Water sensing devices and methods utilizing same to control flow of subsurface fluids

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to systems and methods for selective control of fluid flow into a wellbore.

2. Description of the Related Art

Hydrocarbons such as oil and gas are recovered from a subterranean formation using a wellbore drilled into the formation. Such wells are typically completed by placing a casing along the wellbore length and perforating the casing adjacent each such production zone to extract the formation fluids (such as hydrocarbons) into the wellbore. These production zones are sometimes separated from each other by installing a packer between the production zones. Fluid from each production zone entering the wellbore is drawn into a tubing that runs to the surface. It is desirable to have substantially even drainage along the production zone. Uneven drainage may result in undesirable conditions such as an invasive gas cone or water cone. In the instance of an oil-producing well, for example, a gas cone may cause an inflow of gas into the wellbore that could significantly reduce oil production. In like fashion, a water cone may cause an inflow of water into the oil production flow that reduces the amount and quality of the produced oil. Accordingly, it is desired to provide even drainage across a production zone and/or the ability to selectively close off or reduce inflow within production zones experiencing an undesirable influx of water and/or gas.

The present disclosure addresses these and other needs of the prior art.

In aspects, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for controlling fluid flow into a wellbore tubular. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a reactive element configured to react when exposed to a fluid and a flow control device configured to control a flow of the fluid. The flow control device may be actuated by a reaction of the reactive element to the fluid, which may be water, a hydrocarbon, an engineered fluid, and/or a naturally occurring fluid.

In embodiments, the reactive element reacts by exhibiting a change in a mechanical material property, a modulus, a storage modulus, a shear strength, a glass transition temperature, ductility, hardness and/or density. In embodiments, the reaction of the reactive element may a deformation, a bending, an expansion, contraction, and/or a twisting. In aspects, the reactive element may be configured to have a chemical reaction to the fluid, and/or a molecular reaction to the fluid. In aspects, the reaction of the reactive element is reversible. In some embodiments, the reactive element may be a shape memory polymer.

In embodiments, the flow control device may be a valve, an orifice, and/or a tortuous path. Depending on the configuration of the flow control device, the flow control device may be actuated by a compression applied by the reactive element, and/or a tension applied by the reactive element. In some arrangements, the flow control device includes an actuating element operably coupled to the reactive element. The reaction of the reactive element to a given fluid, such as water, releases the actuating element to actuate the flow control device.

In aspects, the present disclosure provides a method for producing fluid from a subterranean formation. The method may include positioning a reactive element downhole in a wellbore, and actuating a flow control device in response to a reaction of the reactive element to a given fluid. The fluid may be water, a hydrocarbon, an engineered fluid, and/or a naturally occurring fluid. In some embodiments, the reactive element may be a shape memory polymer.

In aspects, the present disclosure provides a system for controlling flow of one or more fluids into a wellbore intersecting a subterranean formation. The system may include a wellbore tubular conveying the one or more fluids to a surface location, and a plurality of flow control devices distributed along a section of the wellbore tubular. Each flow control device may include a reactive element configured to react when exposed to a fluid. Each of the flow control device may be actuated by a reaction of the reactive element to the fluid to control a flow of the fluid into the wellbore tubular. In some embodiments, the reactive element may be a shape memory polymer.

It should be understood that examples of the more important features of the disclosure have been summarized rather broadly in order that detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contributions to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and further aspects of the disclosure will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or similar elements throughout the several figures of the drawing and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of an exemplary multi-zonal wellbore and production assembly which incorporates an inflow control system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation view of an exemplary open hole production assembly which incorporates an inflow control system in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary production control device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a flow control device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another flow control device made in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

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Water sensing adaptable in-flow control device and method of use
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