U.S. patent application number 15/639597 was filed with the patent office on 2019-01-03 for mechanically adjustable inflow control device.
This patent application is currently assigned to BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED. The applicant listed for this patent is BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Stephen Coulston.
Application Number | 20190003284 15/639597 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64737894 |
Filed Date | 2019-01-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190003284 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Coulston; Stephen |
January 3, 2019 |
Mechanically Adjustable Inflow Control Device
Abstract
An adjustable inflow control device features a mechanically
rotatable sleeve that advances or retreats axially when rotated in
opposed directions to cover or uncover a labyrinth flow path from
an inlet to an outlet. When used for inflow the outlet is into a
tubular string to a surface location. The more the sleeve is
retracted away from the labyrinth path the less resistance to flow
is offered and vice versa. Another way to mechanically alter the
flow resistance is to have an outer housing with a spiral groove
and an axially movable inner mandrel with another spiral groove.
The mandrel can be axially advanced with rotation when connected
with a thread. Advancing the mandrel so that there is more overlap
between the spiral patterns increases resistance to a give flow
rate and vice versa. A gap between the mandrel and housing allows
the mandrel to rotate and translate.
Inventors: |
Coulston; Stephen; (Houston,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
64737894 |
Appl. No.: |
15/639597 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 34/14 20130101;
E21B 47/12 20130101; E21B 43/12 20130101; E21B 2200/06
20200501 |
International
Class: |
E21B 34/14 20060101
E21B034/14; E21B 47/12 20060101 E21B047/12 |
Claims
1. An adjustable flow control device between a tubular string and a
surrounding annular space, comprising: a housing having a first
port to the annular space and a second spaced apart port to the
tubular string; a labyrinth flow path between said first and second
ports; a rotatably mounted member in said housing, whereupon
rotation of said member changes resistance to a predetermined flow
between said ports.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein: said member translates while
rotating.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein: said member comprises a
sleeve.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein: said member is engaged to said
housing for said rotation with a driving thread form.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein: said member is engaged to said
housing with a j-slot mechanism having slots of different
lengths.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein: movement of said member engages
a seal between said member and said housing to selectively close
flow between said ports.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein: axial movement of said member
varies the length of said labyrinth passage between said ports.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein: said housing comprises one of a
spiral flow channel or spiral ridge on an interior wall
thereof.
9. The device of claim 8, wherein: said member comprises the other
of a spiral flow channel or spiral ridge on an exterior wall
thereof.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein: relative rotation between said
member and said housing alters overlap between said spiral flow
channel and said spiral ridge.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein: said spiral flow channel and
said spiral ridge have the same pitch.
12. The device of claim 10, wherein: said spiral flow channel and
said spiral ridge when overlapping present a continuous spiral gap
in between.
13. The device of claim 10, wherein: a seal engages between said
spiral flow channel and said spiral ridge at substantial overlap
therebetween.
14. The device of claim 10, wherein: said member is rotatably
driven relative to said housing with a threaded drive connection
therebetween.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein: the pitch of said drive
connection is substantially equal to the pitch of said spiral flow
channel or said spiral ridge.
16. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a tool insertable in
the tubular string to rotate said member; said member comprises at
least one tab or profile adapted to be engaged by a tool advanced
in the tubular string.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein: said member or said housing
comprising a signal transmitter to communicate with said tool to
communicate to a remote location which member in the tubular string
is being rotated.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the invention is inflow control devices for
borehole use and more particularly devices that are mechanically
adjustable when downhole to balance flow from or into a
formation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Various types of flow devices are used in the production of
hydrocarbons. One common surface mounted device is a choke which is
a multi-position valve operated manually or with a motor at a
surface location to control flow to the surface from a formation.
Another type of flow control for boreholes is a system of flow
balancing using a plurality of spaced inlets that feature a
tortuous flow path with the devices closest to the surface
configured before running in to have more resistance to flow than
devices on the same string further from the surface. While
incremental resistance in the tubular string for a given flow rate
is reliably calculated in advance there are other variables such as
formation pressures and porosities that make flow balancing with
non-adjustable inflow control devices ahead of time much more
difficult. Flow balancing is also important in operations such as
gravel packing for uniform gravel distribution around a series of
spaced apart screens.
[0003] Inflow control devices (ICD) commonly feature a tortuous
path from an annulus inlet to a tubing side outlet to direct flow
from the formation to the surface. Injection service reverses the
flow direction but the objective remains the same, balancing flow.
In some designs a spiral path for the fluid is induced with
stationary vanes with the idea that if the properties of the
produced fluid change primarily in viscosity a different flow
regime will ensue without moving any parts. A design of this type
is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,047. Other designs feature multiple
fluid inlets with each configured with variable diodes where the
paths are defined within an outer shroud as described in US
2015/0337622. This design would entail delivered or stored electric
power which can add expense and operational issues. Another design
involves stackable rings with passages that have flow resistors
that can be stacked in advance of running in to quickly get the
degree of flow resistance desired at each location. This is
described in US 2013/0206245.
[0004] References have suggested restriction variability downhole
using stepper or other types of motors to change flow resistance.
One example is U.S. Pat. No. 8,204,693 item 81 and another using a
motor driven selector plate is U.S. Pat. No. 8,267,180 items 12 and
14. Regulation of gas lift flow is taught in U.S. Pat. No.
5,937,945 using a helical surface advanced toward and away from a
similarly shaped seat to change resistance to flow while the
devices are mounted in the borehole. U.S. Pat. No. 7,789,145
teaches a shifting tool to engage the ICD and axially shift a
sleeve with collet fingers from one profile groove to another to
change the resistance to flow. This reference mentions multiple
stop positions between least and most resistance to flow. Such a
tool is expensive to manufacture and may not give sufficient
feedback that it has shifted sufficiently or worse still it may
skip the desired collet locating groove to an adjacent groove in
which case the resistance to flow may change more than desired in
either direction.
[0005] Using variable ICDs that require electric power creates
difficulties in the space that power devices take up or the need to
deliver power from a remote source. Operational reliability issues
can spring up. What is offered is mechanically adjustable designs
that vary the resistance to flow. One way is by using a thread
mounted sleeve whose rotation covers or uncovers a labyrinth
passage so as to short circuit some of the labyrinth by uncovering
it when the sleeve is retracted and to increase the flow resistance
if the sleeve moves in an opposite direction. In another variation
the labyrinth path can be spiral with part of the path on a
stationary outer sleeve and the remainder of the path on a movable
sleeve. Axial movement of the movable sleeve can lengthen or
shorten the number of overlapping spiral paths so as to change the
resistance to a given flow rate. The inner member can be advanced
with rotation about a threaded connection. The spiral paths in the
two members have a clearance in between. Thus as more spirals
overlap there is more resistance to flow and vice versa. These and
other aspects of the present invention will be more readily
apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the
description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawings
while understanding that the full scope of the invention is to be
determined from the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An adjustable inflow control device features a mechanically
rotatable sleeve that advances or retreats axially when rotated in
opposed directions to cover or uncover a labyrinth flow path from
an inlet to an outlet. When used for inflow the outlet is into a
tubular string to a surface location. The more the sleeve is
retracted away from the labyrinth path the less resistance to flow
is offered and vice versa. Another way to mechanically alter the
flow resistance is to have an outer housing with a spiral groove
and an axially movable inner mandrel with another spiral groove.
The mandrel can be axially advanced with rotation when connected
with a thread. Advancing the mandrel so that there is more overlap
between the spiral patterns increases resistance to a give flow
rate and vice versa. A gap between the mandrel and housing allows
the mandrel to rotate and translate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic section view of an axially movable
sleeve whose movements can lengthen or shorten the length of a
labyrinth path;
[0008] FIG. 2 is the view of FIG. 1 with the inflow control device
in the minimal or no flow condition;
[0009] FIG. 3 is the view of FIG. 2 with the inflow control device
in a medium resistance to flow position;
[0010] FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 with the inflow control device
in the position of least resistance to flow;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an internally movable mandrel
with a matching thread pattern to an outer housing where the amount
of thread overlap determines resistance to flow;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a section view of the stationary outer housing
showing maximum thread overlap from the mandrel inside;
[0013] FIG. 7 is the view of FIG. 6 with less thread overlap
between the mandrel thread and the surrounding housing thread;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows a rolled flat view of the mandrel thread fully
engaged with the surrounding housing thread;
[0015] FIG. 9 is the view of FIG. 8 with less overlap;
[0016] FIG. 10 is the view of FIG. 9 with no overlap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a tubular string 10 that can have multiple
inflow control devices (ICD) 12 although only one is shown. When
used together the ICDs 12 balance the flow from a formation or in
the other direction an injection rate into the formation for a
treatment. Typically, the ICD 12 has an inlet 14 in an annulus 16
and a schematically illustrated tortuous path 18 that starts at
inlet 14 and ends at an opposite outlet end 20. An internal sleeve
or member 22 has an end thread 24 that is engaged to an internal
end thread 26 on housing 28 that also has inlet 14 through it and
continues to cover the labyrinth path 18. A seal 30 that can be
mounted to the sleeve 22 or the inside wall of the tubing string 10
can optionally be used so that in the FIG. 1 position of sleeve 22,
the gap 32 between sleeve 22 and the inside wall of the string 10
is closed. Movement of the sleeve 22 in the direction of arrow 34
opens gap 32 by defeating the seal 30. As the sleeve 22 moves
further axially in the direction of arrow 34 end 36 overlaps the
labyrinth path less and less effectively shortening the length of
the labyrinth and hence resistance to a given flow rate. This is
graphically illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 where the labyrinth 18 overlap
by the sleeve 22 progressively decreases. The housing 28 is omitted
from FIGS. 2-4 to assist in making this point. In essence the
incoming flow will run to the end 36 of the sleeve 22 and then as
shown schematically by arrow 38 the remainder of the labyrinth 18
is simply bypassed as the flow has direct access into the string 10
in a situation where the service is inflow control. Thus in FIG. 4
part of the labyrinth 18 is traversed where in FIG. 3 almost all of
the labyrinth 18 is bypassed.
[0018] The axial movement of the sleeve 22 is accomplished by
engaging tabs or profiles 40 with a schematically illustrated tool
T that can impart a rotational force to the tabs or profiles 40 to
advance sleeve 22 axially as it rotates by using engaged threads 24
and 26. Although a thread is illustrated, the shifting tool T can
also move the sleeve 22 using a j-slot pattern with progressively
longer slots so that the resistance to flow can be incrementally
changed mechanically with a series of opposed axial movements to
balance flow among locations followed by removal of the tool
without there being restrictions to flow in the string 10 that
could impede production. As previously described one or more ICDs
12 can be completely shut off or they can all be shut off to stop
production of undesired fluids from a part or an entirety of a
given formation or to allow operation of tools with pressurizing
string 10. Each ICD 12 can have a signal transmitter 44 to
communicate with tool T to allow surface personnel to know that
tool T has reached a specific ICD 12. Keeping the actuation system
for the sleeve 22 mechanical keeps it simple and reliable. Using a
thread to induce axial movement of sleeve 22 allows more reliable
incremental axial movements to be imparted to the sleeve 22 and it
further resists forces from high velocity produced fluid passing
through string 10 that could change the position of the sleeve 22
were it only retained by a collet in a groove as in U.S. Pat. No.
7,789,145.
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a variable ICD 50 that features a housing
52 that has a thread form 54 cut into an inside wall 56. The thread
form 56 starts at inlet 58 in the surrounding annulus 60 and
terminates at port 62 for access into the string 64. Member or
mandrel 66 has a thread form 68 that is less wide than thread form
54 but has the same pitch. What advances mandrel 66 axially as it
is rotated is a drive system as described with regard to FIG. 1 but
not shown in FIGS. 5-10. This includes the mating threads 24 and 26
or their alternatives as previously described. Thus as mandrel 66
is rotated and axially advanced in the direction of arrow 70 the
resistance to flow increases as the overlap of thread forms 54 and
68 increases. Conversely if the mandrel is moved while rotating in
the opposite direction from arrow 70 then the flow resistance is
decreased. The drive threads such as 24 and 26 maintain the thread
form 54 and 68 alignment. Seal 72 schematically illustrates that at
full overlap of thread forms 68 and 54 the flow can be closed off
into port 62 with the same effect as described above for FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 shows a closed position with the optional seal 72. Without
the seal 72 there may be some minor leak flow between the thread
forms 54 and 68 because the drive system for the mandrel 66 in the
form of threads 24 and 26 keeps thread form 68 between the sides of
the wider thread form 54. In section the shape of the thread forms
can be a quadrilateral or a U-shape or a V-shape to name a few
options. FIG. 7 shows less thread form overlap than FIG. 6 to offer
lower resistance to flow between inlet 58 and port 62. The same
concept is illustrated in a rolled flat mode in FIGS. 8-10. Thread
forms 54 and 68 preferably have substantially the same pitch.
Driving threads 24 and 26 when used in FIG. 5 would also preferably
have the same pitch as thread forms 54 and 68. One of thread forms
54 and 68 can be a spiral flow channel and the other can be a
spiral ridge. There can be a continuous spiral gap between them as
they overlap. A j-slot mechanism would not be used in FIG. 5 for
driving.
[0020] The adjustment mechanism for the ICD that is illustrated
relies on rotation with a tool T that can optionally send
information to the surface to indicate the number of turns applied
or the position of sleeve 22 or mandrel 66 with respect to end
travel stops representing maximum flow resistance and minimum flow
resistance. The use of rotation whether with a thread form or with
a j-slot and a rotating sleeve having slots at different lengths
also helps to fixate the sleeve 22 or the mandrel 66 against flow
induced forces during production of injection. Mandrel 66 is hollow
to allow flow from other regions to continue from or to the surface
depending on the application. Using rotation to vary the resistance
allows for infinite adjustments between closed and the least
resistance position. The sleeve 22 or mandrel 66 stays put in
service as opposed to collets in a profile that can be prone to
displacement which would upset the flow balance among multiple
ICDs. Disassembly after use is facilitated as the simplicity of the
design allows component replacement with merely undoing a
thread.
[0021] The above description is illustrative of the preferred
embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in
the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be
determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims
below:
* * * * *