Subterranean Well Flow Control With Vortex-Reducing Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to provide constant fluid flow in subterranean wells, regardless of the properties of production or injection fluids, which is crucial for preventing issues like water or gas coning, minimizing sand production, and maximizing oil and gas production.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a flow control system that includes a flow chamber with a single inlet and outlet, featuring a flow control structure that disrupts the vortex flow, ensuring a constant fluid flow by reducing pressure drop and erosion potential.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional flow control system is used in a subterranean well, then fluid flow can be regulated to some extent, but the flow is not constant and varies with fluid properties, causing issues like water or gas coning, sand production, and erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control system utilizes a flow control structure with specific geometric parameters (cross-sectional area, shape, orientation) that create a vortex flow pattern. By carefully designing these parameters, the system achieves constant flow regulation that is independent of fluid properties, preventing harmful effects like water or gas coning, sand production, and erosion while maximizing hydrocarbon production.
2Productivity
If high fluid velocity is maintained to maximize production, then productivity increases, but pressure drop and erosion potential increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control structure employs curved or spiral geometries that guide the fluid flow in a vortex pattern. This curvature transforms the straight high-velocity flow into a rotational flow, distributing the shear stress more evenly and reducing localized erosion while maintaining high overall flow rates and minimizing pressure drop through efficient flow path design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potentially harmful high fluid velocity and associated erosion into a beneficial vortex flow pattern. The rotational motion created by the vortex distributes the flow energy more uniformly, reducing concentrated erosion on wellbore walls and equipment while maintaining the high flow rates necessary for maximum productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flow control system effectively maintains a constant fluid flow, reducing pressure drop and erosion within the well, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of subterranean well operations.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid composition flows circuitously through the chamber, forming a vortex at least at the outlet; and at least one flow control structure shaped and positioned in the flow chamber such that a velocity of the circuitous flow is reduced and the vortex is eliminated or substantially reduced
Data Source
AI summary
A flow control system for use in controlling flow of a fluid composition in a subterranean well is disclosed. The flow control system includes a flow chamber that includes an inlet and an outlet oriented such that the fluid composition flows circuitously through the chamber, forming a vortex at least at the outlet. The flow control system further comprises at least one flow control structure shaped and positioned in the flow chamber such that a velocity of the circuitous flow is reduced and the vortex is eliminated or substantially reduced.