REMOTELY CONTROLLABLE VARIABLE FLOW CONTROL CONFIGURATION AND METHOD

• US 20110000680A1
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: TIRADO, RICARDO A., RANJAN, PRIYESH
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/373
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86734 With metering feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A remotely controllable flow control configuration including a body; one or more flow restrictors disposed in the body; and a selector fluidly connected with the body and capable of supplying or denying fluid to one or more of the one or more flow restrictors and method.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable flow control configuration comprising:

a body;

one or more flow restrictors disposed in the body; and

a selector fluidly connected with the body and capable of supplying or denying fluid to one or more of the one or more flow restrictors.

2. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a number of channel sets in the body, each channel set having a plurality of channels, each channel of each channel set fluidly intersecting the plurality of flow restrictors in a different location

3. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of flow restrictors each has the same pressure drop thereacross.

4. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of flow restrictors each has a unique pressure drop thereacross.

5. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of flow restrictors each has one of the same pressure drop as the other of the plurality of flow restrictors or a different pressure drop than the others of the plurality of flow restrictors thereacross.

6. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein a number of the plurality of flow restrictors are arranged in seriatim.

7. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein each set of channels includes three channels extending from one end of the body to three different outlet locations in the body.

8. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 7 wherein the outlet locations are between respective ones of the plurality of restrictors.

9. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selector is rotationally moveable relative to the body.

10. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selector is motor driven.

11. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selector includes a number of ports corresponding to a number of sets of channels in the body.

12. A remotely controllable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 11 wherein the number of ports is four.

18. A method for remotely controlling flow downhole comprising:

initiating a signal at a remote location to actuate a flow control configuration as claimed in claim 1; and

modifying a flow profile in response to adjusting the configuration.

13. A remotely controllable flow control configuration comprising:

a body;

one or more flow restrictors disposed in the body;

an individual channel fluidly connected with each flow restrictor of the one or more flow restrictors; and

a selector fluidly connected with the body and capable of supplying or denying fluid to a selected channel.

14. A remotely controllable variable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 13 wherein one or more of the plurality of flow restrictors is of different pressure drop than one or more of the other of the plurality of flow restrictors.

15. A remotely controllable variable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 13 wherein the selector includes one port.

16. A remotely controllable variable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 13 wherein the selector includes a plurality of ports.

17. A remotely controllable variable flow control configuration as claimed in claim 13 wherein plurality of flow restrictors are arranged in parallel with one another within a same longitudinal length of body.

19. A method for remotely controlling flow downhole comprising:

initiating a signal at a remote location to actuate a flow control configuration as claimed in claim 13; and

modifying a flow profile in response to adjusting the configuration.