Claims
- 1. A method of regulating the flow of hydrocarbon fluid from a producing zone into a production well, said method comprising the steps of:
a. providing a fluid production tube in a wellbore having a formation fluid production zone, said production tube having a production flow bore therein; b. providing an intermediate fluid flow channel within said production tube between said production zone and said production flow bore; c. providing a static flow restriction within said intermediate channel; d. providing a first flow aperture between said intermediate channel and said production flow bore downstream of said flow restriction; e. providing a second flow aperture between said intermediate channel and said production flow bore upstream of said flow restriction; and, f. selectively obstructing fluid flow through either or both of said flow apertures.
- 2. A method as described by claim 1 wherein said flow apertures are selectively opened and closed.
- 3. A method as described by claim 1 wherein fluid flow through said first aperture is obstructed by a selective obstruction of flow through said flow restriction.
- 4. A well tool for regulating the flow rate of fluid from an earth producing zone, said tool comprising:
a. a well fluid production tube having a production flow channel therein and a production fluid flow screen for passing fluid from said producing zone into said production flow channel; b. an intermediate flow channel between said flow screen and said production flow channel; c. a static flow restriction in said intermediate channel; d. a first fluid flow aperture between said intermediate flow channel and said production flow channel disposed downstream of said static flow restriction; e. a second fluid flow aperture between said intermediate flow channel and said production flow channel disposed upstream of said static flow restriction; and f. a selectively positioned flow obstruction for substantially preventing fluid flow through either or both of said flow apertures.
- 5. A well tool as described by claim 4 wherein said selectively positioned obstruction is driven by a shape memory alloy.
- 6. A well tool as described by claim 4 wherein said selectively positioned obstruction is a solenoid valve operator respective to said flow apertures.
- 7. A well tool as described by claim 6 wherein said valve operator comprises a flow by-pass element.
- 8. A well tool as described by claim 7 wherein said by-pass element comprises a valve stem conduit having an open entry aperture in said intermediate flow channel and a plugged exit aperture in said production flow channel.
- 9. A well tool as described by claim 4 wherein said flow obstruction comprises a fluid flow gate within said intermediate flow channel for obstructing fluid flow into said flow restriction.
- 10. A well tool as described by claim 9 wherein fluid flow through said fluid flow gate is controlled by a selectively positioned plug.
- 11. A well tool as described by claim 10 wherein said selectively positioned plug also obstructs fluid flow through said second flow aperture.
- 12. A method of regulating the flow of production fluid from a fluid producing zone into a production conduit comprising the steps of:
(a) providing first and second fluid flow routes for production fluid from a producing zone into a production conduit; (b) providing greater resistance to flow along said second flow route relative to flow along said first flow route; and, (c) providing a first selectively engaged flow obstruction along said first flow route.
- 13. A method as described by claim 12 further providing a second selectively engaged flow obstruction along said second flow route.
- 14. A method as described by claim 12 wherein said first and second flow routes extend from an intermediate fluid flow channel between said fluid producing zone and said production conduit.
- 15. A method as described by claim 12 wherein said first flow obstruction is manually engaged.
- 16. A method as described by claim 12 wherein said first flow obstruction is automatically engaged.
- 17. A method as described by claim 12 wherein said first flow obstruction is automatically engaged as a function of a production fluid flow rate.
CROSS REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from the USPTO provisional patent application entitled “Sand Screen with Active Flow Control” by Edward Joseph Zisk, Jr., filed on Jan. 26, 2001, serial No. 60/264,358.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60264358 |
Jan 2001 |
US |