Flow control in subterranean wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567825-B2
Application number	US-201615138378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2015
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A method of controlling flow in a subterranean well can include a device introduced into the well being conveyed by flow in the well, the device comprising a material selected from poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate and/or poly-methacrylic acid. The material may degrade in the well. A system for use with a well can include a flow conveyed device conveyed through a tubular string by flow in the tubular string, and the flow conveyed device including a material selected from poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate and/or poly-methacrylic acid. A flow conveyed device for use in a subterranean well can include a body and a degradable material extending outwardly from the body, the degradable material being formed as a film, tube or filament.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling flow in a subterranean well, the method comprising:
introducing a device into the well, the device comprising a material selected from the group consisting of poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate and poly-methacrylic acid;
conveying the device by flow in the well; and
sealingly engaging the device with an opening formed through a wall of a tubular string in the well, thereby preventing flow through the opening, the device comprising a knot that engages the opening but is too large to pass through the opening.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the opening comprises a perforation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises fibers and the fibers of the material extend outwardly from the knot.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the knot comprises a tube formed from the material.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing the material to degrade in the well.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device degrades in response to increased temperature in the well.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device degrades in response to increased pH in the well.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow comprises an acid treatment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a film, tube, fabric or filament formed from the material.

10. A system for use with a well, the system comprising:
a flow conveyed device conveyed through a tubular string by flow in the tubular string to an opening formed through a wall of the tubular string, and
the flow conveyed device comprising a material selected from the group consisting of poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate and poly-methacrylic acid, and the flow conveyed device further comprising a knot that sealingly engages the opening but is too large to pass through the opening.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the opening comprises a perforation.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the knot comprises the material formed as a film, tube or filament.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the material extends outwardly from the knot.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device degrades in response to increased temperature in the well.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device degrades in response to increased pH in the well.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device comprises a film, tube, fabric or filament formed of the material.

Assignees

• Thru Tubing Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Schultz Roger L
• Watson Brock W
• Ferguson Andrew M
• Funkhouser Gary P

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B33/13 Primary

  Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like · CPC title

• E21B43/114 Primary

  Perforators using direct fluid action {on the wall to be perforated}, e.g. abrasive jets · CPC title