Method and apparatus for precise control of wellbore fluid flow
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsYawan Couturier, Donald G. Reitsma, Ossama R. Sehsah
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Abstract
A method for controlling flow of fluid from an annular space in a wellbore includes changing a flow restriction in a fluid flow discharge line from the wellbore annular space. The flow restriction is changed at a rate related to a difference between at least one of a selected fluid flow rate out of the wellbore and an actual fluid flow rate out of the wellbore, and a selected fluid pressure in the annular space and an actual pressure in the annular space.
Claims17
A method for controlling flow of fluid from an annular space in a wellbore, comprising:
- changing a flow restriction in a fluid flow discharge line from the wellbore annular space, the flow restriction changed at a rate related to a difference between at least one of a selected fluid flow rate out of the wellbore and an actual fluid flow rate out of the wellbore, and a selected fluid pressure in the annular space and an actual pressure in the annular space.
A choke control system for maintaining selected fluid flow out of a wellbore, comprising:
- a variable orifice choke disposed in a fluid discharge line from the wellbore;
- an actuator operably coupled to the choke;
- a system controller operable coupled to the actuator;
- and
- a rate controller operably coupled to the actuator and to the controller;
- the rate controller configured to change a speed of motion of the actuator, the system controller configured to operate the rate controller such that the speed of motion is related to an amount of change in the orifice of the choked required to change fluid flow out of the wellbore from an actual value to a selected value.
A method for controlling flow of fluid through a conduit, comprising:
- changing a flow restriction in the conduit, the flow restriction changed at a rate related to a difference between at least one of a selected fluid flow rate through the conduit and an actual fluid flow rate through the conduit, and a selected fluid pressure in the conduit and an actual pressure in the conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.