Patent ID: 11952873
Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 16:
17. A downhole flow regulating system, comprising:
a plurality of screens to filter debris out of fluids flowing through the screens from an annulus of a wellbore toward a central bore of a tubular; and
a washpipe free feature disposed in the flow path between the plurality of screens and the central bore of the tubular, wherein the washpipe free feature comprises:
a housing defining a chamber having a bypass portion and a securing portion, wherein the housing comprises a first bore to put the bypass portion of the chamber in fluid communication with the annulus of the wellbore and a second bore to put the bypass portion in fluid communication with a central bore of a downhole tubular, and wherein the securing portion of the chamber houses a fluid at atmospheric pressure or vacuum;
a magnet secured to an inner surface of the bypass portion of the chamber;
a ball disposed within the bypass portion of the chamber, wherein the ball comprises a ferromagnetic metal; and
a piston disposed within the chamber, wherein the piston is slidable between a run-in position and an open position, wherein a distal end of the piston blocks the ball from contacting the magnet in the run-in position such that the ball is moveable to plug the first bore in response to fluid flow from the tubular toward the annulus, wherein a pressure differential between the securing portion and the bypass portion drives the piston toward the open position, and wherein the piston slides toward the securing portion of the chamber in the open position to permit the ball to move into contact with the magnet, and wherein the magnet is configured to hold the ball out of the flow path between the first bore and the second bore in the bypass portion of the chamber.