US 12,139,999 B2
Fluid control system
Vidar Mathiesen, Porsgrunn (NO); Bjornar Werswick, Langesund (NO); and Haavard Aakre, Skien (NO)
Assigned to Inflow Control AS, Porsgrunn (NO)
Filed by Inflow Control AS, Porsgrunn (NO)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/127,012.
Application 18/127,012 is a continuation of application No. 17/838,324, filed on Jun. 13, 2022, abandoned.
Application 17/838,324 is a continuation of application No. 16/815,045, filed on Mar. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,448,039, issued on Sep. 20, 2022.
Application 16/815,045 is a continuation of application No. 16/139,106, filed on Sep. 24, 2018, granted, now 11,319,774, issued on May 3, 2022.
Application 16/139,106 is a continuation of application No. 15/587,419, filed on May 5, 2017, granted, now 10,260,312, issued on Apr. 16, 2019.
Application 15/587,419 is a continuation of application No. 14/386,459, granted, now 9,683,429, issued on Jun. 20, 2017, previously published as PCT/EP2013/054485, filed on Mar. 6, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/679,805, filed on Aug. 6, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/613,515, filed on Mar. 21, 2012.
Claims priority of application No. 20120334 (NO), filed on Mar. 21, 2012; and application No. 20120872 (NO), filed on Aug. 6, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2023/0243238 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 34/08 (2006.01); E21B 34/14 (2006.01); E21B 43/12 (2006.01); E21B 43/32 (2006.01); F16K 31/122 (2006.01); G05D 7/01 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 34/08 (2013.01) [E21B 34/14 (2013.01); E21B 43/12 (2013.01); E21B 43/32 (2013.01); F16K 31/1221 (2013.01); G05D 7/01 (2013.01); G05D 7/0133 (2013.01); Y10T 137/0379 (2015.04); Y10T 137/2562 (2015.04); Y10T 137/3421 (2015.04); Y10T 137/7839 (2015.04); Y10T 137/7851 (2015.04); Y10T 137/86718 (2015.04); Y10T 137/86734 (2015.04)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fluid flow control system comprising:
a fluid flow control device having a fluid inlet for fluids from a fluid reservoir and a fluid outlet for discharging reservoir fluids into an interior of a production pipe, the fluid flow control device including a primary fluid pathway in parallel with a secondary fluid pathway each extending between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet;
a valve device disposed within the fluid flow control device, the valve device operable between an open position wherein fluid flow through the primary fluid pathway is allowed and a closed position wherein fluid flow through the primary fluid pathway is prevented;
at least one flow restrictor disposed in the secondary fluid pathway; and
an actuator operable to move the valve device between the open and closed positions, the actuator being acted upon by a first pressure signal P1 from the fluid inlet, a second pressure signal P2 from the secondary fluid pathway, and a third pressure signal P3 from the fluid outlet, the first and third pressure signals biasing the valve device toward the open position, the second pressure signal biasing the valve device toward the closed position;
wherein, a magnitude of the second pressure signal P2 is dependent upon the viscosity of a fluid flowing through the secondary fluid pathway; and
wherein, the actuator is operated responsive to changes in the viscosity of the fluid, thereby controlling fluid flow through the primary fluid pathway, whereby the valve device is caused to move to the closed position when an undesired fluid with an undesired viscosity passes through the at least one flow restrictor.