Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to flow control devices, methods, and systems for selectively regulating flow of production fluids from a subterranean formation within a wellbore.
Downhole completion systems are often used to produce or harvest hydrocarbon materials (e.g., crude oil, natural gas, etc.) from subterranean formations. Often, the hydrocarbon materials are recovered from multiple formations (or production zones) along the wellbore. Undesirable fluids (e.g., water, brine, etc.) are often present in the production zones along with the hydrocarbon materials. Generally, it is desirable to produce only hydrocarbons from a well and leave the undesirable fluids within the well. As a result, inflow control devices (often referred to as “ICDs”) are used to limit production of water in order to maximize the yield of hydrocarbons.
Generally, current ICDs are complex, expensive, and only partially reduce the flow of water. Additionally, many of the current devices are mechanically activated and thus require manual intervention. For example, in some approaches, valves may be used to select between hydrocarbons and water based on relative viscosity of the fluids. The valve may include a switching mechanism including, for example, a vortex assembly used to select a fluid based on viscosity. The valve may then direct the water through a tortuous pathway to restrict the flow rate. In other examples, ICDs may be configured to limit or reduce the flow of water by using filters, restricted openings, indirect flow paths, etc. In yet other examples, devices may include expandable materials (e.g., cross-linked gels, cement compositions, polymers, etc.) placed in flow passageways. The hydrocarbons are allowed to flow though the passageways unimpeded while water is restricted due to expansion of the expandable or swellable materials.
However, in many cases, reduction in the flow of water may be limited or may also result in a reduction in the flow of hydrocarbons. As a consequence, the capacity to drain the reservoir efficiently while maximizing production and recovery is diminished. In addition, while mechanically activated devices may be adjusted at the wellsite before deployment, changing ratings during the lifespan of the well can be difficult, if not impossible. The effectiveness of ICDs is largely determined by the ability to optimize performance during production.
Embodiments disclosed herein include a flow control device for regulating fluid flow from a subterranean formation, comprising, at least one tubular body having an interior surface, an exterior surface and at least one aperture extending through the at least one tubular body between the exterior surface and the interior surface, at least one flow path extending from the exterior surface through the at least one aperture and longitudinally through the at least one tubular body and a material disposed in communication with the at least one flow path, the material having a hydrophilic surface located and configured to contact formation fluids flowing along the at least one flow path.
In additional embodiments, a method for making a flow control device to regulate fluid flow from a subterranean formation comprises providing at least one tubular body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one flow path comprising at least one aperture extending between the exterior surface and the interior surface, and disposing a material having a hydrophilic surface in communication with the at least one flow path.
In further embodiments, a system for controlling flow of a fluid from a subterranean formation comprises at least one wellbore tubular, at least one tubular body positioned adjacent the wellbore tubular, the at least one tubular body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least one aperture extending between the exterior surface and the interior surface, the at least one tubular body defining at least one flow path extending through the at least one aperture and longitudinally through the at least one tubular body, and a material disposed in communication with the at least one flow path, the material comprising at least a hydrophilic surface located and configured to contact formation fluids flowing along the at least one flow path.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the invention, the advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description of certain embodiments of the disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Illustrations presented herein are, in some cases, not meant to be actual views of any particular material, component, or system, but are merely idealized representations that are employed to describe embodiments of the present disclosure. Elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
The following description provides specific details, such as types and placement of materials, in order to provide a thorough description of embodiments of the disclosure. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing these specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional acts or materials for controlling fluid flow from a subterranean formation may be performed by conventional techniques.
Referring to
Production fluids flow directly from the producing formations 104 and 106 into the annulus 120 defined between the production assembly 110 and a wall of the wellbore 100. Each production device 124 may include a production control device 128 that is used to govern one or more aspects of fluid flow into the production assembly 110. In accordance with the present disclosure, the production control device 128 may have any of a number of alternative constructions that ensure selective controlled fluid flow therethrough.
Referring now to
The formation fluid 144 may include, for example, hydrocarbons (e.g., oil), or some other desirable component of a fluid mixture, the production of which is intended. As used herein, the term “fluid” or “fluids” means and includes liquids, gases, hydrocarbons, multi-phase fluids, as well mixtures, suspensions and emulsions of two or more fluids, water, brine, and fluids injected from the surface, such as water or drilling mud. Additionally, references to water should be construed to also include water-based fluids (e.g., brine or salt water). Subsurface formations typically contain water, brine, or other undesirable fluids along with hydrocarbons or other desirable fluids. For the sake of discussion “water” may be used to generally represent any undesirable fluid, while “hydrocarbons,” “oil,” or “natural gas” may be used to generally represent any desirable fluid, although other fluids may be desirable or undesirable in other embodiments.
The flow control device 132 may be used generally to regulate the flow of the formation fluid 144 from the production zone 142 into the inner tubular body 133. At least one flow control device 132 may be orientated either vertically or horizontally. Often, water will begin to flow into the flow control device 132 after the formation fluid 144 has been drawn out of a reservoir or production zone 142 for a certain amount of time. The amount and timing of water inflow can vary along the length of the production zone 142 and from zone to zone. Thus, it is desirable to have passive devices that will restrict the flow of water in response to higher percentages of undesirable fluid flow. As used herein, the term “passive” means and includes without the manipulation of mechanical devices. For example, the flow control device 132 may regulate the inflow of fluids without human intervention, intelligent control, or an external power source. Thus, the flow control device 132 and devices according to other embodiments disclosed herein are configured to passively restrict or impede the water (or other undesirable fluid) component of formation fluid 144 in order to enable a higher percentage of the hydrocarbon (or other desirable fluid) component to be produced over the life of production zones.
Generally, flow control devices disclosed herein include a hydrophilic material at least partially disposed within the flow path 136. In some embodiments, the formation fluid 144 contacts, flows by, or flows through the hydrophilic material. For example, in the embodiment of
Similarly, a process of making the flow control device 132 may include providing at least one inner tubular body 133 having an interior surface 134, an exterior surface 135, and at least one flow path 136 comprising at least one aperture 154 extending between the exterior surface 135 and the interior surface 134, and disposing a material 146 having a hydrophilic surface in communication with the at least one flow path 136. Other embodiments may include positioning any configuration of a filter, mesh, and permeable membrane exterior to the material 146. Alternatively, other embodiments may include disposing the material 146 in communication with the flow path 136 by placing the material 146 along the interior surface 134 of the at least one inner tubular body 133. Additional configurations or processes of the flow control device 132 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0048129, dated Feb. 28, 2013, titled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING FLUID FLOW, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
Hydrophilic materials are those that will more effectively impede, restrict, or inhibit flow of one fluid component (i.e., water-based fluids) through the material 146 than another fluid component, based on a property of the fluids. That is, if the formation fluid 144 comprises a mixture of hydrocarbons and water, then the material 146 will comprise a material that more greatly impedes the passage of water through the flow control device 132 than the passage of hydrocarbons, which is allowed to flow relatively unimpeded. As used herein, the teen “hydrophilic” means and includes having a strong affinity for water. Further, hydrophilic refers to materials on which water spreads out, maximizing surface area contact with the material. In some embodiments, the hydrophilic materials may be high surface energy materials. For example, in the embodiment where the formation fluid 144 is a mixture of hydrocarbons and water, the material 146 may comprise a material having a surface energy higher than that of water (i.e., a surface energy density higher than about 0.072 J/m2). Since the surface energy of water is higher than that of hydrocarbons, water will more readily spread out on a high surface energy material in order to minimize interfacial energy. Intermolecular forces account for the strong attractive force between water and high surface energy materials, such as glass. Hydrophilic materials may include, for example, quartz sand, flint, agate, porous glass, glass beads, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the materials may include, for example, titanium dioxide (TiO2) doped composites and ceramic-based composites. In other embodiments, the hydrophilic materials may comprise silicon dioxide (SiO2) (commonly referred to as “silica”) and surface-modified silicon dioxide.
Alternatively, high surface energy materials may be described as wettable. As used herein, the term “wettable” means and includes the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface resulting from intermolecular interactions when the two are brought together. Because of the nature of these surfaces, water and brine are wettable and hydrocarbons are nonwettable. In addition, measuring the contact angle of a water droplet in relation to the surface of a material is one way of assessing the hydrophilicity of the material. For example, the contact angle of water on a hydrophilic material is about 90° or less, while the contact angle for hydrocarbons on a material is about 90° or more. As is known, generally, a contact angle less than 90° indicates that the fluid at least partially wets the material, while a contact angle more than 90° indicates that the fluid does not wet the material. Water is known to wet silica glass nearly completely, resulting in a contact angle being virtually zero.
In addition, while many high surface energy materials with smooth, rigid, or chemically homogenous surfaces may be suitable for hydrophilic materials, rough surfaces may increase the hydrophilicity, and thus the attraction, of water to certain materials. In some embodiments, the surface may have physical structures such as hair-like, honeycomb, and sponge-like surfaces for trapping the water molecules, increasing the contact surface area, or both. In some embodiments, for example, size, shape and contour of the material may be varied to increase the hydrophilicity of the material. Furthermore, the material 146 may contain any configuration of hydrophilic materials for delaying or restricting the flow of water and may be arranged in a variety of ways as discussed below.
Finally, the coating 178 may be used near or in conjunction with existing water sensitive media, such as a Relative Permeability Modifier (or “RPM”), as is known in the art. In one embodiment, the coating 178 may be located on a surface in proximity or combination with the water sensitive media to increase the effectiveness of the existing configuration. In other embodiments, expandable materials or a fluid-actuated choke may be used in combination with surfaces containing the coating 178.
Of course, different structural embodiments of hydrophilic materials may be used other than the examples given herein (e.g., different dimensions, porous or nonporous materials, different porosities, packs comprising sleeves, beads, blocks, coatings, passageways, tubes, etc., or any combination thereof). Various arrangements will have different effects on impedance of the flow of water and may be desired in various situations.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that the invention is not limited by the certain example embodiments described hereinabove. Rather, many additions, deletions and modifications to the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. In addition, features from one embodiment may be combined with features of another embodiment while still being encompassed within the scope of the disclosure.
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