Wireline-adjustable downhole flow control devices and methods for using same

• US 8,210,258 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: O'Malley, Edward J., Peterson, Elmer R., Coronado, Martin P., Garcia, Luis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUTCHINS, CATHLEEN R
• Application Number:
  US12/645,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 166/250.01, 166/250.15, 166/373, 166/66.6, 166/386, 166/53, 166/66.7
• US Class Current: 166/250.15
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/14 operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools E21B34/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements

Abstract

A method of producing fluids from a wellbore that has therein n adjustable flow control device for controlling flow of fluid between a formation and the wellbore may include: providing a tool having a sensor configured to provide measurements relating to a downhole property of interest, wherein the tool is configured to adjust flow from the flow control device; conveying the tool into the wellbore; determining the property of interest using the tool; and adjusting the flow through the flow control device with the tool at least in part in response to the determined parameter of interest. An apparatus for controlling fluid flow between a formation and a wellbore, according to one embodiment may include: a tool configured to be conveyed into a wellbore that contains at least one sensor for estimating a property of interest downhole and a latching device configured to couple to a flow control device in the wellbore to alter flow of the fluid through the flow control device.

Claims

1. A method of producing fluids from a wellbore that includes a production zone having a flow control device installed in the wellbore for controlling flow of fluid between a formation and the wellbore, the method comprising:

providing a tool having a sensor configured to provide measurements relating to a downhole property of interest, wherein the tool is configured to adjust flow of the fluid through the flow control device installed in the wellbore;

conveying the tool from a surface into the wellbore at least partially within the flow control device;

determining the downhole property of interest using the sensor; and

adjusting the flow through the flow control device with the tool at least in part in response to the determined downhole property of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the property of interest relates to a flow of the fluid through the flow control device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining flow of the fluid through the flow control device after adjusting the flow control device; and

readjusting the flow control device when the determined flow is above a desired value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the property of interest is one of an indication of water content or gas content in the fluid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the property of interest and adjusting the flow control device are performed without tripping the tool out of wellbore.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying the tool includes conveying the tool using one of a wireline and a tubular member.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

flow meter;

resistivity sensor;

acoustic sensor, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, nuclear magnetic resonance sensor, a sensor for determining a chemical property of the fluid, a sensor for determining a physical property of the fluid; and

a sensor for determining an optical property of the fluid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the flow control device comprises:

coupling the tool to a movable member of the flow control device; and

moving the tool inside the flow control device to move the movable member to adjust the flow control device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein coupling the tool to the movable member of the flow control device comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

mechanically coupling the movable member to a latching element in the tool; and

magnetically coupling a magnetic member associated with the movable member of the flow control device by a magnet in the tool.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the flow control device includes one selected from the group consisting of:

setting the flow control device to selected one of a plurality of predefined settings;

blocking a partial flow of the fluid from an outlet region of the flow control device.

11. An apparatus for controlling fluid flow between a formation and a wellbore, comprising:

a tool configured to be conveyed from a surface into a wellbore at least partially within a flow control device installed in the wellbore, the tool including;

at least one sensor for estimating a property of interest downhole; and

a latching device configured to couple to the flow control device in the wellbore to alter flow of fluid through the flow control device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the latching device includes a coupling device that is one selected from the group consisting of:

a mechanical coupling device configured to latch on to a mechanical moving element of the flow control device; and

a magnetic coupling device configured to magnetically couple to a magnetic element in the flow control device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tool is conveyable in the wellbore by one of a wireline and a tubular.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a controller configured to process sensor signals to provide an estimate of the property of interest.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is located at one selected from the group consisting of:

at a surface location;

in the tool; and

partially in the tool and partially at the surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a:

flow meter;

resistivity sensor;

acoustic sensor, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, nuclear magnetic resonance sensor, a sensor for determining a chemical property of the fluid, a sensor for determining a physical property of the fluid; and

a sensor for determining an optical property of the fluid.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tool is configured to determine the property of interest and adjust the flow control device without tripping the tool out of the wellbore.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising one or more sensors that provide measurement for determining location of the tool in the wellbore.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the latching device includes an electromagnet and a circuitry for activating the electromagnet when the tool is in the wellbore.

20. A method of controlling flow of a fluid from formation into a wellbore, comprising:

placing a flow control device at a selected location in the wellbore, the flow control device including a flow region and a setting device for adjusting a flow of the fluid through the flow region;

conveying a tool from a surface into the wellbore after the flow control device has been placed at the selected location, the tool being configured to move inside the flow control device, the tool including (i) a sensor configured to provide measurements relating to a downhole property of interest, and (ii) a latching device configured to couple to the setting device of the flow control device;

determining the property of interest using measurements taken by the sensor in the wellbore; and

coupling the latching device in the tool to the setting device in the flow control device and moving the setting device to adjust flow through the flow control device in response to the determined value of the property of interest during a single trip of the tool in the wellbore.