IP Library › Granted Patent US 12662899
Granted Patent B2
US 12662899 · App. 18/461,263 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Fluid flow control system employing a flow restrictor for control pressure

Inventors: Ibrahim El Mallawany (Al-Khobar, SA); Michael Linley Fripp (Singapore, SG); Stephen Michael Greci (Carrollton, TX)
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
E21B34/063E21B34/066E21B34/08E21B43/12E21B2200/02E21B2200/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662899
App. No.
18/461,263
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fluid flow control system, a well system, and a method. The fluid flow control system, in one aspect, includes a fluidic diode operable to receive production fluid having a pressure (P 3 ) and discharge control fluid having a control pressure (P 2 ), and a flow restrictor placed between the fluidic diode and the tubing, the flow restrictor configured to change the control pressure (P 2 ) to a higher control pressure (P 2 ++ ) when the flow restrictor encounters higher viscosity fluids and is configured to change the control pressure (P 2 ) to a lower control pressure (P 2 + ) when the flow restrictor encounters lower viscosity fluids. The fluid flow control system, in one aspect, further includes an inflow control device having a production fluid inlet, a control inlet operable to receive control fluid having the higher control pressure (P 2 ++ ) or the lower control pressure (P 2 + ), and a production fluid outlet.

Claims (33)

1 . A fluid flow control system, comprising:

a fluidic diode operable to receive production fluid having a pressure P 3 and discharge control fluid having a control pressure P 2 ;

a flow restrictor placed between the fluidic diode and a tubing the fluid flow control system is configured to couple to, wherein the flow restrictor is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a higher control pressure P 2 ++ when the flow restrictor encounters higher viscosity fluids and is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a lower control pressure P 2 + when the flow restrictor encounters lower viscosity fluids; and

an inflow control device having a production fluid inlet operable to receive the production fluid having the pressure P 3 , a control inlet operable to receive control fluid having the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + , and a production fluid outlet operable to pass the production fluid having a pressure P 1 to the tubing the inflow control device is configured to couple to, the inflow control device configured to close or open the production fluid outlet based upon pressure values P 3 , P 2 ++ , P 1 or P 3 , P 2 + , P 1 , wherein the inflow control device is a piloted valve.

2 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluidic diode is a vortex fluidic diode including vanes.

3 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluidic diode is a vortex fluidic diode without vanes.

4 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluidic diode is a Tesla valve or a diaphragm diode.

5 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow restrictor is a fluid nozzle.

6 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluidic diode and flow restrictor are placed such that production fluid encounters the fluidic diode prior to the flow restrictor.

7 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluidic diode includes no moving parts.

8 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inflow control device is a first inflow control device, and further including a second inflow control device, the second inflow control device having a second production fluid inlet operable to receive the production fluid having the pressure P 3 , a second control inlet operable to receive the control fluid having the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + , and a second production fluid outlet operable to pass the production fluid having the pressure P 1 to the tubing the inflow control device is configured to couple to, the second inflow control device configured to close or open the second production fluid outlet based upon pressure values P 3 , P 2 ++ , P 1 or P 3 , P 2 + , P 1 .

9 . The fluid flow control system as recited in claim 1 , further including a pressure relief valve positioned between the flow restrictor and the control inlet, the pressure relief valve configured to eliminate a range of pressures between the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + that would only partially close the inflow control device.

10 . A well system, comprising:

a wellbore extending through one or more subterranean formations;

tubing positioned within the wellbore; and

a fluid flow control system positioned between the wellbore and the tubing, the fluid flow control system including:

a fluidic diode operable to receive production fluid having a pressure P 3 and discharge control fluid having a control pressure P 2 ;

a flow restrictor placed between the fluidic diode and a tubing the fluid flow control system is configured to couple to, wherein the flow restrictor is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a higher control pressure P 2 ++ when the flow restrictor encounters higher viscosity fluids and is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a lower control pressure P 2 + when the flow restrictor encounters lower viscosity fluids; and

an inflow control device having a production fluid inlet operable to receive the production fluid having the pressure P 3 , a control inlet operable to receive control fluid having the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + , and a production fluid outlet operable to pass the production fluid having a pressure P 1 to the tubing the inflow control device is configured to couple to, the inflow control device configured to close or open the production fluid outlet based upon pressure values P 3 , P 2 ++ , P 1 or P 3 , P 2 + , P 1 , wherein the inflow control device is a piloted valve.

11 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluidic diode is a vortex fluidic diode including vanes.

12 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluidic diode is a vortex fluidic diode without vanes.

13 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluidic diode is a Tesla valve or a diaphragm diode.

14 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the flow restrictor is a fluid nozzle.

15 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluidic diode and flow restrictor are placed such that production fluid encounters the fluidic diode prior to the flow restrictor.

16 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluidic diode includes no moving parts.

17 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the inflow control device is a first inflow control device, and further including a second inflow control device, the second inflow control device having a second production fluid inlet operable to receive the production fluid having the pressure P 3 , a second control inlet operable to receive the control fluid having the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + , and a second production fluid outlet operable to pass the production fluid having the pressure P 1 to the tubing the inflow control device is configured to couple to, the second inflow control device configured to close or open the second production fluid outlet based upon pressure values P 3 , P 2 ++ , P 1 or P 3 , P 2 + , P 1 .

18 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , further including a pressure relief valve positioned between the flow restrictor and the control inlet, the pressure relief valve configured to eliminate a range of pressures between the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + that would only partially close the inflow control device.

19 . A method, comprising:

positioning a fluid flow control system within a wellbore extending through one or more subterranean formations, the fluid flow control system located between the wellbore and tubing positioned in the wellbore, the fluid flow control system including:

a fluidic diode operable to receive production fluid having a pressure P 3 and discharge control fluid having a control pressure P 2 ;

a flow restrictor placed between the fluidic diode and a tubing the fluid flow control system is configured to couple to, wherein the flow restrictor is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a higher control pressure P 2 ++ when the flow restrictor encounters higher viscosity fluids and is configured to change the control pressure P 2 to a lower control pressure P 2 + when the flow restrictor encounters lower viscosity fluids; and

an inflow control device having a production fluid inlet operable to receive the production fluid having the pressure P 3 , a control inlet operable to receive control fluid having the higher control pressure P 2 ++ or the lower control pressure P 2 + , and a production fluid outlet operable to pass the production fluid having a pressure P 1 to the tubing the inflow control device is configured to couple to, the inflow control device configured to close or open the production fluid outlet based upon pressure values P 3 , P 2 ++ , P 1 or P 3 , P 2 + , P 1 , wherein the inflow control device is a piloted valve; and

producing fluid from the wellbore into the tubing, the lower viscosity fluids opening the inflow control device and the higher viscosity fluids closing the inflow control device.