Patent ID: 6568478
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
An oil well into which an unstable fluid flow occurs, said oil well comprising:a tubing for conducting fluids from an oil reservoir to a wellhead at a surface; a casing surrounding said tubing; and a packer inserted and locked into said casing and connected to said tubing proximate the oil reservoir, so as to create two discrete regions in said oil well, one said region being a lower chamber, extending downwardly from the packer to said reservoir, and the other said region being an annulus between said casing and said tubing and extending upwardly from the packer to the wellhead; said oil well further comprising: a body disposed in said tubing, vertically above said packer, said body consisting essentially of: a first portion that progressively reduces, in a direction of fluid flow in said tubing, a cross-sectional flow area for the passage of fluid; a second portion, disposed downstream of said first portion with respect to the direction of fluid flow in said tubing, that defines a substantially constant cross-sectional flow area for the passage of fluid, said constant cross-sectional area being smaller than an unobstructed interior cross-sectional area of said tubing; and a third portion, disposed downstream of said second portion, that progressively increases, in the direction of fluid flow in said tubing, a cross-sectional flow area for the passage of fluid; whereby said unstable fluid flow becomes stable after passing through the portion of said tubing where said body is located.