Inflow control in a production casing

• US 9,353,607 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welltec A/S
• Original Assignee: Welltec A/S
• Inventors: Hallundbk, Jrgen, Hazel, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Blake
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wallace, Kipp
• Application Number:
  US13/513,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• 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: E21B 43/123 Gas lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/12 with flat, dished, or bowl-shaped diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/17 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole inflow control system for controlling an inflow of fluid into a casing from outside the casing, such as from a reservoir or an intermediate casing. The downhole inflow control system comprises a casing having an axial extension and a wall having a wall thickness (t), an inflow control valve having a housing, an axial extension in an axial direction along the housing, and a spring element moving in relation to the housing, thereby controlling the inflow of fluid through the valve from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing.

Claims

1. A downhole inflow control system for controlling an inflow of fluid into a casing from outside the casing, such as from a reservoir or an intermediate casing, comprising:

the casing having an axial extension and a wall having a wall thickness;

an inflow control valve having a housing comprising a seat, an axial extension in an axial direction along the housing, and a spring element moving in relation to the housing, thereby controlling the inflow of fluid through the valve from an inlet of the housing to an outlet of the housing;

wherein;

the valve is arranged so that the axial direction of the valve is perpendicular to the axial extension of the casing;

the spring element is springy along the axial direction of the valve and perpendicular to the axial extension of the casing to provide a spring force for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve from the inlet to the outlet of the housing;

the spring element is a diaphragm acting towards the seat to close an opening;

the valve is configured to require the fluid to flow through a flow path of the diaphragm as the fluid passes through the valve to enter the casing from outside the casing; and

the diaphragm is configured to deform towards a seat of the housing to close the flow path through the diaphragm under pressure, the area of the flow path through the diaphragm being maximal when the diaphragm is un-deformed.

2. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, wherein the axial extension of the valve is substantially the same as or smaller than the thickness of the casing wall.

3. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, wherein the inlet of the housing extends from an outer face of the housing to an inner face of the housing in a radial direction of the casing, enabling direction of the fluid in the radial direction.

4. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, further comprising a sleeve arranged opposite the valve and being able to slide from an open position to a closed position.

5. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve slides back and forth in a recess in the wall of the casing and forms part of the wall thickness.

6. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, comprising a tool for placing a valve in a casing, the tool comprising:

a milling head extendable in a radial direction of the tool configured to create an opening in the casing wall,

a cutting device configured to create a fastening recess or threads in the opening, and

an insertion device configured to insert the valve into the opening.

7. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm of the valve comprises at least one valve opening.

8. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, further comprising a unique identifier.

9. A method for fitting the inflow control valve according to claim 1 into an existing casing downhole, the casing having a casing wall, the method comprising:

introducing a tool into the casing and lowering the tool to a predetermined position,

providing an opening in the casing wall,

inserting the downhole inflow control valve into the opening, and

fastening the downhole inflow control valve to the casing wall.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising providing the opening with a fastening structure configured to enable the fastening of the valve to the casing wall.

11. A method for replacing the downhole inflow control valve of claim 1 in a casing downhole, the casing having a casing wall, the method comprising:

introducing a tool into the casing and lowering the tool to be adjacent to the valve to be replaced;

unfastening the valve from within a thickness of the casing wall;

retrieving the valve from within the thickness of the casing and thereby creating an opening in the casing wall;

inserting a new valve into the opening; and

fastening the new valve within the opening in the casing wall.

12. A method for detecting a downhole position of a first inflow control valve according to claim 1 during production among a plurality of inflow control valves arranged spaced apart in a casing wall of a casing downhole, wherein each valve comprises a unique identifier, the method comprising:

analysing a fluid for the purpose of locating the existence of unique identifiers;

comparing the analysis of the fluid with the unique identifier of each valve; and

determining the specific valve based on the comparison.

13. The tool according to claim 6, wherein the tool for retrieving a valve in a casing wall comprises:

a milling head configured to create an opening in the casing wall;

a fastening creation device configured to create a fastening recess or threads in the opening; and

an insertion device configured to insert a valve into the opening;

or

a removal device configured to be inserted into a recess in the valve and unthread the valve, or configured to release a fastening device holding the valve within the casing wall.

14. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, wherein the spring element comprises two spring plates.

15. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 14, wherein each spring plate is formed as a star with tips and arranged one on top of the other so that the tips of the star shaped plates form openings therebetween.

16. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 1, wherein the casing of the system comprises a screen allowing the fluid to flow in through the screen before entering the inflow control valve.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising fastening the valve by screwing the valve into the casing wall or locking the valve into the opening.

18. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one opening is configured to allow fluid to pass through the diaphragm until a predetermined pressure level acts upon the diaphragm.

19. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one opening is arranged about the perimeter of the diaphragm.

20. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one opening is configured to be a passage through at least two star shaped spring plates at their tips.

21. The downhole inflow control system according to claim 20, wherein the passage is configured to be the result of the tips of the stars being arranged out of alignment.