Inflow control devices for sand control screens

• US 20070246407A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Richards, William, Henderson, William, Hailey, Travis, Dusterhoft, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/97
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• 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

Inflow control devices for sand control screens. A well screen includes a filter portion and at least two flow restrictors configured in series, so that fluid which flows through the filter portion must flow through each of the flow restrictors. At least two tubular flow restrictors may be configured in series, with the flow restrictors being positioned so that fluid which flows through the filter portion must reverse direction twice to flow between the flow restrictors. A method of installing a well screen includes the step of accessing a flow restrictor by removing a portion of an inflow control device of the screen.

Claims

1. A well screen, comprising:

a filter portion; and

at least two flow restrictors configured in series, so that fluid which flows through the filter portion must flow through each of the flow restrictors.

2. The well screen of claim 1, wherein the flow restrictors are positioned so that the fluid must change direction to flow between the flow restrictors.

3. The well screen of claim 1, wherein each of the flow restrictors is in the shape of a tube.

4. The well screen of claim 3, wherein the tubes are positioned so that the fluid must reverse direction at least twice to flow between the tubes.

5. The well screen of claim 1, wherein each of the flow restrictors is in the shape of an orifice.

6. The well screen of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is in the shape of a tube, and wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is in the shape of an orifice.

7. The well screen of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is in the shape of a tube, and wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is in the shape of a channel.

8. The well screen of claim 7, wherein the tube extends into the channel, so that the fluid must change direction to flow between the tube and the channel.

9. The well screen of claim 1, further comprising at least one flow blocking member which selectively blocks flow through at least one of the flow restrictors in response to a property of the fluid.

10. The well screen of claim 9, wherein the flow blocking member selectively blocks flow between the flow restrictors.

11. The well screen of claim 9, wherein the flow blocking member selectively blocks flow between a flow passage and a chamber in communication with the flow restrictors.

12. The well screen of claim 9, wherein fluid communication between the filter portion and the flow passage is increasingly restricted when the flow blocking member blocks flow through at least one of the flow restrictors.

13. The well screen of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is accessible through an end wall of the well screen.

14. A well screen, comprising:

a filter portion; and

at least two tubular flow restrictors configured in series, the flow restrictors being positioned so that fluid which flows through the filter portion must reverse direction at least twice to flow between the flow restrictors.

15. The well screen of claim 14, wherein the flow restrictors are configured in series, so that the fluid must flow through each of the flow restrictors.

16. The well screen of claim 14, further comprising at least one flow blocking member which selectively blocks flow through at least one of the flow restrictors in response to a property of the fluid.

17. The well screen of claim 14, wherein at least one of the flow restrictors is accessible through an end wall of the well screen.

18. A method of installing a well screen, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the well screen including a filter portion, and an inflow control device with at least one flow restrictor which restricts flow of fluid through the filter portion; and

accessing the flow restrictor by removing a portion of the inflow control device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein in the accessing step, the inflow control device portion is a plug installed in an end wall of the inflow control device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein in the accessing step, the inflow control device portion is an outer housing of the inflow control device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein in the accessing step, the inflow control device portion is a receiving device which provides fluid communication between the flow restrictor and a flow passage, and further comprising the step of sealingly receiving the flow restrictor within the receiving device, thereby securing the flow restrictor in the well screen.