Interventionless adjustable flow control device using inflatables

摘要

A flow control device comprises a fluid pathway configured to provide fluid communication between an exterior of a wellbore tubular and an interior of the wellbore tubular, a flow restriction disposed in the fluid pathway, a one-way valve disposed in the fluid pathway to substantially block fluid flow from the interior of the wellbore tubular to the fluid pathway and to allow fluid flow from the fluid pathway to the interior of the wellbore tubular, and an inflatable seal disposed between an opening to the interior of the wellbore tubular and the fluid pathway, wherein the inflatable seal is configured to inflate to substantially block the fluid pathway in response to a fluid pressure differential between the interior of the wellbore tubular and the exterior of the wellbore tubular that exceeds a predefined threshold.

主权项

1. A flow control device comprising:
a fluid pathway configured to provide fluid communication between an exterior of a wellbore tubular and an interior of the wellbore tubular; a flow restriction disposed in the fluid pathway; a one-way valve disposed in the fluid pathway to substantially block fluid flow from the interior of the wellbore tubular to the fluid pathway and to allow fluid flow from the fluid pathway to the interior of the wellbore tubular; an inflatable seal disposed between an opening to the interior of the wellbore tubular and the fluid pathway, wherein the inflatable seal is configured to inflate with at least partial inelastic deformation to substantially block fluid flow through the flow restriction in response to a first fluid pressure differential between the interior of the wellbore tubular and the exterior of the wellbore tubular that exceeds a predefined threshold, wherein the inflatable seal is further configured to radially inflate substantially in-line with the flow restriction and directly contact the flow restriction to substantially block fluid flow through the flow restriction; a second flow restriction disposed in the fluid pathway; and a second inflatable seal disposed between a second opening to the interior of the wellbore tubular and the fluid pathway and configured to inflate with at least partial inelastic deformation to substantially block fluid flow through the second flow restriction in response to a second fluid pressure differential between the interior of the wellbore tubular and the exterior of the wellbore tubular that exceeds a second predefined threshold, where the second predefined threshold is greater than the predefined threshold, and wherein the second flow restriction is open to fluid flow when the flow restriction is substantially blocked and prior to the fluid pressure differential exceeding the second predefined threshold.