Wellbore tubular and method

Abstract

A wellbore tubular comprising: a base pipe including a wall; a port through the wall providing access between an inner diameter of the base pipe and an outer surface of the base pipe; a nozzle in the port, the nozzle including an orifice including a bend therein; and a diffuser positioned on the outer surface aligned with the orifice.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A wellbore tubular comprising: a base pipe including a wall; a port through the wall providing access between an inner diameter of the base pipe and an outer surface of the base pipe; a nozzle in the port, the nozzle including an orifice; and a diffuser tube on the outer surface to receive fluid exiting the orifice, the diffuser tube including an inlet port opening to an inner diameter within a tubular wall of the diffuser tube, a fluid diffusing wall at a bend within the diffuser tube and a plurality of outlet ports from the diffusing tube. 
     
     
         2 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the inlet port is spaced from the nozzle orifice. 
     
     
         3 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  further comprising a shield connected over the outer surface of the base pipe and forming a fluid chamber between the shield and the outer surface and wherein the orifice opens into the fluid chamber and the diffuser tube is positioned in the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 3  wherein the inlet port and the plurality of outlet ports are positioned in the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 3  wherein the shield is an annular sleeve and a gap between an end of the annular sleeve and the outer surface forms an exit opening from the fluid chamber an exterior of the wellbore tubular, and the outlet ports are positioned on a side of the diffuser tube facing away from the exit opening. 
     
     
         6 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of outlet ports open towards an outlet port on a second diffuser such that the plurality of outlet ports are configured to expel fluid into a counter or cross flowing fluid path exiting from the second diffuser. 
     
     
         7 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 3  wherein at least some of the plurality of outlet ports are angled up toward the shield. 
     
     
         8 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the orifice includes a main aperture extending radially out from the inner diameter and a lateral aperture extending at an angle from the main aperture bend that changes the direction of fluid passing through the orifice and a long axis through the lateral aperture is substantially parallel to the outer surface and wherein the lateral aperture has an inner end closest to the main aperture and an outer end opposite the inner end and the lateral aperture has a larger diameter at the outer end than the inner end. 
     
     
         9 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the nozzle includes a second lateral aperture and a second diffuser tube on the outer surface to receive fluid exiting the second lateral aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the inlet port has a diameter larger than an individual diameter of each individual outlet port. 
     
     
         11 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the diffuser tube includes an elbow between the inlet port and the plurality of outlet ports. 
     
     
         12 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 11  wherein the elbow creates a wall in the inner diameter, the wall being substantially orthogonally oriented relative to an axis of the orifice as it exits the nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 11  wherein the diffuser tube includes an inlet portion with the inlet port at one end and the elbow at the other end and a first arm portion extending from the elbow and a second arm portion extending from the elbow, the plurality of outlet ports being on the first and second arm portions and the diffuser tube is T-shaped in plan view. 
     
     
         14 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 13  wherein the inlet portion is substantially aligned with a long axis through the base pipe and the first and second arm portions are curved to substantially follow a circumferential curvature of the base pipe outer surface. 
     
     
         15 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the inlet port includes a conical, flaring extension. 
     
     
         16 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  further comprising a bypass opening between the nozzle and the inlet port configured to permit fluid to bypass the diffuser tube and enter the nozzle without first passing through the diffuser tube. 
     
     
         17 . The wellbore tubular of  claim 1  wherein the diffuser tube is constructed of a material more durable to erosion than a material from which the base pipe is constructed. 
     
     
         18 . A method for handling fluid in a wellbore comprising: forcing fluid flows through a nozzle orifice which extends from an inner diameter of a tubular to an outer surface of the tubular; and directing the fluid flowing from the nozzle orifice along the outer surface and into a diffuser tube to diffuse energy of the fluid flowing from the nozzle orifice before the fluid exits the tubular. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising: handling produced fluid flows by permitting produced fluid to enter the nozzle orifice from adjacent the outer surface and flowing towards the inner diameter, the nozzle orifice configured to generate a back pressure on the produced fluid flows such that the pressure is higher at the outer surface than in the inner diameter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein handling produced fluid flows permits the produced fluid flows to flow into the nozzle orifice while bypassing the diffuser tube. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein directing the fluid flowing from the nozzle orifice at the outer surface into a diffuser tube includes introducing the fluid through an inlet port into an inner diameter of the diffuser tube, impinging the fluid against a wall in the inner diameter to change direction of the flow and permitting flow out of the diffuser tube through an outlet port. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein permitting flow out of the diffuser tube directs the flow into a flow path of fluids exiting another diffuser tube. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the tubular includes an exit opening from the tubular and wherein the fluid exits the tubular through the exit opening. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein after passing from the diffuser tube, changing a flow direction of the fluid before the fluid passes through the exit opening. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein directing the fluid flows includes impinging the fluid flows exiting from the diffuser tube against a redirecting surface before passing through the exit opening.