Back to results
US 11,421,518 B2Granted
Apparatuses and systems for regulating flow from a geological formation, and related methods
AssigneeForum US, Inc.
InventorsLance Fielder, Kyle Robert Meier, Avinash Gopal Dharne, Robert P. Fielder, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and apparatuses for regulating a multi-phase fluid stream flowing from a subterranean geological formation, and related methods are described herein. The system and apparatus generally include a conduit defining a flow path for the fluid stream, the conduit further defining a first restriction having a throat portion, and the conduit further defining a first return path including an inlet positioned downstream of the first restriction and an outlet positioned upstream of the inlet of the first return path. Related methods include placing the apparatus or system within a wellbore conduit defined by a wellbore.
Claims17
An apparatus for regulating a fluid stream flowing from a subterranean geological formation, the apparatus comprising:
- a conduit defining at least part of a flow path for the fluid stream flowing from the subterranean geological formation to a ground surface, the conduit comprising:
- a first venturi nozzle having a monolithic body comprising a converging portion, a diverging portion, a throat portion between the converging portion and the diverging portion, and an end portion positioned downstream of the diverging portion along the flow path, the end portion having a substantially uniform inner diameter, the throat portion having a first wall and the end portion having a second wall, the monolithic body comprising a varying thickness that increases along the converging portion in a direction toward the throat portion, and the varying thickness decreases along the diverging portion in a direction away from the throat portion, and
- an outer sleeve disposed outwardly of the monolithic body and coupled to the monolithic body to define a first return path between the monolithic body and the outer sleeve, the first return path including an inlet positioned downstream of the throat portion along the flow path and an outlet positioned upstream of the inlet of the first return path along the flow path, the inlet comprising a plurality of inlet ports extending through the second wall of the end portion, and extending from the flow path and to the first return path such that a portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of inlet ports from the flow path and enters the first return path from the plurality of inlet ports, the outlet comprising a plurality of return ports extending through the first wall of the throat portion and from the first return path and to the throat portion such that the portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of return ports from the first return path and enters the throat portion from the plurality of return ports;
- and
- wherein the first return path is sized and configured to permit the portion of the fluid stream to flow from the inlet to the outlet when the fluid stream flows through the apparatus thereby reducing a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream flowing downstream of the apparatus along the flow path as compared to a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream upstream of the throat portion along the flow path.
2 more elements
A method for regulating a fluid stream flowing from a subterranean geological formation, the method comprising:
- placing an apparatus within a wellbore conduit defined by a wellbore, wherein the apparatus comprises a conduit defining at least part of a flow path for the fluid stream flowing from the subterranean geological formation to a ground surface, the conduit comprising a first venturi nozzle having a monolithic body comprising a converging portion, a diverging portion, a throat portion between the converging portion and the diverging portion, and an end portion positioned downstream of the diverging portion along the flow path, the end portion having a substantially uniform inner diameter, the throat portion having a first wall and the end portion having a second wall, the monolithic body comprising a varying thickness that increases along the converging portion in a direction toward the throat portion, and the varying thickness decreases along the diverging portion in a direction away from the throat portion, and an outer sleeve disposed outwardly of the monolithic body and coupled to the monolithic body to define a first return path between the monolithic body and the outer sleeve, the first return path including an inlet positioned downstream of the first venturi nozzle along the flow path and an outlet positioned upstream of the inlet of the first return path along the flow path, the inlet comprising a plurality of inlet ports extending through the second wall of the end portion, and extending from the flow path and to the first return path such that a portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of inlet ports from the flow path and enters the first return path from the plurality of inlet ports, the outlet comprising a plurality of return ports extending through the first wall of the throat portion and from the first return path and to the throat portion such that the portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of return ports from the first return path and enters the throat portion from the plurality of return ports;
- and
- wherein the first return path is sized and configured to permit the portion of the fluid stream to flow from the inlet to the outlet when the fluid stream flows through the apparatus thereby reducing a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream flowing downstream of the apparatus along the flow path as compared to a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream upstream of the throat portion along the flow path.
A system for regulating a fluid stream flowing from a subterranean geological formation, the system comprising:
- an apparatus comprising a conduit defining at least part of a flow path for the fluid stream flowing from the subterranean geological formation to a ground surface, the conduit comprising a first venturi nozzle having a monolithic body comprising a converging portion, a diverging portion, a throat portion between the converging portion and the diverging portion, and an end portion positioned downstream of the diverging portion along the flow path, the end portion having a substantially uniform inner diameter, the throat portion having a first wall and the end portion having a second wall, the monolithic body comprising a varying thickness that increases along the converging portion in a direction toward the throat portion, and the varying thickness decreases along the diverging portion in a direction away from the throat portion, and an outer sleeve disposed outwardly of the monolithic body and coupled to the monolithic body to define a first return path between the monolithic body and the outer sleeve, the first return path including an inlet positioned downstream of the throat portion along the flow path and an outlet positioned upstream of the inlet along the flow path, the inlet comprising a plurality of inlet ports extending through the second wall of the end portion, and extending from the flow path and to the first return path such that a portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of inlet ports from the flow path and enters the first return path from the plurality of inlet ports, the outlet comprising a plurality of return ports extending through the first wall of the throat portion and from the first return path and to the throat portion such that the portion of the fluid stream flowing from the inlet to the outlet enters the plurality of return ports from the first return path and enters the throat portion from the plurality of return ports, wherein the first return path is sized and configured to permit the portion of the fluid stream to flow from the inlet to the outlet when the fluid stream flows through the apparatus thereby reducing a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream flowing downstream of the apparatus along the flow path as compared to a gas volume fraction of the fluid stream upstream of the throat portion along the flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.