Flow restrictor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11180971-B2
Application number	US-201214416909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2012
Priority date	Jul 25, 2012
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A flow restrictor for restricting flow in an annulus, the flow restrictor comprising a body and a restrictor assembly mounted on the body, wherein the restrictor assembly is actuatable between a run-in configuration and a set configuration in which at least a portion of the restrictor assembly is radially splayed to thereby substantially restrict flow in the annulus, and wherein the flow restrictor is actuatable by fluid flow over the restrictor assembly above a threshold flow rate to actuate the restrictor assembly from the run-in configuration to the set configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow restrictor for restricting flow in an annulus, the flow restrictor comprising:
a body; and
a restrictor assembly mounted on the body,
wherein the flow restrictor is actuable by fluid flow over the restrictor assembly above a threshold flow rate actuating the restrictor assembly from a run-in configuration to a set configuration,
wherein the restrictor assembly has a fixed portion that remains fixed relative to the body and a movable portion that is movable from a stowed position in the run-in configuration to a radially splayed position in the set configuration to thereby substantially restrict flow in the annulus,
wherein said movable portion moves from said stowed position to said radially splayed position by pivoting relative to the fixed portion in response to the fluid flow across the restrictor assembly in a direction from the movable portion towards the fixed portion, and
wherein the flow restrictor has a central axis and at least a part of the restrictor assembly is inclined at an angle of incline relative to the central axis, the body being tapered to define the angle of incline of the at least part of the restrictor assembly.

2. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the restrictor assembly is deformable above the threshold flow rate to move the restrictor assembly from the run-in configuration to the set configuration.

3. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , wherein the restrictor assembly is a frustoconical shape.

4. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , wherein the angle of incline of the restrictor assembly is between one and seven degrees relative to the central axis.

5. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , wherein the restrictor assembly comprises at least one layer of deformable material.

6. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , comprising a backup mechanism to retain the restrictor assembly in the set configuration.

7. The flow restrictor according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the flow restrictor is arranged to act as an annular seal in the set configuration;
the flow restrictor is arranged to act as a fluid flow diverter within the annulus;
the flow restrictor is arranged to act as an actuator;
the flow restrictor is mounted on a tubular proximate a tool such that the flow restrictor is slidable along the tubular when a predetermined flow rate acts against the flow restrictor in the set configuration to thereby act as an annular piston and actuate the tool;
the flow restrictor is a packer.

8. A method of restricting flow in an annulus, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a flow restrictor according to claim 1 ;
running the flow restrictor into a hole in the run-in configuration;
pumping fluid into the hole above the threshold flow rate;
flow actuating the flow restrictor from the run-in configuration to the set configuration in which the at least a portion of the restrictor assembly is radially splayed, by flowing the fluid over the restrictor assembly above the threshold flow rate.

9. The method according to claim 8 , including fixing a portion of the restrictor assembly relative to the body and providing a movable portion of the restrictor assembly and flowing fluid over the restrictor assembly in direction from the movable portion towards the fixed portion, thereby substantially restricting flow in the annulus.

10. The method according to claim 8 , including at least one of:
pumping fluid above the threshold flow rate into an annulus between the hole and a tubing; and
pumping fluid above the threshold flow rate into an annulus by pumping fluid through tubing having a port opening into the annulus.

11. The method according to claim 8 , including moving the flow restrictor from the run-in configuration to the set configuration by deforming the restrictor assembly in response to fluid flow above the threshold flow rate.

12. The method according to claim 8 , including providing a plurality of metal petals in the restrictor assembly and deforming the petals by flowing fluid over the restrictor assembly above the threshold value.

13. The method according to claim 8 , including selecting the value of threshold flow rate such that it exceeds flow rates to which the flow restrictor is exposed during running the flow restrictor into the hole.

14. The method according to claim 8 , including providing a backup mechanism to substantially restrict further deformation of the flow restrictor once the flow restrictor is in the set configuration and activating the backup mechanism by moving the restrictor assembly from the run-in to the set configuration.

15. The method according to claim 8 , including sealingly engaging the hole when the flow restrictor is in the set configuration.

16. The method according to claim 8 , including maintaining a pressure differential within the annulus when the flow restrictor is in the set configuration.

17. The method of stimulating a geological formation including the steps of:
opening a port in a tubing;
restricting flow in an annulus according to claim 8 , including pumping stimulating fluid above the threshold flow rate; and
stimulating the geological formation using the flow restrictor in the set configuration to substantially obturate the annulus and direct the flow of stimulating fluid into the geological formation.

18. A flow restrictor for restricting flow in an annulus, the flow restrictor comprising:
a body; and
a restrictor assembly mounted to the body,
wherein the flow restrictor is actuable by fluid flow over the restrictor assembly above a threshold flow rate actuating the restrictor assembly from a run-in configuration to a set configuration,
wherein the restrictor assembly has a fixed portion that remains fixed relative to the body and a movable portion that is movable relative to the fixed portion from a stowed position in the run-in configuration to a radially splayed position in the set configuration to thereby substantially restrict flow in the annulus,
wherein said movable portion moves from said stowed position to said radially splayed position by pivoting relative to the fixed portion in response to the fluid flow across the restrictor assembly in a direction from the movable portion towards the fixed portion, and
wherein the restrictor assembly has at least two layers of interweaved elongate elements deformable to move between the run-in and set configurations, the elongate elements from a first layer of the at least two layers of interweaved elongate elements being alternately interweaved with elongate elements from a second layer of the at least two layers of interweaved elongate elements, a leading edge of each elongate element overlaying a trailing edge of an adjacent elongate element on one side, and a trailing edge of each elongate element overlaid by a leading edge of an adjacent elongate element on the other side.

19. The flow restrictor according to claim 18 , wherein the at least two layers of elongate elements are interweaved such that radial splay of one elongate element acts on the adjacent elongate elements to urge radial splay of adjacent elongate elements.

20. The flow restrictor according to claim 18 , wherein at least one of:
the elongate elements are metal elongate elements; and
the elongate elements comprise petals extending outwardly from a collar.

21. The flow restrictor according to claim 18 , whereby deformation of elongate elements is actuable by at least one of:
fluid flow abo

Assignees

• Craigon Alan
• Egleton Philip C G
• Reid Stephen
• Elrick Andrew John
• Porta Santiago Galvez
• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Craigon Alan
• Egleton Philip C G
• Reid Stephen
• Elrick Andrew John
• Porta Santiago Galvez

Classifications

• E21B33/1285

  by fluid pressure · CPC title

• Y10T29/49401

  Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet · CPC title

• E21B43/25

  Methods for stimulating production {(by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003)} · CPC title

• E21B33/136

  Baskets, e.g. of umbrella type · CPC title

• E21B23/06

  for setting packers · CPC title