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US 10,502,011 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for continuously controlling a well flow rate
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorLuigi Peveri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for continuously controlling fluid flow rates through a well (4) provides to shut off the drilling mud at the well inlet and outlet and detect measurements of flow rate and density of said drilling mud by a Venturi measuring device (10,2).
Claims19
A method for continuously controlling a fluid flow rate through a well, said method comprising:
- detecting a first flow rate by a first Venturi measuring device at an inlet of the well;
- detecting a second flow rate by a second Venturi measuring device at an outlet of the well;
- detecting a density measurement by a series arranged density measuring device cooperating with the second Venturi measuring device and a choke valve arranged downstream of the well;
- detecting a flow-rate difference based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate;
- arranging a switching device in a drilling battery to allow drilling mud to be continuously circulated in the well during a drilling rod exchanging operation;
- and
- adjusting a flow rate by the choke valve based on the flow-rate difference to provide a desired pressure gradient through the well during the drilling rod exchange operation.
4 more elements
An apparatus for continuously controlling a fluid flow rate through a well, comprising:
- a first Venturi measuring device at an inlet of the well;
- a second Venturi measuring device at an outlet of the well, the second Venturi device detecting a flow-rate difference with respect to the first Venturi measuring device, wherein a flow-rate is adjusted by a choke valve arranged downstream of said well based on the flow-rate difference;
- a series arranged density measuring device, cooperating with the second Venturi measuring device and said choke valve;
- and
- a switching device to be arranged in a drilling battery thereby allowing drilling mud to be continuously circulated during a drilling rod exchanging operation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.