Patent ID: 8789597

Claim:
An apparatus for producing hydrocarbons from an oil and gas reservoir that is operable to control water ingress comprising: a multi-layer tubular, the multi-layered tubular comprising: an outer pipe layer, an inner pipe layer longitudinally aligned within the outer pipe layer, and a hydrophilic composite material between the outer pipe layer and the inner pipe layer, wherein the hydrophilic composite material is selected from the group consisting of sand, silt and clay and mixtures thereof, the composite material is non chemically reactive, the composite material has absorption properties such that the composite material swells in the presence of water but is non-absorptive of hydrocarbons, the composite material formed into shaped particles having a cross-sectional shape selected from a group consisting of hexagon, octagon, cross and star, and such that upon exposure to water the composite material is operative to swell to create an impervious shield covering at least a portion of the inner pipe layer.