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US 9,316,095 B2Granted
Autonomous inflow control device having a surface coating
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorLuke William Holderman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autonomous inflow control system for use downhole comprises a flow ratio control system comprising one or more fluid inlets, and a pathway dependent resistance system comprising a vortex chamber. The one or more fluid inlets provide fluid communication between the flow ratio control system and the pathway dependent resistance system, and at least one of the one or more fluid inlets comprises a super hydrophobic surface.
Claims20
An autonomous flow control system for use downhole comprising:
- a vortex chamber comprising a super hydrophobic surface;
- a first leading passageway that directs fluid into the vortex chamber via a first inlet and a second inlet;
- and
- a second leading passageway that directs fluid into the vortex chamber via a third inlet and a fourth inlet, wherein the first leading passageway and the second leading passageway are separated by the vortex chamber.
1 more element
A method of providing a variable resistance to fluid flow in a wellbore, the method comprising:
- receiving a first fluid and a second fluid at an autonomous inflow control device;
- directing the first fluid into a vortex chamber via a first leading passageway coupled to the vortex chamber by a first inlet and a second inlet, and directing the second fluid toward the vortex chamber via a second leading passageway coupled to the vortex chamber by a third inlet and a fourth inlet, wherein the first leading passageway and the second leading passageway are separated by the vortex chamber;
- and
- changing the resistance to flow of at least a portion of the first fluid and a portion of the second fluid with a super hydrophobic surface within the vortex chamber, wherein the resistance to flow through the autonomous inflow control device varies based on a fluid pathway through the vortex chamber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.