Downhole flow control apparatus with screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180046-B2
Application number	US-201514978102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A flow control apparatus is provided for deployment downhole as part of a wellbore string. The flow control apparatus includes a flow control member having a screened portion for filtering debris from reservior fluid that is incoming into the wellbore.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a housing including a port, a screened position-determining hard stop, and a passage;
a flow control member including a screen, wherein the flow control member is displaceable relative to the port; and
a hard stop engager disposed between the flow control member and the housing for coupling with the flow control member;
wherein the flow control member and the hard stop engager are co-operatively configured such that:
(i) while there is an absence of coupling between the flow control member and the hard stop engager, the flow control member is displaceable relative to the port between a closed position, corresponding to disposition of the port in a closed condition, and an open position, corresponding to disposition of the port in an open condition;
(ii) while the flow control member is being displaced from one of the open position and the closed position, the hard stop engager becomes coupled to the flow control member for displacement with the flow control member; and
(iii) while the hard stop engager is coupled to the flow control member, a screened position of the flow control member becomes determinable by the screened position-determining hard stop, wherein the screened position corresponds to disposition of the flow control member relative to the port such that at least a portion of the screen is disposed in alignment with the port such that the port is obstructed, or substantially obstructed by the at least a portion of the screen.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the disposition of the flow control member in the open position is such that a continuous portion of the port is unobstructed by the flow control member, wherein the continuous portion defines at least 25% of the total area of the port.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the disposition of the flow control member in the open position is such that the port is non-occluded, or substantially non-occluded, by the flow control member.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the disposition of the flow control member in the closed position is such that the flow control member occludes the port.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the flow control member and the hard stop engager are co-operatively configured such that, while the flow control member is coupled to the hard stop engager, the flow control member is restricted from returning to the closed position.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the flow control member and the hard stop engager are co-operatively configured such that, while the flow control member is coupled to the hard stop engager, the flow control member is restricted from returning to the open position.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the flow control member is releasably locked to the housing for preventing, or substantially preventing, displacement of the flow control member relative to the port, such that, after unlocking of the flow control member from the housing, the displaceability of the flow control member, relative to the port, is effected.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 ;
wherein the port is disposed in the closed condition while the flow control member is locked to the housing.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the flow control member includes a first sleeve that is slidably disposed within the housing for displacement within the passage.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein the hard stop engager includes a second sleeve that is slidably disposed within the housing for displacement within the passage.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein:
the flow control member includes a recess; and
the coupling of the hard stop engager to the flow control member is effectible when the recess becomes aligned with the hard stop engager.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 ;
wherein the hard stop engager includes a snap ring biased for outward displacement, for becoming disposed within the recess and effecting coupling of the hard stop engager to the flow control member when the recess becomes aligned with the hard stop engager.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 ;
wherein:
the flow control member is releasably locked to the housing for preventing, or substantially preventing, displacement of the flow control member relative to the port, such that, after unlocking of the flow control member from the housing, the displaceability of the flow control member, relative to the port, is effected;

and
the snap ring is disposed downhole relative to the recess such that downhole displacement of the flow control member from the closed position to the open position effects the disposition of the snap ring within the recess, such that, once disposition of the snap ring within the recess is effected, uphole displacement of the flow control member from the open position to the closed position is prevented.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 ;
wherein the uphole displacement of the flow control member from the open position to the closed position is prevented by interaction of the snap ring with the screened position-determining hard stop.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 ;
wherein:
the flow control member is releasably locked to the housing for preventing, or substantially preventing, displacement of the flow control member relative to the port, such that, after unlocking of the flow control member from the housing, the displaceability of the flow control member, relative to the port, is effected;

and
the snap ring is disposed uphole relative to the recess such that uphole displacement of the flow control member from the open position effects the disposition of the snap ring within the recess, such that, once disposition of the snap ring within the recess is effected, downhole displacement of the flow control member from the closed position to the open position is prevented.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 ;
wherein the downhole displacement of the flow control member from the closed position to the open position is prevented by interaction of the snap ring with the screened position-determining hard stop.

17. An apparatus comprising:
a housing including a port, a hard stop, and a passage;
a flow control member including a screen and a j-slot;
wherein:
the flow control member is displaceable, relative to the port, such that the flow control member is positionable, relative to the port, in a first position, corresponding to disposition of the port in a closed condition, a second position, corresponding to disposition of the port in an open condition, and a third position, corresponding to disposition of the port in a screened condition, wherein, in the screened condition, at least a portion of the screen is disposed in alignment with the port such that the port is obstructed, or substantially obstructed by the at least a screen portion, and such that the at least a screen portion is disposed for interfering with conduction of oversize solids through the port;

the hard stop is disposed within the j-slot and is displaceable, relative to the flow control member, while the flow control member is being displaced, relative to the port, and co-operates with the j-slot such that displacement of the flow control member is limited such that each one of the first, second and third positions of the flow control member is established by the limiting of the displacement of the flow control member by the interaction between the hard stop and the j-slot.

Assignees

• Ncs Multistage Inc

Inventors

• Werries Michael John
• Ravensbergen John Edward
• Getzlaf Don
• Brunskill Doug
• Getzlaf Nick

Classifications

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B43/02

  Subsoil filtering · CPC title

• E21B23/006

  "J-slot" systems, i.e. lug and slot indexing mechanisms · CPC title

• E21B43/082

  Screens comprising porous materials, e.g. prepacked screens · CPC title