Apparatuses, systems and methods for producing hydrocarbon material from a subterranean formation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11434735-B2
Application number	US-201816491981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 7, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

There is provided a flow control apparatus configured for integration within a wellbore string disposed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation and useable for effecting production of hydrocarbon material by providing flow communication for injection of treatment material for stimulating the reservoir and then receiving hydrocarbon material from the stimulated reservoir, and also for effecting production of hydrocarbon material by providing flow communication for injection of a displacement fluid for displacing hydrocarbon material to a second wellbore.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow control apparatus configured for integration within a wellbore string disposed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, comprising:
a housing includes a housing passage;
a subterranean formation flow communicator extending through the housing for effecting flow communication between the subterranean formation and the passage; and
a first flow control member displaceable relative to the subterranean formation flow communicator; and
a second flow control member displaceable relative to the subterranean formation flow communicator;
wherein:
the first flow control member includes a first flow modulator configured for occluding the subterranean formation flow communicator with effect that the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in an occluded condition;
the second flow control member includes a second flow modulator configured for effecting a reduction in pressure of material that is flowing from the housing passage to the subterranean formation flow communicator;
the first flow control member, the second flow control member, and the subterranean formation flow communicator are co-operatively configured such that the first and second flow control members are positionable relative to the subterranean formation flow communicator such that the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in a non-occluded condition, wherein, while the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in the non-occluded condition, there is an absence, or substantial absence, of occlusion of any portion of the subterranean formation flow communicator by either one of, or both of, the first and second flow control members;
the first flow control member, the second flow control member, and the subterranean formation flow communicator are co-operatively configured such that:
(i) while the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in the non-occluded condition, flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator is effected via a non-occluded flow communicator having a first resistance to material flow; and
(ii) while the second flow modulator is disposed, relative to the subterranean formation flow communicator, for effecting a reduction in pressure of material that is flowing between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator, flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator is effected via a second flow modulator position-determined flow communicator having a second resistance to material flow;

and
the second resistance to material flow is greater than the first resistance to material flow by a multiple of at least about 50.

2. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ; wherein:
the second flow modulator includes a second flow modulator-defined flow communicator configured for conducting a flow of material between the housing passage and the subterranean flow communicator;
the conducting effects the reduction in pressure;
the first flow modulator and the subterranean formation flow communicator are co-operatively configured such that the occluding of the subterranean formation flow communicator by the first flow modulator is effected in response to alignment of the first flow modulator with the subterranean formation flow communicator; and
the second flow modulator and the subterranean formation flow communicator are co-operatively configured such that, in response to alignment of the second flow modulator with the subterranean formation flow communicator, an alignment-established flow communicator is established that effects flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator and includes the second flow modulator-defined flow communicator, and while the second flow modulator is aligned with the subterranean formation flow communication, and material is flowing from the housing passage to the subterranean formation flow communicator via the alignment-established flow communicator, the reduction in pressure of the material that is flowing from the housing passage to the subterranean formation flow communicator, by the second flow modulator, is effected.

3. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ; wherein:
the second flow modulator includes a filter medium configured for preventing, or substantially preventing, passage of oversize material, from the housing passage and into the second flow modulator-defined flow communicator.

4. A wellbore string disposed within a wellbore and comprising the flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wellbore string is cemented within the wellbore.

5. A flow control apparatus configured for integration within a wellbore string disposed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, comprising:
a housing includes a housing passage;
a subterranean formation flow communicator extending through the housing for effecting flow communication between the subterranean formation and the passage; and
a flow controller configured for controlling conducting of material, via the subterranean formation flow communicator, between the passage and an environment external to the flow control apparatus;
wherein:
the flow controller is configured for disposition in at least first, second and third conditions; and
the flow controller and the subterranean formation flow communicator are co-operatively configured such that:
while the flow controller is disposed in the first condition, the flow controller is occluding the subterranean formation flow communicator such that the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in an occluded condition;
while the flow controller is disposed in the second condition, the subterranean formation flow communicator is disposed in a non-occluded condition;
while the flow controller is disposed in the third condition, flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator is effected via a third condition-defined flow communicator, and the third condition-defined flow communicator includes a flow controller-defined flow conductor;

while the flow controller is disposed in the second condition, flow communication between the housing passage and the subterranean formation flow communicator is effected via a second condition-defined flow communicator having a first resistance to material flow;
the third condition-defined flow communicator has a second resistance to material flow; and
the second resistance to material flow is greater than the first resistance to material flow by a multiple of at least about 50.

6. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 ; wherein the occluding of the subterranean formation flow communicator by the flow controller is with effect that the subterranean formation flow communicator is closed.

7. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 6 ; wherein, while the flow controller is disposed in the second condition, there is an absence, or substantial absence, of occlusion of any portion of the subterranean formation flow communicator by the flow controller.

8. The flow control apparatus as claimed in claim 5 ; wherein:
the flow controller-defined flow conductor defines a fluid passage;
an orifice is defined within the fluid passage; and
the ratio of the total cross-sectional flow area of the subterranean formation flow communicator to the total cross-sectional flow area of the flow controller-defined flow conductor is at least 25.

9. A flow control apparatus configured for integration within a wellbore string disposed within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, comprising:
a housing includin

Assignees

• Ncs Multistage Inc

Inventors

• Ravensbergen John
• Laun Lyle
• Werries Michael
• Johnson Tim
• Montero Juan
• Gillis Brock

Classifications

• E21B34/14 Primary

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B43/16 Primary

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• 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