Superhydrophic flow control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264856-A1
Application number	US-201314398151-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2013
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wellbore subassembly is provided that includes a device having a production flow path toward a production tubing. The production flow path can include a superhydrophobic coating for restricting the production of an unwanted fluid towards the production tubing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wellbore subassembly, comprising:
a device having a production flow path toward production tubing, wherein the production flow path includes a superhydrophobic coating for restricting production of an unwanted fluid toward the production tubing.

2 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the unwanted fluid has a greater concentration of at least one of water or natural gas or steam than a wanted fluid.

3 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the device is a flow control device comprising a helical production flow path.

4 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 3 , wherein the superhydrophobic coating is overlaid on a surface of the helical production flow path.

5 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the superhydrophobic coating has a contact angle with a water droplet that exceeds than one hundred and fifty degrees.

6 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the superhydrophobic coating includes at least one of manganese oxide polystyrene, zinc oxide polystyrene, precipitated calcium carbonate, carbon nano-tube structures, and silica-based nano-coating.

7 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the superhydrophobic coating is operable for increasing a velocity of fluid having a greater concentration of oil flowing along the production flow path.

8 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a gravel pack having a plurality of proppants, the plurality of proppants having an outer surface that includes the superhydrophobic coating and wherein the production flow path is defined by the space between the plurality of proppants.

9 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 1 , wherein the device is part of a sand control screen assembly.

10 . A wellbore subassembly, comprising:
a tube positioned external to a production tubing, the tube having an inner wall that includes a superhydrophobic material for restricting production of an unwanted fluid toward the production tubing.

11 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 10 , wherein the tube is positioned around an outer surface of the production tubing.

12 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 10 , wherein the unwanted fluid has a greater concentration of at least one of water or natural gas than a wanted fluid.

13 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 12 , wherein the superhydrophobic material is operable for decreasing a velocity of fluid having a greater concentration of at least one of water or natural gas than the wanted fluid flowing through the tube.

14 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 10 , wherein the superhydrophobic material includes at least one of manganese oxide polystyrene, zinc oxide polystyrene, precipitated calcium carbonate, carbon nano-tube structures, and silica-based nano-coating.

15 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 10 , wherein the superhydrophobic material is operable for increasing a velocity of fluid having a greater concentration of oil flowing through the tube.

16 . A wellbore subassembly, comprising:
a gravel pack comprising a plurality of proppants positioned between a production tubing and a wellbore, the plurality of proppants coated with a superhydrophobic material for restricting production of an unwanted fluid toward the production tubing.

17 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 16 , wherein the unwanted fluid has a greater concentration of at least one of water or natural gas than a wanted fluid.

18 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 16 , wherein the superhydrophobic material has a contact angle with a water droplet that exceeds one hundred and fifty degrees.

19 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 16 , wherein the superhydrophobic material includes at least one of manganese oxide polystyrene, zinc oxide polystyrene, precipitated calcium carbonate, carbon nano-tube structures, and silica-based nano-coating.

20 . The wellbore subassembly of claim 16 , wherein the superhydrophobic material is operable for increasing a velocity of fluid having a greater concentration of oil flowing through the gravel pack.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Holderman Luke William
• Lopez Jean-Marc
• Zhao Liang
• Fripp Michael L

Classifications

• C09D125/06

  Polystyrene · CPC title

• E21B43/08

  Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} · CPC title

• E21B17/22

  Rods or pipes with helical structure · CPC title

• C09D1/00

  Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances · CPC title

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title