Flow control in geothermal wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11226137-B2
Application number	US-202016808762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 4, 2020
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A system for regulating fluid flow in a geothermal energy production system includes a flow control device disposed in an injector well and/or a producer well, which are disposed in a subterranean region. The injector well includes an outflow port configured to inject a fluid into the region, the producer well includes an inflow port configured to receive the fluid from the region, and the outflow port and the inflow port are in fluid communication via one or more passages in the subterranean region between the injector well and the producer well. The flow control device is configured to restrict a flow of a fluid into the producer well based on a temperature and/or a flow rate of the fluid in the flow control device. The temperature and/or the flow rate selected to maintain a temperature of the fluid entering the producer well within a selected range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for regulating fluid flow in a geothermal energy production system, the system comprising:
a flow control device disposed in at least one of an injector well and a producer well of the geothermal energy production system, the injector well and the producer well disposed in a subterranean region and separated by a selected distance, the injector well including an outflow port configured to inject a fluid in a liquid state into the subterranean region, the producer well including an inflow port configured to receive the fluid from the subterranean region, the outflow port and the inflow port in fluid communication via one or more passages in the subterranean region between the injector well and the producer well, wherein:
the flow control device is configured to restrict a flow of the fluid into the producer well based on a flow rate of the fluid through the flow control device, and the flow control device is configured to restrict the flow of the fluid based on a selected subcool of the fluid in the liquid state, the flow rate selected to maintain the fluid entering the producer well within a selected temperature range.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device is selected from a passive inflow control device (ICD) and an active ICD.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device is configured to restrict the flow based on the flow rate of the fluid in the flow control device exceeding a threshold flow rate, the threshold flow rate selected to prevent fluid exceeding a selected temperature from entering the producer well.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device is configured to restrict the flow based on the temperature of the fluid in the flow control device exceeding a threshold temperature.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the flow control device is a passive flow control device including one or more fluid channels, the one or more fluid channels including one or more restrictions configured to choke fluid flow based on the selected subcool of the fluid.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the subcool temperature is selected to prevent fluid within the producer well from forming steam within the producer well.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device is configured to restrict the flow by causing cavitation of the fluid based on the fluid in the flow control device being at the selected subcool.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the injector well includes a plurality of outflow ports arrayed along a section of the injector well, the producer well includes a plurality of inflow ports arrayed along a section of the producer well, and the system includes a plurality of the flow control devices, each flow control device in fluid communication with a respective inflow port of the plurality of inflow ports.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of flow control devices are configured to reduce a variation in a temperature of the fluid entering each inflow port to at least partially equalize a distribution of fluid temperature in the producer well.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of flow control devices are configured to control a temperature of the fluid entering each inflow port to produce a selected thermal gradient in the producer well.

11. A method of regulating fluid flow in a geothermal energy production system, comprising:
injecting a fluid into an injector well of the geothermal energy production system, the injector well disposed in a subterranean region, the injector well separated from a producer well in the subterranean region by a selected distance;
advancing the fluid in a liquid phase through at least one outflow port into the subterranean region, and flowing the fluid through one or more passages in the subterranean region;
restricting a flow of the fluid into the producer well by a flow control device based on a flow rate of the fluid in the flow control device, and restricting the flow of the fluid based on a selected subcool of the fluid in the liquid state, the flow rate selected to maintain the fluid entering the producer well within a selected temperature range; and
producing the fluid by receiving the fluid into the producer well through at least one inflow port.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow control device is selected from a passive inflow control device (ICD) and an active ICD.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the restricting is performed by the flow control device based on the flow rate of the fluid in the flow control device exceeding a threshold flow rate, the threshold flow rate selected to prevent fluid exceeding a selected temperature from entering the producer well.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the restricting is performed by the flow control device based on the temperature of the fluid in the flow control device exceeding a threshold temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the flow control device is a passive flow control device including one or more fluid channels, the one or more fluid channels including one or more restrictions configured to choke fluid flow based on a selected subcool of the fluid.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the injector well includes one or more flow control devices configured to create a balanced fluid injection profile.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the restricting is performed by the flow control device by causing cavitation of the fluid based on the fluid in the flow control device being at the selected subcool.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the injector well includes a plurality of outflow ports arrayed along a section of the injector well, the producer well includes a plurality of inflow ports arrayed along a section of the producer well, and the production system includes a plurality of the flow control devices, each flow control device in fluid communication with a respective inflow port of the plurality of inflow ports.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of flow control devices are configured to reduce a variation in a temperature of the fluid entering each inflow port to at least partially equalize a distribution of fluid temperature in the producer well.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of flow control devices are configured to control a temperature of the fluid entering each inflow port to produce a selected thermal gradient in the producer well.

Assignees

• Omalley Edward
• Stolboushkin Eugene
• Kendall Alexander
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• O'Malley Edward
• Stolboushkin Eugene
• Kendall Alexander

Classifications

• Y02E10/10

  Geothermal energy · CPC title

• F24T2010/56

  Control arrangements · CPC title

• F24T10/20 Primary

  using underground water as working fluid; using working fluid injected directly into the ground, e.g. using injection wells and recovery wells · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · 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