초록 ▼

Flow control systems and methods for use in injection wells and in the production of hydrocarbons utilize a particulate material disposed in an external flow area of a flow control chamber having an internal flow channel and an external flow area separated at least by a permeable region. The particu

Flow control systems and methods for use in injection wells and in the production of hydrocarbons utilize a particulate material disposed in an external flow area of a flow control chamber having an internal flow channel and an external flow area separated at least by a permeable region. The particulate material transitions from a first accumulated condition to a free or released condition when a triggering condition is satisfied without requiring user or operator intervention. The released particles accumulate without user or operator intervention, to control the flow of production fluids through a flow control chamber by at least substantially blocking the permeable region between the external flow area and the internal flow channel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for use with production of hydrocarbons, the system comprising: a first tubular member defining an internal flow channel and at least partially defining an external flow area, and wherein the first tubular member comprises a permeable region providing fluid communication between the exte

1. A system for use with production of hydrocarbons, the system comprising: a first tubular member defining an internal flow channel and at least partially defining an external flow area, and wherein the first tubular member comprises a permeable region providing fluid communication between the external flow area and the internal flow channel; anda particulate composition disposed in the external flow area, wherein the particulate composition comprises a plurality of particles bound by a reactive binding material adapted to release particles in response to a triggering condition wherein the particulate composition is fixedly disposed in the external flow area until particles are released by the binding materials, andwherein particles released from the particulate composition move within the external flow area and are at least substantially retained in the external flow area to form a particulate accumulation at least substantially blocking the permeable region of the first tubular member. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the particulate composition comprises a plurality of particles of varied dimensions. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the binding material maintains its integrity when contacted by product fluids and releases particles when contacted by triggering fluids. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reactive binding material includes at least one composition selected from potassium silicate and urea; potassium silicate and formamide; and ethylpolysilicate, hydrochloric acid, and ethanol. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the triggering condition includes the presence of one or more aqueous fluids. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one chamber isolator disposed in the external flow area adapted to at least partially block flow of particles in the external flow area to initiate particulate accumulation. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two particulate compositions are disposed in the external flow area, and wherein the at least two particulate compositions are adapted to cooperatively provide staged deployment of the particles and staged blockage of the external flow area. 8. A system for use with production of hydrocarbons, the system comprising: a first tubular member defining an internal flow channel, wherein the tubular member comprises a permeable region providing fluid communication with the internal flow channel;an exterior member having an internal surface radially spaced from an outer surface of the first tubular member, wherein the first tubular member and the exterior member at least partially define an external flow area, wherein the exterior member comprises a permeable region, wherein the permeable region of the exterior member provides an inlet to the external flow area creating a flow path between the inlet of the exterior member and the permeable region of the first tubular member; anda particulate composition disposed in the external flow area at least partially in the flow path, wherein the particulate composition comprises a plurality of particles bound by a reactive binding material adapted to release particles in response to a triggering condition, and wherein at least some of the released particles accumulate to form a particulate accumulation at least substantially blocking the permeable region of the first tubular member. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the permeable region of the first tubular member, the permeable region of the exterior member, and their combination is adapted to prevent formation particles from entering the internal flow channel. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the particles of the particulate composition are selected from at least one of gravel, sand, carbonate, silt, clay, or man-made particles. 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the binding material maintains its integrity when contacted by product fluids and releases particles when contacted by triggering fluids. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the reactive binding material is selected to control the rate of particle release from the particulate composition. 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the released particles are adapted to flow within the external flow area toward the permeable region of the first tubular member and are dimensioned to be at least substantially retained in the external flow area by the permeable region of the first tubular member forming the particulate accumulation at least substantially blocking the permeable region of the first tubular member. 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the particulate composition comprises particles having a variety of dimensions. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the particles of the particulate composition have dimensions ranging from at least about 0.0001 mm to less than about 100 mm. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the permeable region of the first tubular member has a predetermined opening size, and wherein greater than about 10% of the particles of the particulate composition are larger than the predetermined opening size of the first tubular member. 17. The system of claim 8, wherein the particles of the particulate composition comprise materials selected to provide a reversible particulate accumulation. 18. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one chamber isolator disposed in the external flow area adapted to at least partially block flow of particles in the external flow area to initiate particulate accumulation. 19. A system for use in production of hydrocarbons, the system comprising: a production string including a base pipe having an internal flow channel adapted to receive fluids when in a wellbore environment in a formation;at least one changed-path flow chamber defined in the production string and associated with the base pipe, wherein each changed-path flow chamber comprises offset inner and outer permeable regions configured to define a flow path between the outer permeable region and the inner permeable region, wherein the inner permeable region provides fluid communication between the changed-path flow chamber and the internal flow channel, and wherein the outer permeable region provides fluid communication between the wellbore environment and the changed-path flow chamber;a consolidated particulate pack disposed at least partially in the flow path between the inner and the outer permeable regions; wherein the consolidated particulate pack comprises a plurality of particles consolidated together by a binding agent selected to release particles in response to a triggering condition; and wherein the particles released from the consolidated particulate pack are dimensioned to be at least substantially retained by the inner permeable region such that the particles accumulate adjacent to the inner permeable region to at least substantially block the inner permeable region limiting the fluid communication between the changed-path flow chamber and the internal flow channel. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the particles of the consolidated particulate pack are selected from at least one of gravel, sand, carbonate, silt, clay, or man-made particles. 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the binding agent maintains its integrity when contacted by product fluids and releases particles when contacted by triggering fluids. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the binding agent is selected to control the rate of particle release from the consolidated particulate pack. 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the inner permeable region has a predetermined opening size, and wherein greater than about 10% of the particles of the particulate pack are larger than the predetermined opening size of the inner permeable region. 24. A method associated with the production of hydrocarbons, the method comprising: providing a production/injection string including a base pipe having an internal flow channel adapted to receive fluids when in a wellbore environment in a formation;defining at least one external flow area separated from the internal flow channel by an inner permeable region;providing a consolidated particulate pack comprising a plurality of particles consolidated together by a binding agent selected to release particles in response to a triggering condition, wherein the released particles of the consolidated particulate pack are dimensioned to accumulate in the external flow area and to at least substantially block fluids from entering the internal flow channel; andfixedly disposing the consolidated particulate pack in the external flow area until the particles are released by the binding materials. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein defining at least one external flow area includes providing an outer jacket spaced away from the base pipe of the production/injection string and includes defining at least one flow control chamber including at least one inlet to the external flow area. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the inlet to the external flow area is offset from the inner permeable region of the base pipe. 27. The method of claim 24 further comprising: disposing the production/injection string in a well; andoperating the well in association with the production of hydrocarbons, wherein the production string operates in a first configuration until the triggering condition is satisfied and the particles are released, and wherein the production string operates in a second configuration following the accumulation of the released particles. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the well is operated as a production well. 29. The method of claim 27, further comprising reversing the particulate accumulation blockage in the external flow area. 30. The method of claim 27 further comprising producing hydrocarbons from the well.