Downhole flow control assemblies and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677378-B2
Application number	US-201514900273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A flow control assembly includes a cylindrical body that defines an interior and openings provided through a wall of the body. An inner sleeve is positioned within the interior of the body and defines recessed pockets on an outer radial surface that coincide with the openings, and sleeve orifices are defined in the inner sleeve at each recessed pocket. A cartridge choke assembly is received within each opening and operatively coupled to the inner sleeve at one of the recessed pocket. The cartridge choke assembly includes a choking module that defines choke orifices alignable with the sleeve orifices. A flow control device is movably disposed within the body between a fully open position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are exposed, and a fully closed position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are occluded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow control assembly, comprising:
a cylindrical body defining an interior and one or more openings provided through a wall of the body;
an inner sleeve positioned within the interior of the body and defining one or more recessed pockets on an outer radial surface of the inner sleeve, wherein the one or more recessed pockets coincide with the one or more openings through the wall of the body, and one or more sleeve orifices are defined in the inner sleeve at each recessed pocket;
a cartridge choke assembly received within each opening and operatively coupled to the inner sleeve at a corresponding one of the one or more recessed pockets, the cartridge choke assembly including a choking module that defines one or more choke orifices alignable with the one or more sleeve orifices to facilitate fluid communication through the cartridge choke assembly; and
a flow control device movably disposed within the body between a fully open position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are exposed and fluid flow into or out of the body via the cartridge choke assembly is facilitated, and a fully closed position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are occluded by the flow control device and fluid flow into or out of the body via the cartridge choke assembly is thereby prevented.

2. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising two or more cartridge choke assemblies coupled to the body and symmetrically arranged about a circumference of the body.

3. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device is selected from the group consisting of a sliding sleeve, a rotating sleeve, a sliding plug, a rotating ball, an oscillating vane, an opening pocket, an opening window, a valve, and any combination thereof.

4. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the inner sleeve and the choking module comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide grade, a carbide embedded in a matrix of cobalt or nickel, a ceramic, a surface hardened metal, a surface coated metal, a cermet-based material, a metal matrix composite, a nanocrystalline metallic alloy, an amorphous alloy, a hard metallic alloy, diamond, and any combination thereof.

5. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge choke assembly further comprises a choke clamp that operatively couples the choking module to the inner sleeve and defines one or more clamp orifices alignable with the one or more choke orifices and the one or more sleeve orifices to facilitate fluid communication through the cartridge choke assembly.

6. The flow control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the choke clamp places a pre-compression load on the choking module.

7. The flow control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the choking module provides flanged sides and the choke clamp defines a profile that receives the flanged sides.

8. The flow control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cartridge choke assembly further comprises a gasket that interposes the choke clamp and the inner sleeve, the gasket being contoured to seat within the corresponding one of the one or more recessed pockets and receive the choking module and the choke clamp.

9. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sleeve orifices and the one or more choke orifices are aligned orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the body.

10. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sleeve orifices and the one or more choke orifices are aligned at an angle that is tangent to the body.

11. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein each choke orifice includes an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the flow path controls at least one of a pressure drop across the choking module, a velocity of fluid flow through the choke orifice, a density of fluid flow through the choke orifice, a viscosity of fluid flow through the choke orifice, a coefficient of discharge for the choking module, and a coefficient of valve for the choking module.

12. The flow control assembly of claim 11 , wherein one or both of the inlet and the outlet exhibit a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of circular, ovular, ovoid, polygonal, polygonal with rounded corners, tear-drop, arcuate, and any combination thereof.

13. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the choking module comprises two or more layers of different materials.

14. A well system, comprising:
a tubing string extendable within a wellbore;
at least one flow control assembly positioned between upper and lower segments of the tubing string and including:
a cylindrical body defining an interior and one or more openings provided through a wall of the body, wherein the interior is in fluid communication with the tubing string;
an inner sleeve positioned within the interior of the body and defining one or more recessed pockets on an outer radial surface of the inner sleeve, wherein the one or more recessed pockets coincide with the one or more openings through the wall of the body, and one or more sleeve orifices are defined in the inner sleeve at each recessed pocket;
a cartridge choke assembly received within each opening and operatively coupled to the inner sleeve at a corresponding one of the one or more recessed pockets, the cartridge choke assembly including a choking module that defines one or more choke orifices alignable with the one or more sleeve orifices to facilitate fluid communication through the cartridge choke assembly; and
a flow control device movably disposed within the body between a fully open position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are exposed and fluid flow into or out of the at least one flow control assembly via the cartridge choke assembly is facilitated, and a fully closed position, where the one or more sleeve orifices are occluded by the flow control device and fluid flow into or out of the at least one flow control assembly via the cartridge choke assembly is thereby prevented.

15. The well system of claim 14 , further comprising two or more cartridge choke assemblies coupled to the body and symmetrically arranged about a circumference of the body.

16. The well system of claim 14 , wherein one or both of the inner sleeve and the choking module comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide grade, a carbide embedded in a matrix of cobalt or nickel, a ceramic, a surface hardened metal, a surface coated metal, a cermet-based material, a metal matrix composite, a nanocrystalline metallic alloy, an amorphous alloy, a hard metallic alloy, diamond, and any combination thereof.

17. The well system of claim 14 , wherein the cartridge choke assembly further comprises:
a choke clamp that operatively couples the choking module to the inner sleeve and defines one or more clamp orifices alignable with the one or more choke orifices and the one or more sleeve orifices to facilitate fluid communication through the cartridge choke assembly; and
a gasket that interposes the choke clamp and the inner sleeve, the gasket being contoured to seat within the corresponding one of the one or more recessed pockets and receive the choking module and the choke clamp.

18. A method, comprising:
introducing a tubing string into a wellbore, the tubing string having at least one flow control assembly positioned between upper and lower segments of the tubing string, wherein the at least one flow control assembly includes:
a cylindrical body defining an interior and one or more openings provid

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Asthana Pranay
• Cajiles Winfred
• Ramirez Jeremy

Classifications

• 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

• E21B34/12 Primary

  operated by movement of casings or tubings · CPC title

• E21B34/06 Primary

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B34/14

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

• E21B2034/007

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic