Flow control apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A system for producing formation fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore formed in a subsurface formation, comprising:
- (a) at least one fluid flow device disposed in the wellbore, said at least one fluid flow device having a fluid flow line with a tortuous fluid flow path for reducing pressure between an inlet receiving the formation fluid from the subsurface formation and an outlet discharging the received formation fluid into the production tubing;
(b) a flow regulation device for controlling discharge of the formation fluid from the fluid flow line into the production tubing; and
(c) a control unit for controlling the operation of the flow regulation device to control the fluid flow into the production tubing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for obtaining equalized production from deviated wellbores. A plurality of spaced apart flow control device are deployed along the length of the wellbore. The fluid from various zones are drawn in a manner that depletes the reservoir uniformly along the entire length of the wellbore. Each flow control device is initially set at a rate determined from initial reservoir simulations or models. The depletion rate, water, oil and gas content, pressure, temperature and other desired parameters are determined over a time period. This data is utilized to update the initial reservoir model, which in turn is utilized to adjust the flow rate from one or more zones so as to equalize the flow rate from the reservoir. The present invention also provides a flow control device which includes an outer shroud that reduces the effect of fluid impact on the flow control device and one or more tortuous paths which carry the formation fluid into the production tubing. A control unit controls the flow output from the flow control device. The control unit may communicate with surface equipment or act autonomously to take actions downhole based on programmed instructions provided to the control unit.
271 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for producing formation fluid through a production tubing in a wellbore formed in a subsurface formation, comprising:
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(a) at least one fluid flow device disposed in the wellbore, said at least one fluid flow device having a fluid flow line with a tortuous fluid flow path for reducing pressure between an inlet receiving the formation fluid from the subsurface formation and an outlet discharging the received formation fluid into the production tubing; (b) a flow regulation device for controlling discharge of the formation fluid from the fluid flow line into the production tubing; and (c) a control unit for controlling the operation of the flow regulation device to control the fluid flow into the production tubing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of producing formation fluid contained in a subsurface formation via a production tubing disposed in a wellbore formed from a surface location into the subsurface formation, said method comprising:
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(a) flowing the formation fluid from the subsurface formation into the production tubing via at least one fluid flow device that includes at least one flow line having a tortuous fluid flow path that reduces pressure of the formation fluid as the formation fluid flows through said fluid flow line from the subsurface formation to the production tubing; and (b) controlling the flow rate of the formation fluid flowing through the at least one fluid flow line to control discharge of the formation fluid into the production tubing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification