Patent Application
20120168181
Downhole industries, such as, hydrocarbon recovery, for example, may employ inflow control devices. Wells employing a plurality of such devices, over their production life, will typically out produce wells that do not include such devices. Although such devices work well as they currently exist, new devices that may increase total production even further are always of interest to those in the field.
Disclosed herein is a conformable inflow control device which includes a first tubular having a plurality of perforations therethrough, a second tubular positioned radially of the first tubular defining an annular space therebetween having at least one port therethrough, and a pressure drop device disposed at the annular space positioned between the plurality of perforations and the at least one port configured to create a drop in pressure in response to fluid flow therethrough. Also included is an expandable media disposed radially outwardly of the first tubular configured to expand while permitting fluid flow therethrough.
Also disclosed is a method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure which includes positioning an inflow control device within a structure, and expanding an expandable media surrounding the inflow control device into contact with walls of the structure.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
In the embodiment illustrated, optional centralizers 46 longitudinally separate portions of the expandable media 36 from one another. The centralizers 46 center the device 10 within the structure 40 thereby minimizing differences in dimensional expansion needed by the expandable media 36 on diametrically opposing sides of the device 10 before contact with the walls 44 is initially established. It should be noted that the expandable media 36 itself can also serve the function of centralizing thereby negating the need for the separate centralizers 46.
The expandable media 36 may include foam that is a thermo-set or a thermo-plastic. The expandable media 36 is shown herein as having a cylindrical shape, but this can be varied to facilitate deployment or to enhance the filtration characteristics thereof The foam can be an open cell foam that is convertible from one size and shape to another size and/or shape by changing a temperature thereof This type of foam can be formed into a particular article with an original size and shape as desired, such as a cylinder with a desired outer diameter. Upon heating the foam to a transition temperature the foam softens allowing it to be reshaped to a desired alternate size and shape such as by being compressed to a cylinder having a smaller diameter, for example. Cooling the foam to below the transition temperature will cause the foam to retain its alternate size and shape. When the temperature of the foam is subsequently raised to its transition temperature it will attempt to return to its original size and shape. The original size and shape being larger than the walls 44, by design, will assure that the foam conforms to the walls 44 while it attempts to return thereto.
After fluid flows through the media 36 and the perforations 18 it can flow longitudinally within the annular space 24 to the pressure drop device 10. Referring to
The core 54 that defines the internal portion 50 is made of a plurality of split rings 68. The channels 58 are defined by the longitudinal gaps between longitudinally adjacent split rings 68 and slots 72 defined by splits in the split rings 68 themselves. The channels 58, as shown in the embodiments illustrated in the Figure, create a labyrinth or maze type of pressure drop device 28. By rotationally offsetting the slot 72 of one of the split rings 68 to that of one of the adjacent split rings 68 the rotational flow path of the channels 58 is increased. Offsetting the slots 72 of adjacent split rings 68 by 180 degrees creates the longest possible length for the channel 58 for a given number of the split rings 68. Adding more split rings 68 to a particular core 54 will also increase the length of the channel 58. Adjustments to the cross sectional area of the channels 58 can be made by, for example, adjusting the longitudinal gap between longitudinally adjacent split rings 68 and by altering a width of the slots 72.
Referring to
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
