Statoil Petroleum As

Inflow Control As

Statoil Asa

Equinor Energy As

Vidar Mathiesen

Haavard Aakre

Bjornar Werswick

Bjørnar Werswick

Bjoernar Werswick

Arne Valle

Torstein Grøstad

Haarvard Aakre

Rex Man Wat

Rex Man Shing Wat

Torstein Grostad

A fluid flow control device for establishing a controllable fluid communication between an external fluid reservoir and a base pipe constituting part of a production string, as well as a production string and a method using such a fluid flow control device. The fluid flow control device comprises a primary flow path arranged inside a fluid control device housing, a secondary flow path and a movable valve element arranged at and/or within the primary flow path. The inlet of the secondary flow path is arranged separate from the inlet of the primary flow path.

Flow control device and method

A fluid flow control device, which is for establishing a controllable fluid communication of a fluid flow between an external fluid reservoir and a base pipe of a production string, includes a primary flow path and a secondary flow path. The primary flow path is arranged inside a main housing. The primary flow path includes a primary flow path inlet configured to guide a primary fluid flow constituting a major portion of the fluid flow into the main housing during operation and a primary flow path outlet configured to guide the primary fluid flow from the main housing and into the base pipe during operation. The secondary flow path is configured to guide a secondary fluid flow constituting the remaining portion of the fluid flow. The secondary flow path includes a first fluid flow restrictor configured to generate a pressure decrease from a pressure pupstream of the first fluid flow restrictor to a pressure pdownstream of the first fluid flow restrictor, a second fluid flow restrictor arranged downstream of the first fluid flow restrictor and configured to generate a pressure decrease from the pressure pupstream of the second fluid flow restrictor to a pressure pdownstream of the second fluid flow restrictor and a chamber arranged downstream the first fluid flow restrictor and upstream the second fluid flow restrictor. A movable valve element is arranged inside the main housing and configured to close the primary flow path for fluid flow when exposed to a pressure force from within the chamber exceeding a threshold pressure force. The fluid flow control device further includes a top housing covering the primary flow path inlet of the main housing. The top housing includes a fluid flow inlet allowing the fluid flow to flow from the external fluid reservoir and at least partly into the primary flow path inlet, a swirl inducer inducing a swirl of the fluid flow between the fluid flow inlet and the primary flow path inlet, and a secondary flow path inlet configured to guide a secondary fluid flow into the secondary flow path.

A fluid flow control system serving as an inflow port from a fluid reservoir (R) to the interior of a production pipe (S) is in the form of a housing (). The housing has a primary flow path () and a secondary flow path (). The secondary flow path is in fluid communication with a chamber (B) in which is arranged an actuator () for a valve device (), the valve device arranged to open and close the primary flow path. At least one flow restrictor () is arranged in the secondary flow path, the flow restrictor arranged to provide a pressure to chamber (B) sufficient to actuate the valve to an open position when the fluid flowing through the secondary flow path is oil, and a pressure sufficient to actuate the valve to a closed position when the fluid has a viscosity and/or density less than oil.

Fluid control system

Downhole fluid control system

A fluid flow control device serving as an inflow port from a fluid reservoir (R) to the interior of a production pipe (S) is in the form of a housing (). The housing has a primary flow path () and a secondary flow path (). The secondary flow path is in fluid communication with a chamber (B) in which is arranged an actuator () for a valve device (), the valve device arranged to open and close the primary flow path. At least one flow restrictor () is arranged in the secondary flow path, the flow restrictor arranged to provide a pressure to chamber (B) sufficient to actuate the valve to an open position when the fluid flowing through the secondary flow path is oil, and a pressure sufficient to actuate the valve to a closed position when the fluid has a viscosity and/or density less than oil.

Flow control device

A self-adjustable valve or flow control device for controlling the flow of a fluid from one space or area to another by exploiting the Bernoulli principle, to control the flow of fluid, such as oil and/or gas including any water, from an oil or gas reservoir and into a production pipe of a well in the oil and/or gas reservoir, from an inlet port on an inlet side to an outlet port on an outlet side of the device. The valve includes a movable valve body arranged to be acted on by a temperature responsive device. The valve body is arranged to be actuated towards its closed position by the temperature responsive device in response to a predetermined increase in temperature in the fluid surrounding and/or entering the valve. The temperature responsive device includes an expandable device including a sealed structure at least partially filled with an expandable material.

Autonomous valve with temperature responsive device

A fluid flow control device includes a housing having a fluid inlet () and at least one fluid outlet (). A first fluid flow restrictor () serves as an inflow port to a chamber (B) in the housing, and a second fluid flow restrictor () serves as an outflow port from the chamber (B). The first fluid flow restrictor and the second fluid flow restrictor are configured to generate different fluid flow characteristics; and the chamber (B) includes an actuating device (-) that is responsive to fluid pressure changes (&#x394;P) in the chamber. The first fluid flow restrictor () and the second fluid flow restrictor () are configured to impose respective different fluid flow characteristics based on different fluid properties.

A method of controlling fluid flow into a heavy oil production pipe is disclosed. The method involves reducing inflow into a production pipe locally from hot spots using inflow control devices comprising a movable body provided within a housing. The movable body is arranged to adjust the flow of fluid through the inflow control devices autonomously by exploiting the Bernoulli principle. Inflow into the production pipe remote from said hot spots may be increased using the inflow control devices to increase inflow locally, and draw down in said production pipe may be increased by using an injector to inject a gaseous medium at or downstream of said inflow control devices.

Method and an arrangement for controlling fluid flow into a production pipe

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for of controlling the flow of a fluid. The fluid comprises a liquid phase and a dissolved gas phase. The fluid passes through a valve, the valve comprising a fluid inlet and a movable body located in a flow path through the valve, the movable body being arranged to move freely relative to the opening of the inlet to vary the flow-through area through which the fluid flows by means of the Bernoulli effect. The dimensions of the valve are such that flow of the fluid past the movable body causes a drop in pressure to below the bubble point of the gas phase in the liquid phase, thereby increasing flow of the fluid through the valve.

Autonomous valve

The invention generally relates to a flow control device and a flow control methods. One embodiment provides a flow control device comprising: a first flow path to allow fluid to flow from an inlet port provided on an inlet side of the device to an outlet port provided on an outlet side of the device; a closure element arranged to prevent fluid flow along the first fluid path in a direction from the outlet port to the inlet port; and an arrangement adapted to open a second fluid path, different along at least part of its length from the first fluid path, in dependence upon the pressure of fluid at the outlet side, the second fluid path allowing fluid to flow from a first relief port provided on the outlet side to a second relief port provided on the inlet side, wherein the flow control device comprises an inner body part and an outer body part, the inner body part being sealingly arranged and moveable within the outer body part () between a first position and a second position under the influence of the pressure of fluid at the outlet side, wherein a first part of the second fluid path is formed within the inner body part and a second part of the second fluid path is formed within the outer body part, the first and second parts of the second fluid path being in communication with one another when the inner body part is in the second position but not when the inner body part is in the first position, thereby opening the second fluid path when the inner body part moves from the first position to the second position.

Flow control device and flow control method

Disclosed herein is an improved method for reversed flow through a self-adjustable (autonomous) valve or flow control device (), comprising the step of providing an overpressure on the side of the valve () opposite of the side of the inlet () exceeding a predetermined biasing force of the resilient member () causing lifting of the inner body part () within the outer body part () against said biasing force from a first position of fluid flow between an inner and an outer side of the valve () via the flow path () and to a second position of reversed fluid flow between said inner and outer side through the second flow path (). An improved self-adjustable (autonomous) valve or flow control device () and use of said improved valve or flow control device are also disclosed.

A method for flow control and a self-adjusting valve or flow control device, in particular useful in a production pipe for producing oil and/or gas from a well in an oil and/or gas reservoir, which production pipe includes a lower drainage pipe preferably being divided into at least two sections each including one or more inflow control devices which communicates the geological production formation with the flow space of the drainage pipe. The fluid flows through an inlet and further through a flow path of the control device passing by a movable disc or movable device which is designed to move relative to the opening of the inlet and thereby reduce or increase the flow-through area by exploiting the Bernoulli effect and stagnation pressure created over the disc, whereby the control device, depending on the composition of the fluid and its properties, automatically adjusts the flow of the fluid based on a pre-estimated flow design.

Method for flow control and autonomous valve or flow control device

A method for flow control and a self-adjusting valve or flow control device, in particular useful in a production pipe for producing oil and/or gas from a well in an oil and/or gas reservoir, which production pipe includes a lower drainage pipe preferably being divided into at least two sections each including one or more inflow control devices which communicates the geological production formation with the flow space of the drainage pipe. The fluid flows through an inlet () and further through a flow path of the control device () passing by a non-disc shaped movable body () which is designed to move relative to the opening of the inlet and thereby reduce or increase the flow-through area (A) by exploiting the Bernoulli effect and stagnation pressure created over the body (), whereby the control device, depending on the composition of the fluid and its properties, automatically adjusts the flow of the fluid based on a pre-estimated flow design.

Alternative design of self-adjusting valve

The present invention relates to a method of improving flow stability for a multiphase fluid flowing through a tubular element (), comprising arranging a flow control device () along a flow path (F) through the tubular element (), the flow control device () comprising a housing (), an inlet () arranged on an upstream side of the control device (), an outlet () arranged on a downstream side of the control device (), and a movable body () provided within the housing () along an internal flow path () through the control device () from the inlet () to the outlet (), the body () being arranged such that changes in velocity and/or properties and/or composition of the fluid flowing along the internal flow path () result in changes to the forces acting on the body () as a result of the Bernoulli principle, thereby adjusting the flow of fluid through the control device ().

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Porsgrunn, Norway

Vidar Mathiesen