Wellhead flowback control system and method

• US 9,695,654 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Beisel, Joseph A., Stephenson, Stanley V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Blake
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sebesta, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US13/692,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 166222, 166304, 166306, 166316, 13759901, 13760118, 137808, 137809, 137810, 137811
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/01 Arrangements for handling drilling fluids or cuttings outside the borehole, e.g. mud boxes
• 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

Abstract

A wellbore servicing system disposed at a wellbore, the wellbore servicing system comprising at least one wellbore servicing equipment component, wherein a flow path extends from the wellbore servicing system component into the wellbore, and a flow-back control system, wherein the flow-back control system is disposed along the flow path, and wherein the flow-back control system is configured to allow fluid communication via the flow path in a first direction at not less than a first rate and to allow fluid communication via the flow path in a second direction at not more than a second rate, wherein the first rate is greater than the second rate.

Claims

1. A wellbore servicing system disposed at a wellbore, the wellbore servicing system comprising:

at least one wellbore servicing equipment component, wherein a wellbore servicing flow path extends from the wellbore servicing equipment component into the wellbore,

a flow-back control system, wherein the flow-back control system is disposed along the wellbore servicing flow path to allow fluid communication in a first direction and a second direction, and wherein the flow-back control system is configured to allow fluid communication via the wellbore servicing flow path in the first direction at not less than a first rate and to allow fluid communication via the wellbore servicing flow path in the second direction at not more than a second rate, wherein the first rate is greater than the second rate;

wherein the flow-back control system comprises a fluidic diode disposed between a first conduit and a second conduit, wherein the fluidic diode defines a diode flow path, wherein the wellbore servicing flow path comprises the diode flow path, and wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are co-axial with the diode flow path, and

wherein the second rate is between 10% and 90% of the first rate.

2. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the wellbore servicing equipment component comprises a mixer, a pump, a wellbore services manifold, a storage vessel, or combinations thereof.

3. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the first direction is into the wellbore.

4. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the second direction is out of the wellbore.

5. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the first rate is at least 1.5 times the second rate.

6. The wellbore servicing system of claim 5, wherein the first rate is at least 5 times greater than the second rate.

7. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the second conduit comprises a high-resistance entry and the first conduit comprises a low-resistance entry.

8. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the diode flow path comprises a primary diode flow path and one or more secondary diode flow paths, wherein flow in the first direction is along the primary diode flow path and flow in the second direction is along the one or more secondary diode flow paths.

9. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the diode flow path comprises a plurality of projections or protrusions.

10. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the diode flow path comprises a nozzle.

11. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the diode flow path comprises a vortex chamber.

12. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the flow-back control system comprises no moving parts.

13. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein movement of fluid through the fluidic diode in the second direction forms eddies, cross-currents, counter-currents, or combinations thereof, wherein the eddies, cross-currents, counter-currents, or combinations thereof interfere with fluid movement in the second direction.

14. A wellbore servicing method comprising:

providing a wellbore servicing flow path between a wellbore servicing system and a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, wherein a flow-back control system comprising a fluidic diode is disposed along the wellbore servicing flow path between a first conduit and a second conduit to allow fluid communication in a first direction and a second direction, wherein the fluidic diode defines a diode flow path in fluid communication with the wellbore servicing flow path via the first and second conduits, wherein the diode flow path is co-axial with the first conduit and the second conduit; and

communicating a fluid via the flow path in the first direction at not less than a first rate,

allowing a fluid to flow through at least a portion of the wellbore servicing flow path in a second direction at a rate of not more than a second rate wherein the second rate is between 10% and 90% of the first rate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first direction is into the wellbore and the second direction is out of the wellbore.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein movement of fluid has a lower resistance through the fluidic diode in the first direction than in the second direction.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein movement of fluid has a higher resistance through the fluidic diode in the second direction than through the flow path in the first direction.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein movement of fluid through the fluidic diode in the first direction is continuous and uninterrupted.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein movement of fluid through the fluidic diode in the second direction forms eddies, cross-currents, counter-currents, or combinations thereof, wherein the eddies, cross-currents, counter-currents, or combinations thereof interfere with fluid movement in the second direction.