System and method for wireless control of well bore equipment

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for controlling flow in a wellbore, comprising: a housing defining a fluid passage; a flow control device sealing an outlet of said fluid passage; an actuator for manipulating said flow control device to an open condition to permit fluid flow through said outlet; a controller for selectively activating said actuator; an acoustic receiver in communication with said controller, said acoustic receiver configured to receive acoustic signals comprising programming instructions for said controller.

1 . A process for controlling fluid flow between a wellbore and a subterranean formation via a flow communicator using a flow control member that is disposed within the wellbore, comprising:
 moving the flow control member relative to the flow communicator;   sensing the movement of the flow control member relative to the flow communicator;   in response to the sensed movement, starting a countdown timer; and   in response to the expiry of the countdown timer, displacing the flow control member relative to the flow communicator.   
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the displacement of the flow control member, that is effected in response to the expiry of the countdown timer, is a displacement that effects opening of the flow communicator. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the displacement of the flow control member, that is effected in response to the expiry of the countdown timer, is a displacement that effects closing of the flow communicator. 
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sensed movement includes movement that effects opening of the flow control member. 
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sensed movement includes movement that effects closing of the flow control member. 
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sensed movement includes movement that effects, in sequence, opening and closing of the flow communicator. 
     
     
         7 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sensed movement includes movement that effects, in sequence, closing and opening of the flow communicator. 
     
     
         8 . The process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein sensing of the sensed movement includes sensing by at least one of a Hall effect sensor, an accelerometer, or a transceiver. 
     
     
         9 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation corresponds to a reservoir, the process further comprising:
 prior to moving the flow control member relative to the flow communicator, (i) initially displacing the flow control member, relative to the flow communicator, such that opening of the flow communicator is effected to establish flow communication between the wellbore and the reservoir via the flow communicator, and (ii) injecting treatment material into the reservoir via the flow communicator for effecting stimulation of the reservoir;   wherein moving the flow control member relative to the flow communicator is performed after the injecting of the treatment material, and comprises displacing the flow control member, relative to the flow communicator, with effect that closing of the flow communicator is effected, such that the stimulation is completed;   and wherein displacing the flow control member relative to the flow communicator in response to the expiry of the countdown timer comprises displacing the flow control member, relative to the flow communicator, such that opening of the flow communicator is effected, enabling a hydrocarbon material from the reservoir to enter the wellbore.   
     
     
         10 . The process as claimed in  claim 9  wherein:
 the expiry of the countdown timer effects generation of an explosion by an energetic device; and 
 the defeating of a sealed interface is effected in response to the generated explosion. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a flow control device in a wellbore string, comprising:
 at said flow control device, periodically measuring a rate of pressure change and a rate of temperature change of fluid in said wellbore string;   incrementing a counter if said rate of pressure change and said rate of temperature change are within respective value ranges;   closing said flow control device in response to said counter reaching a threshold value.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising, at said flow control device, periodically measuring a sound level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising adjusting at least one of said respective value ranges and said threshold value based on said sound level. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for controlling flow in a wellbore, comprising:
 a housing defining a fluid passage;   a flow control device sealing an outlet of said fluid passage;   an actuator for manipulating said flow control device to an open condition to permit fluid flow through said outlet;   a controller for selectively activating said actuator; and   a sensor in communication with the controller, the sensor configured to receive, from a location external to the housing, a wireless programming signal carrying programming instructions for said controller.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  in combination with a programming device configured to provide the wireless programming signal from the location external to the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic receiver located within the housing and configured to a receive, through a wall of the housing, an acoustic signal as the wireless programming signal, and the programming device comprises an acoustic transceiver configured for temporary placement on an external surface of the housing to provide the acoustic signal prior to deployment of the apparatus in the wellbore. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the wireless programming signal assigns a unique identifier to the controller, the apparatus further comprising a wireless receiver in communication with said controller, said wireless receiver configured to receive a wireless control message addressed to the controller using the unique identifier when the apparatus is deployed in the wellbore, wherein said controller is operable to selectively activate said actuator based on said wirelessly received control message. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said controller and the sensor are enclosed within a recess in a wall of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical receiver located within the housing and configured to a receive, through a wall of the housing, an optical signal as the wireless programming signal, and the programming device comprises an optical transceiver configured for providing the optical signal by temporarily positioning the optical transceiver in a line of sight of the optical receiver prior to deployment of the apparatus in the wellbore. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said optical sensor receives the wireless programming signal through an optical port of the housing, the optical port providing a line of sight from the optical sensor to the location external to said housing.