Autonomous inflow control device and methods for using same

• US 8,752,629 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Moen, Terje
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTCHER, CAROLINE N
• Application Number:
  US13/021,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110198097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 137/505.13
• US Class Current: 166/321
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0126 the sensing element being a piston or plunger associated with one or more springs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7796 Senses inlet pressure

Abstract

A valve assembly for regulating fluid flow in a horizontal wellbore. A housing can be coupled to a production tubular. A chamber is defined within the housing and can be in fluid communication through a flow channel with an inner annulus formed adjacent the wellbore. A piston and a biasing member can be disposed within the chamber, where the biasing member biases the piston into a first position. A flowpath is defined within the housing and communicable with both the production tubular and the inner annulus. The flowpath can include one or more nozzles disposed therein, and the piston can be configured to move between the first position allowing fluid flow through the flowpath to the production tubular and a second position preventing fluid flow to the production tubular.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing for coupling to a production tubular;

a chamber defined within the housing and in fluid communication with an interior of the production tubular and an exterior of the production tubular;

a piston and a biasing member disposed within the chamber, the biasing member being adapted to bias the piston into a first position; and

first and second flowpaths defined within the housing and providing paths of fluid communication between the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular, the first and second flowpaths each having one or more flow restrictions disposed therein for providing a pressure drop across the one or more flow restrictions, wherein the first and second flowpaths each extend from the exterior of the production tubular, around the piston, and converge to a single flowpath proximate the interior of the production tubular when the piston is in the first position, wherein the piston is configured to move from the first position to a second position when a pressure differential between the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular exceeds a predetermined amount at least partially in response to the pressure drop from the one or more flow restrictions, and wherein flow from the exterior of the production tubular to the interior of the production tubular through the valve assembly is increasingly restricted as the piston moves from the first position to the second position.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an inner body coupled to the production tubular and an outer manifold disposed around the inner body.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a diaphragm.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sand screen disposed about the production tubular forming an inner annulus therebetween.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a ventilated shoulder coupled to the piston to allow the biasing member to be in fluid communication with the exterior of the production tubular through the chamber; and

a seal surface defined by the housing to sealingly engage an outside surface of the piston as the piston moves between the first and second positions.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a shoulder coupled to the piston to sealingly engage an inner surface of the chamber as the piston moves between the first and second positions; and

a seal surface defined by the housing downstream from the one or more nozzles, wherein the seal surface is adapted to ventilate the chamber where the biasing member is disposed.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a fluid flows from the wellbore and into the production tubular.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a fluid flows from the production tubular and into the wellbore.

10. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein fluid flow through the chamber is obstructed by the piston when the piston is in the first position and when the piston is in the second position.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a surface area of the piston in fluid communication with the interior of the production tubular decreases as the piston moves toward the second position.

12. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more flow restrictions comprise one or more nozzles.

13. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a first end of the piston is exposed to the fluid on the exterior of the production tubular having a first pressure, and a second end of the piston is exposed to the fluid on the interior of the production tubular having a second, different pressure.

14. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the pressure differential increases as the flow rate through the first and second flowpaths increases, causing the piston to move from the first position to the second position.

15. A method for regulating a flowrate in a wellbore, comprising:

arranging a valve assembly in the wellbore, the valve assembly having a housing defining a chamber in fluid communication with an interior of a production tubular and an exterior of the production tubular, wherein a piston and a biasing member are disposed within the chamber;

flowing a fluid through first and second flowpaths defined within the housing, wherein the first and second flowpaths extend from the exterior of the production tubular, around the piston, and converge to a single flowpath proximate the interior of the production tubular when the piston is in a first position, the first and second flowpaths each having one or more nozzles disposed therein;

biasing the piston into the first position using the biasing member disposed within the chamber; and

axially translating the piston within the chamber towards a second position to obstruct the single flowpath when a pressure differential between the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular exceeds a predetermined amount.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

ventilating the biasing member to the fluid from the exterior of the production tubular through a ventilated shoulder coupled to the piston; and

sealingly engaging an outside surface of the piston to a seal surface defined by the housing as the piston moves between the first and second positions.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sealingly engaging a shoulder of the piston to an inner surface of the chamber as the piston moves between the first and second positions; and

ventilating the biasing member to the fluid via a gap formed between a seal surface defined by the housing downstream from the one or more nozzles and an outside diameter of the piston.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising drawing in the fluid from a surrounding hydrocarbon reservoir through a sand screen coupled to the valve assembly.

19. A valve assembly for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing for coupling to a production tubular;

a chamber defined within the housing and having a first end in fluid communication with an exterior of the production tubular and a second end in fluid communication with an interior of the production tubular through a first opening in the production tubular;

a flowpath defined within the housing to place the exterior of the production tubular in fluid communication with the interior of the production tubular through a second opening in the production tubular;

a nozzle disposed within the flowpath;

a piston disposed within the chamber and adapted to move radially with respect to the production tubular, the piston having a pressure end, a biasing end, and a central portion of reduced cross-section disposed between the pressure and biasing ends; and

a biasing member disposed adjacent the second end of the chamber and adapted to bias the piston into a first position, wherein the piston is configured to move between the first position allowing fluid flow through the flowpath to the production tubular and a second position preventing fluid flow to the production tubular when a pressure differential between the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular exceeds a predetermined amount.

20. The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

21. The valve assembly of claim 19, further comprising a sand screen disposed about the production tubular forming an inner annulus therebetween.

22. The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the chamber and the piston are substantially cylindrical.

23. The valve assembly of claim 22, wherein the chamber sealingly engages an outside surface of the piston.

24. The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the first opening is adapted to have fluid flow therethrough that exerts a pressure on an end of the piston.

25. A valve assembly, comprising:

a first flow path in fluid communication with an interior of a production tubular and an exterior of the production tubular;

a moveable piston disposed in the first flow path and adapted to prevent fluid flow therethrough, wherein a first side of the piston is in fluid communication with the interior of the production tubular, and wherein a second side of the piston is in fluid communication with the exterior of the production tubular;

a biasing element coupled to the piston and adapted to bias the piston into an open position;

a second flow path in fluid communication with the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular, wherein the second flow path has one or more static flow restriction elements disposed therein, and wherein the second flow path is unobstructed by the piston when the piston is in the open position,

wherein when a differential pressure between the interior of the production tubular and the exterior of the production tubular exceeds a given value, the piston shifts from the open position to a closed position where the piston at least partially obstructs the second flow path, and wherein the differential pressure is in response to a fluid flow through a reservoir in communication with the exterior of the production tubular and a pressure on the interior of the production tubular.

26. The valve assembly of claim 25, wherein a surface area of the first side of the piston decreases as the piston moves toward the closed position.