Inflow control device having externally configurable flow ports and erosion resistant baffles

• Main Author: McNamee, Stephen
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.05.2019
• Subjects: EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

A flow control apparatus (100) for a borehole comprises a basepipe (110), a screen (120), a sleeve (150) and at least one baffle (158). The basepipe (110) has a bore (115) for conveying fluid and defines at least one opening (118) for communicating fluid into the bore (115). The screen (120) is disposed on the basepipe (110) and screens fluid from outside the basepipe (110). The sleeve (150) is disposed on the basepipe (110) adjacent the screen (120) and has at least one flow passage (154) for communicating the fluid from the screen (120) to the at least one opening (118) in the basepipe (110). A shelf (156) of the sleeve (150) extends downstream from the at least one flow passage (154) and covers at least a portion of the basepipe (110) upstream from the at least one opening (118). The at least one baffle (158) is disposed on the shelf (156) and changes a direction of the flow exiting from the at least one flow passage (154).