Inflow Control Device, and Method for Completing a Wellbore to Decrease Water Inflow

Abstract

A subsurface autonomous inflow control device for a wellbore, the inflow control device comprising a tubular base pipe having one or more through-openings for receiving production fluids within a wellbore. The inflow control device further includes a housing residing along an outer diameter of the tubular base pipe and covering the one or more through-openings. The housing comprises a fluid inlet configured to receive production fluids from a subsurface formation, and a hydrophobic material positioned within the housing between the fluid inlet and the through-openings. The hydrophobic material provides a network of pores that permits a flow of hydrocarbon fluids there through en route to the through-openings, but the hydrophobic material blocks the passage of aqueous fluids there through. A method for completing a wellbore having the porous, hydrophobic inflow control device is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflow control device for a wellbore, comprising:
 a tubular base pipe having one or more through-openings for receiving production fluids within a wellbore; and   a housing residing along an outer diameter of the tubular base pipe and covering the one or more through-openings, the housing comprising:   a fluid inlet configured to receive production fluids from a subsurface formation; and   a porous hydrophobic material positioned within the housing between the fluid inlet and the one or more through-openings, wherein:   the hydrophobic material provides a network of pores, and   the network of pores permits a flow of hydrocarbon fluids there through en route to the through-openings, but the hydrophobic material restricts the passage of aqueous fluids there through.   
     
     
         2 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing resides concentrically around a portion of the base pipe; and   the hydrophobic material comprises silica, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         3 . The inflow control device of  claim 2 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a collection of individual particles, each particle having an outer diameter of between 50 μm and 5 millimeters packed tightly together or fused using at least one of pressure, heat, chemical reaction, and combinations thereof 
     
     
         4 . The inflow control device of  claim 3 , wherein a core of the particles comprises graphene beads. 
     
     
         5 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a collection of individual particles, each particle being a spherical body comprising:
 an inner core; and   a hydrophobic outer layer.   
     
     
         6 . The inflow control device of  claim 5 , wherein the inner core of each of the particles comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The inflow control device of  claim 5 , wherein the inner core of each of the particles is fabricated from ceramic, nano-fibers or nano-carbon reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The inflow control device of  claim 5 , wherein the outer layer of each of the particles comprises silica, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         9 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 to the inlet of the inflow control device receives production fluids that have passed through a filter medium associated with a sand screen joint; and   the base pipe is in fluid communication with a base pipe associated with the sand screen joint.   
     
     
         10 . The inflow control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing of the inflow control device is a filter medium of a sand screen joint;   the inlet of the inflow control device defines slots formed by the filter medium of the sand screen joint;   the base pipe resides concentrically within the filter medium, forming an annular flow path between the base pipe and the surrounding filter medium; and   the porous, hydrophobic material resides within the annular flow path.   
     
     
         11 . The inflow control device of  claim 10 , wherein the sand screen joint comprises a wire-wrapped screen or a slotted ceramic screen around the base pipe. 
     
     
         12 . A method for completing a wellbore in a subsurface formation, the method comprising:
 providing an inflow control device, comprising:   a tubular base pipe having one or more through-openings for receiving production fluids within a wellbore; and   a housing residing along an outer diameter of the tubular base pipe and covering the one or more through-openings, the housing comprising:   a fluid inlet configured to receive production fluids from a subsurface formation; and   a hydrophobic material positioned within the housing between the fluid inlet and the one or more through-openings, wherein:   the hydrophobic material provides a network of pores, and   the network of pores permits a flow of hydrocarbon fluids there through en route to the through-openings of the base pipe, but the hydrophobic material restricts the passage of aqueous fluids there through;   operatively connecting a first end of the tubular base pipe with an end of a production tubular; and   running the production tubular and connected the inflow control device into a wellbore.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the housing resides concentrically around a portion of the base pipe; and   the hydrophobic material comprises silica, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a collection of individual particles, each particle having an outer diameter of between 50 μm and 1,000 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the particles comprise graphene beads. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the production tubular is a joint of sand screen;   running the sand screen joint and connected inflow control device into a wellbore comprises placing the sand screen joint and connected inflow control device into a wellbore in a horizontal leg of the wellbore.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 producing hydrocarbon fluids in commercially viable quantities from the wellbore.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each particle has an outer diameter of between 50 μm and five millimeters packed tightly together or fused using pressure, using heat, or both. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises a collection of individual particles, each particle being a spherical body comprising:
 an inner core; and   an outer hydrophobic layer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the particles comprises a porous graphite carbon (PGC) material wherein the inner core is comprised of amorphous carbon, while the outer layer comprises shell comprised of graphitic carbon. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the inner core comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the inlet of the inflow control device receives production fluids that have passed through a filter medium associated with a sand screen joint; and   the base pipe is in fluid communication with a base pipe associated with the sand screen joint.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the housing of the inflow control device is a filter medium of a sand screen joint;   the inlet of the inflow control device defines slots formed by the filter medium of the sand screen joint;   the base pipe resides concentrically within the filter medium, forming an annular flow path between the base pipe and the surrounding filter medium; and   the hydrophobic material resides within the annular flow path.