Inflow Control Device with Fluid Loss and Gas Production Controls

Abstract

Inflow control devices for sand control screens. An inflow control device for restricting flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore includes at least two of a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section and a reverse flow preventer section, and the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two sections. A well screen or liner includes a filter or inlet portion and an inflow control device including a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, the inflow control device being configured so that fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

1 . An inflow control device for controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the inflow control device comprising:
 at least two flow sections selected from a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, and   wherein the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections.   
   
   
       2 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections. 
   
   
       3 . The inflow control device of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections. 
   
   
       4 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the flow restrictor section, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through an interior of the tube. 
   
   
       5 . The inflow control device of  claim 4 , wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube. 
   
   
       6 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the fluid discriminator section, wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid. 
   
   
       7 . The inflow control device of  claim 6 , wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       8 . The inflow control device of  claim 6 , wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       9 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the reverse flow preventer section, and wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve. 
   
   
       10 . The inflow control device of  claim 9 , wherein the check valve is positioned upstream of the flow restricting section. 
   
   
       11 . An inflow control device for controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the inflow control device comprising:
 a flow restrictor section;   a fluid discriminator section; and   a reverse flow preventer section, and   wherein the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.   
   
   
       12 . The inflow control device of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections. 
   
   
       13 . The inflow control device of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through the reverse flow preventer section, then through the flow restrictor section, and then through the fluid discriminator section. 
   
   
       14 . The inflow control device of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through an interior of the tube. 
   
   
       15 . The inflow control device of  claim 14 , wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube. 
   
   
       16 . The inflow control device of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid. 
   
   
       17 . The inflow control device of  claim 16 , wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       18 . The inflow control device of  claim 16 , wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       19 . The inflow control device of  claim 11 , wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve. 
   
   
       20 . The inflow control device of  claim 19 , wherein the check valve is positioned upstream of the flow restricting section. 
   
   
       21 . A well screen, comprising:
 a filter portion; and   an inflow control device including a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, and the inflow control device being configured so that fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.   
   
   
       22 . The well screen of  claim 21 , wherein the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through each of the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections. 
   
   
       23 . The well screen of  claim 22 , wherein the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the reverse flow preventer section, then through the flow restrictor section, and then through the fluid discriminator section. 
   
   
       24 . The well screen of  claim 21 , wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through an interior of the tube. 
   
   
       25 . The well screen of  claim 24 , wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube. 
   
   
       26 . The well screen of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid. 
   
   
       27 . The well screen of  claim 26 , wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       28 . The well screen of  claim 26 , wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       29 . The well screen of  claim 21 , wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve. 
   
   
       30 . The well screen of  claim 29 , wherein the check valve is positioned downstream of the filter portion and upstream of the flow restricting section. 
   
   
       31 . A method of controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an inflow control device including at least two flow sections selected from a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section; and   flowing a fluid between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage, so that the fluid flows through each of the at least two flow sections.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least two flow sections are configured in series, and wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing through each of the at least two flow sections in series. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage via each of the at least two flow sections. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the flow restrictor section, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage via an interior of the tube. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the fluid discriminator section, and wherein the flowing step further comprises at least one body of the fluid discriminator section increasingly restricting flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least two flow sections includes the reverse flow preventer section, and wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of expanding the inflow control device radially outward in the wellbore.