Apparatus and Method for Controlling Water In-Flow Into Wellbores

• US 20090301726A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Coronado, Martin
• Application Number:
  US12/533,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301726A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/319
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49405 Valve or choke making

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a flow of a formation fluid is provided that in one embodiment may include a tubular with one or more fluid flow passages and a flow control device formed from a particulate and a hydrophilic material, the flow control device being adjacent to the tubular and being configured to receive formation fluid flowing in a substantially radial direction when placed in a wellbore.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a flow of a formation fluid, comprising:

a tubular with one or more fluid flow passages; and

a flow control device formed from a particulate and a hydrophilic material and placed outside the tubular, the flow control device configured to receive formation fluid along a radial direction to a longitudinal axis of the tubular when the flow control device is placed in a wellbore.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amount of the hydrophilic material is sufficient to cause the flow control device to restrict the flow of formation fluid therethrough.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow control device is positioned to receive the fluid via substantially the entire length of the flow control device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid flow path between the wellbore tubular and the flow control device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material expands within the flow control device in response to exposure to water.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protection member located outside the flow control device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a mesh between the protection member and the flow control device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flow control device is between the protection member and a mesh.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material changes a flow path parameter in response to exposure to water, the flow path parameter being selected from a group consisting of:

(i) permeability, (ii) tortuosity, (iii) turbulence, (iv) viscosity, and (v) cross-sectional flow area.

10. A method for making a fluid flow control device, comprising:

providing a tubular with one or more fluid flow passages; and

providing a flow control device formed from a reactive media proximate the tubular that is configured to receive a fluid in a substantially radial direction to a longitudinal axis of the tubular, wherein the reactive media is configured to control flow of the fluid.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the reactive media comprises a particulate and a selected amount of a hydrophilic material sufficient to cause the flow control device to restrict flow of a selected fluid therethrough.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrophilic material is a polymer that expands within the flow control device in response to exposure to water.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the hydrophilic material changes a flow path parameter in response to exposure to water, the flow path parameter being selected from a group consisting of:

(i) permeability, (ii) tortuosity, (iii) turbulence, (iv) viscosity, and (v) cross-sectional flow area.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a fluid flow path between the tubular and the flow control device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a protection member located outside the flow control device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a mesh between the protection member and the flow control device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the flow control device between the protection member and a mesh.

18. A system for controlling a flow of a fluid from a subsurface formation, comprising:

a tubular having fluid passages and a bore configured to convey the fluid from the subsurface formation to the surface;

a flow control device positioned along a length of the fluid passages in the, wherein the flow control device includes a reactive media that change permeability when exposed to a selected fluid.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the flow control device is configured to receive the fluid flowing in a radial direction.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the reactive media comprises a particulate and a selected amount of a hydrophilic material sufficient to cause the flow control device to restrict flow of water therethrough.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the hydrophilic material is a polymer that expands within the flow control device in response to exposure to water.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising a mesh between a protection member and the flow control device.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the flow control device between a protection member and a mesh.