Patent ID: 8527100
Filing Date: 2013-09-03
Classification: E21B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of providing a flow control device for controlling flow of fluid between a formation and a wellbore, comprising: defining a flow rate of the fluid through the flow control device; defining a desired relationship between a pressure parameter of the flow control device and a selected property of the fluid, wherein the pressure parameter exhibits a substantial change when the selected property of the fluid is in a first range and remains substantially constant when the selected fluid property is in a second range; determining using a computer and a simulation program a simulated relationship between the pressure parameter and the selected fluid property over the first range and the second range for the defined flow rate for a geometry of a flow through area of a flow control device, the geometry of the flow through area comprising a structural flow area between an inlet and an outlet, wherein the structural flow area inhibits a flow of water and gas relative to a flow of hydrocarbons; determining a difference between the simulated relationship and the desired relationship of the pressure parameter and selected fluid property; altering the geometry of the flow through area to a new geometry when the determined difference between the desired relationship and the simulated relationship is outside a desired range; determining using the computer and the simulation program the relationship between the pressure parameter and the selected property over the first range and the second range for the defined flow rate for the new geometry of the flow through area of the flow control device; repeating the steps of altering the geometry and determining the simulated relationship until the difference between the desired relationship and the simulated relationship for the new geometry is within the desired range; and storing the geometry of the flow through device for which the difference between the desired relationship and the simulated relationship is within the desired range on a suitable storage medium.