Claims
- 1. A flow control apparatus operatively positionable within a subterranean well, the apparatus comprising:
- a first member; and
- a second member having a port for flow of fluid, fluid flow through the port being regulatable by displacement of the first member relative to the second member.
- 2. The flow control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second members are sealingly engageable to prevent fluid flow through the port.
- 3. The flow control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a biasing device, the biasing device applying a biasing force to one of the first and second members to thereby maintain sealing engagement of the one of the first and second members with the other of the first and second members.
- 4. The flow control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism selectively preventing displacement of the first member relative to the second member.
- 5. The flow control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to selectively permit displacement of the first member relative to the second member upon application of fluid pressure to the locking mechanism.
- 6. The flow control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first member is sealingly engageable with the second member, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to releasably prevent displacement of the first member relative to the second member when the first member is sealingly engaged with the second member.
- 7. The flow control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generally tubular outer housing, the first and second members being disposed at least partially within the outer housing, and the outer housing being configured for cooperative attachment to a tubing string positioned within the subterranean well.
- 8. A choke operatively positionable within a subterranean well, the choke comprising:
- a generally tubular first member;
- a generally tubular second member slidingly disposed relative to the first member, the second member having at least one flow port formed through a sidewall portion thereof, and the second member further being variably positionable relative to the first member to variably regulate fluid flow through the flow port.
- 9. The choke according to claim 8, wherein the first member is sealingly engageable with the second member to prevent fluid flow through the flow port.
- 10. The choke according to claim 8, wherein the second member is secured to a mandrel, the mandrel being displaceable relative to the first member to thereby displace the second member relative to the first member.
- 11. The choke according to claim 10, wherein the mandrel is rotatably secured to the second member.
- 12. The choke according to claim 10, wherein the mandrel is configured for displacement relative to the first member by application of fluid pressure thereto.
- 13. The choke according to claim 10, wherein the mandrel has a shifting profile formed thereon, and wherein the profile is configured for engagement with a shifting tool.
- 14. The choke according to claim 8, further comprising a biasing device, the biasing device being configured to bias the second member toward sealing engagement with the first member.
- 15. The choke according to claim 8, wherein the second member is selectively and releasably securable relative to the first member.
- 16. The choke according to claim 15, wherein the second member is securable relative to the first member when the second member sealingly engages the first member to prevent fluid flow through the flow port.
- 17. The choke according to claim 8, wherein the first member is a sleeve, and wherein the second member is a cage.
- 18. Apparatus operatively positionable within a subterranean well, the apparatus comprising:
- a generally tubular member having a flow passage extending generally axially therethrough, and the member further having a first port formed through a sidewall portion thereof; and
- a sleeve slidingly disposed relative to the member,
- the member being positionable relative to the sleeve in a selected one of a first position in which the sleeve prevents fluid flow through the first port, a second position in which unobstructed fluid flow is permitted through the first port, and a third position in which fluid flow through the first port is partially obstructed by the sleeve.
- 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve has a lip extending outwardly therefrom, the lip being disposed generally radially opposite the first port when the member is in the third position.
- 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the lip is configured to inhibit erosion of the sleeve when the member is in the third position.
- 21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the lip is configured to inhibit erosion of the tubular member when the member is in the third position.
- 22. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a first seal surface carried on the member, and a second seal surface formed on the sleeve, the first and second seal surfaces being sealingly engaged when the member is in the first position.
- 23. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a generally tubular outer housing, the member and sleeve being disposed at least partially within the housing.
- 24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the sleeve is coaxially attached within the housing.
- 25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein an end portion of the sleeve has a lip extending outwardly therefrom, and wherein the lip is positioned radially inward relative to an opening formed through a sidewall portion of the housing.
- 26. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the member further has a second port formed through the member sidewall portion, the first and second ports being axially spaced apart.
- 27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein in the first, second and third positions of the member, fluid flow is permitted through the second port.
- 28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the member further has fourth and fifth positions relative to the sleeve, fluid flow being permitted through the second port when the member is in the fourth position, and fluid flow through the second port being prevented when the member is in the fifth position.
- 29. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the second port has a flow area unequal to a flow area of the first port.
- 30. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the tubular member further has a second port formed through the sidewall portion thereof, and wherein the second port is positioned opposite the first port, whereby when fluid flows inwardly through each of the first and second ports, the fluid flows interfere with each other and inhibit erosion of the tubular member.
- 31. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the member is further positionable in an infinite number of positions between the first and second positions.
- 32. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve is radially outwardly disposed about the member.
- 33. The apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a generally tubular seat carried externally on the member, the seat sealingly engaging the sleeve when the member is in the first position.
- 34. A choke operatively positionable within a subterranean well and operatively connectable to an actuator disposed within the well, the actuator having an actuator member which is displaceable relative to the remainder of the actuator in a selected one of first and second opposite directions, the choke comprising:
- a first member interconnectable to the actuator member and displaceable therewith;
- a seal surface carried on the first member; and
- a second member slidingly disposed relative to the first member,
- the first member being displaceable in the first direction by the actuator member to sealingly engage the second member with the seal surface to thereby prevent fluid flow through a sidewall portion of the first member, and the first member being displaceable in the second direction by the actuator member to thereby permit fluid flow through the sidewall portion of the first member.
- 35. The choke according to claim 34, wherein the second member is a sleeve externally disposed about the first member.
- 36. The choke according to claim 34, further comprising a port formed through the sidewall portion, the port being positionable between the seal surface and the second member when the first member is displaced in the second direction.
- 37. The choke according to claim 36, wherein the first member is variably positionable relative to the second member so that fluid flow through the port is correspondingly variably restricted.
- 38. The choke according to claim 36, wherein the sleeve has a flow deflection lip formed thereon, and wherein the lip is positionable in an overlying relationship to the port.
- 39. A choke operatively positionable within a subterranean well, the choke comprising:
- a generally tubular inner cage having a port formed through a sidewall portion thereof;
- a seat carried externally on the cage spaced apart from the port; and
- a sleeve externally slidingly disposed on the cage.
- 40. The choke according to claim 39, wherein the sleeve has opposite ends, one of the sleeve opposite ends being configured for sealing engagement with the seat.
- 41. The choke according to claim 40, wherein the other of the sleeve opposite ends is sealingly received within an outer housing.
- 42. The choke according to claim 41, wherein the sleeve is rigidly attached to the housing, the one of the sleeve opposite ends being positioned radially opposite an opening formed through a sidewall portion of the housing.
- 43. The choke according to claim 39, wherein the seat and sidewall portion of the cage are formed of a material having an erosion resistance greater than that of the remainder of the cage.
- 44. A method of controlling fluid flow into a tubing string disposed within a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an actuator to the tubing string;
- operatively attaching a choke to the actuator, the choke being capable of regulating fluid flow through a sidewall portion thereof, the choke including a choke member set; and
- actuating the actuator to variably open the choke member set and thereby variably choke fluid flow therethrough.
- 45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the step of actuating the actuator to open the choke member set further comprises displacing a first tubular member relative to a second tubular member.
- 46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the first tubular member displacing step comprises displacing a seat portion of the choke member set out of sealing engagement with a sleeve portion of the choke member set.
- 47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the first tubular member displacing step further comprises displacing a port formed through the first tubular member relative to the choke member set sleeve portion.
- 48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the port displacing step comprises displacing the port from a first position in which the port is radially inwardly disposed relative to the sleeve portion, to a second position in which the port is at least partially open to fluid flow therethrough.
- 49. The method according to claim 47, wherein the port displacing step comprises displacing the port from a first position in which fluid flow through the port is prevented by sealing engagement of the sleeve portion with the seat portion, to a second position in which fluid flow through the port is partially obstructed by the sleeve portion.
- 50. A method of controlling fluid flow within a subterranean well, comprising the steps of:
- providing an actuator having an actuator member which is displaceable relative to the remainder of the actuator in a selected one of first and second opposite directions;
- providing a choke including a first member interconnectable to the actuator member and displaceable therewith, a seal surface carried on the first member, and a second member slidingly disposed relative to the first member, the first member displacing relative to the second member and thereby permitting a progressively greater rate of fluid flow through a sidewall portion of the first member when the actuator member is displaced in the first direction, and the first member displacing relative to the second member and thereby increasingly restricting fluid flow through the sidewall portion when the actuator member is displaced in the second direction;
- operatively interconnecting the actuator to the choke; and
- positioning the actuator and choke within the well.
- 51. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of displacing the actuator member in the second direction to sealingly engage the second member and the seal surface and thereby prevent fluid flow through the sidewall portion.
- 52. The method according to claim 50, wherein the choke is provided further including first and second ports formed through the sidewall portion.
- 53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the choke is provided with the first port having a restriction to fluid flow therethrough which is not equal to a restriction to fluid flow through the second port.
- 54. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of displacing the actuator member in the first direction, thereby telescopingly extending the first member from within the second member.
- 55. A method of controlling fluid flow within a subterranean well, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular member having a plurality of spaced apart ports formed therethrough;
- providing a blocking member for blocking fluid flow through the plurality of ports;
- positioning the tubular member and blocking member within the well; and
- displacing the tubular member relative to the blocking member to thereby permit fluid flow through the plurality of ports.
- 56. The method according to claim 55, further comprising the step of providing a housing, the blocking member being disposed within, and attached to, the housing, and wherein the step of displacing the tubular member further comprises displacing the tubular member relative to the housing to thereby permit fluid flow through a sidewall portion of the housing.
- 57. The method according to claim 55, wherein the tubular member displacing step further comprises selecting a first one of the ports for fluid flow therethrough by displacing the tubular member in a first selected direction.
- 58. The method according to claim 57, wherein the tubular member displacing step further comprises selecting a second one of the ports for fluid flow therethrough, in addition to the first one of the ports, by further displacing the tubular member in the first selected direction.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to a copending application filed on even date herewith, entitled FLOW CONTROl APPARATUS having Mark A. Schnatzmcyer as an inventor thereof and an attorney docket number of 970332 U1 USA (application Ser. No. 08/898,504, filed Jul. 21, 1997). The disclosure of the copending application is incorporated herein by this reference.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2159194 |
Nov 1985 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Search Report for Application PCT/GB98/02242. |
Master Flow Valve, Inc. catalog, undated. |