in a medium that disintegrates when exposed to a selected fluid; positioning the element in housing; and restricting a fluid flow across the flow path by releasing the element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for controlling flow of a fluid into a wellbore tubular, comprising:
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an in-flow control device having a housing; an element positioned in the housing; and a disintegrating medium at least partially surrounding the element, the disintegrating medium being configured to disintegrate when exposed to a selected fluid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for controlling flow of a fluid in a well, comprising:
a wellbore tubular positioned in the well; an in-flow control device having a housing and positioned along the wellbore tubular; an element positioned in the housing; and a disintegrating medium at least partially surrounding the element, the disintegrating medium being calibrated to disintegrate when exposed to a selected fluid. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling a flow of fluid from a subterranean formation, comprising:
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flowing a fluid from an annulus of a wellbore into a flow bore of a wellbore tubular; reducing one of (i) a size and (ii) an amount of particles in the fluid flowing into the flow bore; suspending in a flow path of the fluid an element in a medium that disintegrates when exposed to a selected fluid; and restricting a fluid flow across the flow path by releasing the element when the flowing fluid includes the selected fluid. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification