Liquid Valve for Flow Control Devices

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present invention are directed to a liquid valve assembly that can be disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation. The liquid valve assembly can include a housing and a liquid valve. The housing can define an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and a passageway. The liquid valve can be disposed in the inner chamber. The liquid valve can include a yield stress fluid. The yield stress fluid can prevent fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid valve assembly configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the liquid valve assembly comprising:
 a housing comprising a flexible material and defining an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and a passageway;   a liquid valve disposed in the inner chamber, the liquid valve comprising a yield stress fluid configured for preventing the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway; and   an actuation mechanism configured to selectively position the liquid valve by compressing the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the yield stress fluid is further configured for remaining in the inner chamber in response to an application of a force to the yield stress fluid in a direction of the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is further configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening such that the liquid valve prevents the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the yield stress fluid comprises a Bingham plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the opening has a diameter adapted to cause the yield stress fluid to prevent the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in a direction of the opening,
 wherein the housing further defines an additional opening adapted to allow the fluid to flow between the inner chamber and an additional passageway, wherein an additional diameter of the additional opening is adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the inner chamber into the additional passageway in response to the fluid exerting the force against the liquid valve in a direction of the additional opening.   
     
     
         6 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid valve assembly is positionable in an inflow control device housing, the inflow control device housing defining the passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a plate positioned proximate to the housing to compress the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a control line coupled to the plate to communicate a force to the plate in a direction of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . An inflow control device configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the inflow control device comprising:
 a housing comprising a flexible material and defining a passageway; and   a liquid valve assembly, the liquid valve assembly comprising:
 an additional housing defining an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and the passageway; 
 a liquid valve disposed in the inner chamber, the liquid valve comprising a yield stress fluid configured for preventing the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway, wherein the opening has a diameter adapted to cause the yield stress fluid to prevent the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in a direction of the opening; and 
 an actuation mechanism configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening by compressing the additional housing, 
   wherein the housing defines an additional passageway,   wherein the additional housing further defines an additional opening adapted to allow the fluid to flow between the inner chamber and the additional passageway, wherein an additional diameter of the additional opening is adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the inner chamber into the additional passageway in response to the fluid exerting the force against the liquid valve in a direction of the additional opening.   
     
     
         10 . The inflow control device of  claim 9 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening such that the liquid valve prevents the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The inflow control device of  claim 9 , wherein the yield stress fluid is further configured for remaining in the inner chamber in response to an application of a second force to the yield stress fluid in the direction of the opening. 
     
     
         12 . The inflow control device of  claim 9 , wherein the yield stress fluid comprises a Bingham plastic. 
     
     
         13 . The inflow control device of  claim 9 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a plate positioned proximate to the housing to compress the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The inflow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a control line coupled to the plate to communicate a second force to the plate in the direction of the housing.