Injection-point flow control of undamaged polymer
OwnerSteven Peter Dyckinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device that allows gradually regulation, i.e., non-destructively controlling the flow of injected polymer flooding enhanced oil recovery fluids at each point of injection, using: at least one conduit providing a variable length flow path combined with the centrifugal and other retarding or decelerative forces accessible to a formation engineer by configuring and otherwise arranging the spatial orientation and relative position of each section of such conduit, so as to achieve a never before attained degree of non-damaging flow control density within a compact space.
Claims8
-15. (canceled)
A flow control apparatus to selectively control a flow of a stream of a polymer fluid during injection at an injection point to enhance recovery of oil from a production well, comprising:
- an inlet fluidly coupled to a source of the polymer fluid under pressure to receive the polymer fluid;
- an outlet fluidly coupleable to the injection point;
- and at least one conduit that provides a selectively variable length flow path fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet, the at least one conduit having an associated internal friction that creates a drag on the stream of polymer fluid that passes therethrough wherein the selectively variable length flow path of the at least one conduit controllably decelerates a rate of flow of the stream of polymer fluid through at least a portion of the at least one conduit, the at least one conduit including at least one valve fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet, the at least one valve operable to selectively control the length of the flow path through which the stream of polymer fluid pass between the inlet and the outlet, a first tube fluidly coupled between the inlet and the at least one valve;
- and a second tube fluidly coupleable between the first tube and the outlet by the at least one valve, wherein the at least one valve is operable to selectively fluidly couple the second tube into and out of the flow path between the inlet and the outlet to control the length of the flow path through which the stream of polymer fluid passes between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the improvement comprises the first tube and the second tube each comprises a respective helical coil.
A method of operating a flow control apparatus to selectively control a flow of a stream of a polymer fluid during injection at an injection point to enhance recovery of oil from a production well, comprising:
- providing a source of the polymer fluid under pressure at an inlet fluidly coupled to receive the polymer fluid;
- and selectively varying a length of a flow path provided by at least one conduit fluidly coupled between the inlet and an outlet, the at least one conduit having an associated internal friction that creates a drag on the stream of polymer fluid that passes therethrough wherein the selectively variable length flow path of the conduit controllably decelerates a rate of flow of the stream of polymer fluid through at least a portion of the conduit, wherein the improvement comprises operating a valve to selectively fluidly couple a second helical coil tube into and out of the flow path with a concentrically arranged first helical coil tube between the inlet and the outlet to control the length of the flow path through which the stream of polymer fluid passes between the inlet and the outlet.
A flow control apparatus to selectively control a flow of a stream of a polymer fluid during injection at an injection point to enhance recovery of oil from a production well, the flow control apparatus comprising:
- an inlet fluidly coupled to a source of the polymer fluid under pressure to receive the polymer fluid;
- an outlet fluidly coupleable to the injection point;
- at least one valve or diverter selectively operable to vary a length of a flow path between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the improvement comprises at least one conduit including a first helical section and a second helical section that provides the selectively variable length flow path fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.