Apparatus and method for controlling fluid flow from a formation
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsDaniel Newton, Edward J. O'Malley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, an apparatus for controlling fluid flow between a formation and a tubular is provided, wherein the apparatus includes a retrievable communication device configured to be conveyed to a selected location in the tubular downhole. The apparatus also includes a control node configured to communicate with the retrievable communication device at the selected location, a flow control device coupled to and controlled by the control node and a sensor coupled to the control node, wherein the sensor and flow control device are downhole of the control node.
Claims20
A method of controlling fluid flow between a formation and a wellbore, the method comprising:
- conveying a retrievable communication device including a control unit through a tubular to a selected location in the wellbore;
- obtaining a measurement of a downhole parameter at a downhole sensor included in the tubular;
- communicating a signal corresponding to the measurement of the downhole parameter from the downhole sensor to the retrievable communication device at the selected location via a downhole control node included in the tubular;
- determining a control signal in response to the signal corresponding to the measurement of the downhole parameter at the control unit;
- and
- communicating the determined control signal from the retrievable communication device to a flow control device included in the tubular via the control node to control the fluid flow between the formation and the wellbore.
An apparatus for controlling a fluid flow rate downhole, comprising:
- a retrievable communication device configured to be conveyed downhole to a selected location in a tubular;
- a control node included in the tubular at the selected location configured to communicate with the retrievable communication device at the selected location;
- a sensor included in the tubular and coupled to the control node configured to provide a signal relating to a downhole parameter to the retrievable communication device via the control node;
- and
- a control unit of the retrievable communication device and conveyed downhole with the retrievable communication device, the control unit configured to determine a control signal from the signal relating to the downhole parameter provided by the sensor;
- and
- a flow control device included in the tubular and coupled to the control node and configured to receive the control signal from the retrievable communication device via the control node and control the fluid flow rate of the flow control device based on the received control signal, wherein at least one of the sensor and the flow control device are not at the selected location.
An apparatus for controlling a fluid flow rate downhole, comprising:
- a control node included in a production string at a selected location configured to inductively communicate with a retrievable communication device including a control unit conveyed through a bore of the production string to the selected location;
- a sensor in the production string configured to communicate a downhole parameter to the retrievable communication device via the control node;
- and
- a flow control device in the production string configured to receive a control signal from the retrievable communication device via control node to control the fluid flow rate for the flow control device based on the control signal, wherein the control signal is determined at the control unit of the retrievable communication device in response to the communicated downhole parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.