IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,631,097
Granted Patent B2
US 12,631,097 · App. 17/970,904 · Granted May 19, 2026

Downhole pump fluid throttling device

Inventors: Donn Jason Brown (Broken Arrow, OK); Ketankumar Kantilal Sheth (Tulsa, OK); Dezhi Zheng (Tulsa, OK)
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
E21B43/128E21B34/066E21B2200/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,631,097
App. No.
17/970,904
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for controlling fluid flow through a downhole pump system in a borehole includes moving, via a downhole pump residing below a tubular in the borehole, a first fluid through the tubular, wherein the first fluid includes a compressible fluid. The method may further include increasing an intake pressure of the downhole pump while the first fluid is moving via a control valve system comprising a throttling valve.

Claims (41)

1 . A method for controlling fluid flow through a downhole pump system in a borehole comprising:

moving, via a downhole pump residing below a tubular in the borehole, a first fluid through the tubular, wherein the first fluid includes a compressible fluid; and

rotating a rotatable perforated disk of a control valve system from a first position to a second position using a motorized actuator positioned up-hole of the control valve system, wherein actuating the rotatable perforated disk from the first position to the second position increases an intake pressure of the downhole pump while the first fluid is moving uphole,

wherein the control valve system is configured to allow the uphole movement of at least a portion of the first fluid in both the first position and the second position of the rotatable perforated disk.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid moves through the control valve system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing the intake pressure of the downhole pump, while the first fluid is moving, compresses the compressible fluid to form compressed fluid.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the compressed fluid will not gas lock the downhole pump, wherein the downhole pump comprises an electric submersible pump (ESP) or a progressive cavity pump (PCP).

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing the intake pressure of the downhole pump includes:

reducing a flow area through which the first fluid flows, wherein the flow area is formed by at least the rotatable perforated disk and a fixed perforated disk of the control valve system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing the intake pressure of the downhole pump includes:

activating a gear system coupled with the control valve system, wherein the rotatable perforated disk is a rotatable perforated lower disk residing above the downhole pump, wherein the control valve system includes the rotatable perforated lower disk and a fixed upper disk, wherein the rotatable perforated lower disk is coupled longitudinally adjacently to the fixed upper disk, and wherein the gear system is to rotate the rotatable perforated lower disk.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein activating the gear system comprises activating the motorized actuator.

8 . A system comprising:

a control valve system configured to couple with a downhole pump configured for placement in a borehole, wherein the control valve system includes a rotatable first disk having one or more first perforations; and

a motorized actuator positioned up-hole of the control valve system and configured to increase an intake pressure of the downhole pump while the first fluid is moving uphole by rotating the rotatable first disk from a first position to a second position,

wherein the control valve system is configured to allow an uphole movement of at least a portion of a compressible fluid in the borehole in both the first position and the second position of the rotatable first disk.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the downhole pump is an electric submersible pump (ESP) or a progressive cavity pump (PCP) configured to move the compressible fluid.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control valve system includes:

a fixed second disk including one or more second perforations; and

a flow passage for the compressible fluid in the borehole,

wherein the fixed second disk is longitudinally-adjacently coupled with the rotatable first disk such that at least a first portion of the one or more first perforations overlaps the one or more second perforations, wherein the overlap forms the flow passage.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the motorized actuator is coupled to a gear system including at least one gear coupled with the rotatable first disk to rotate the rotatable first disk.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the overlap influences the intake pressure of the downhole pump.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein reducing the overlap increases the intake pressure of the downhole pump.

14 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a downhole pump controller and one or more sensors, the downhole pump controller configured to:

receive, from the one or more sensors, data measuring attributes of at least one of the downhole pump, the control valve system, the compressed fluid, and the borehole; and

actuate, via the motorized actuator, the rotatable first disk to control a flow rate through the flow passage.

15 . An apparatus comprising:

a control valve system configured to couple with a downhole pump configured for placement in a borehole, wherein the control valve system includes a rotatable first disk having one or more first perforations; and

a motorized actuator positioned up-hole of the control valve system and configured to increase an intake pressure of the downhole pump while the first fluid is moving uphole by rotating the rotatable first disk from a first position to a second position,

wherein the control valve system is configured to allow an uphole movement of at least a portion of a compressible fluid in the borehole in both the first position and the second position of the rotatable first disk.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the downhole pump is an electric submersible pump (ESP) or a progressive cavity pump (PCP) configured to move the compressible fluid.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the control valve system includes:

a fixed second disk including one or more second perforations; and

a flow passage for the compressible fluid in the borehole,

wherein the fixed second disk is longitudinally-adjacently coupled with the first rotatable disk such that at least a first portion of the one or more first perforations overlaps the one or more second perforations, wherein the overlap forms the flow passage.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the motorized actuator is coupled to a gear system including at least one gear coupled with the first rotatable disk to rotate the first rotatable disk.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein reducing the overlap increases the intake pressure of the downhole pump.

20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a downhole pump controller and one or more sensors, the downhole pump controller configured to:

receive, from the one or more sensors, data measuring attributes of the downhole pump, the apparatus, the compressible fluid, and the borehole; and

actuate, via the motorized actuator, the rotatable first disk to control a flow rate through the flow passage.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2022
From: BROWN, DONN JASON; SHETH, KETANKUMAR KANTILAL; ZHENG, DEZHI
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 061498/0886 →
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240133277A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240229623A9 · Jul 11, 2024
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