Annular Flow Meter with a Sealing Element

Abstract

A system for controlling flow of a fluid into or out of a well bore having a wellbore wall. The system includes a tubular with a tubular bore and locatable in the wellbore. The system also includes a housing that includes a flow channel in fluid communication with the tubular bore. The housing also includes a sealing element expandable to provide a fluid barrier in an annulus formed between the housing and the wellbore wall. The housing further includes a fluid conduit separate from and radially spaced from the flow channel and in fluid communication with the annulus on both sides of the sealing element such that all fluid in the annulus flows through the conduit as it passes the sealing element. The housing also includes a sensor in fluid communication with the conduit and configured to measure a parameter of the fluid in the conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling flow of a fluid into or out of a wellbore having a wellbore wall and intersecting a subterranean earth formation, comprising:
 a tubular comprising a tubular bore and locatable in the wellbore and configured for flowing the fluid into or out of the wellbore;   a housing comprising:
 a flow channel in fluid communication with the tubular bore; 
 a sealing element expandable to provide a fluid barrier in an annulus formed between the housing and the wellbore wall; 
 a fluid conduit separate from and radially spaced from the flow channel and in fluid communication with the annulus on both sides of the sealing element such that all fluid in the annulus flows through the conduit as it passes the sealing element; and 
 a sensor in fluid communication with the conduit and configured to measure a parameter of the fluid in the conduit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a pressure, a temperature, or a flow rate of the fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to calculate a flow rate of the fluid based on the measured parameter without obstructing flow through the housing bore. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a Venturi tube. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the housing further comprising an additional conduit separate from and radially spaced from the flow channel in the housing and an additional sensor in fluid communication with the additional conduit and configured to measure an additional parameter of the fluid in the additional conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid through the Venturi tube. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a check valve. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a screen section in fluid communication with the tubular bore. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising an injection system operable to inject fluid into the annulus through the screen section. 
     
     
         10 . A method measuring a parameter of a fluid in a wellbore having a wellbore wall and intersecting a subterranean earth formation, comprising:
 expanding a sealing element to create a fluid barrier sealing an annulus in a wellbore;   receiving fluid from the annulus through a conduit through the fluid harrier, the conduit being separate from and radially spaced from a bore of a tubular; and   measuring a parameter of the fluid using a sensor in fluid communication with the conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the parameter comprises a pressure of the fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprises calculating a flow rate of the fluid in the conduit using the measured parameter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein measuring comprises measuring the parameter without obstructing the tubular bore. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising directing the fluid through a Venturi tube connected along the conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein measuring comprises measuring a flow rate of the fluid through the Venturi tube. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving fluid from the annulus through an additional conduit through the fluid barrier, the additional conduit being separate from and radially spaced from the bore of the tubular; and   measuring an additional parameter of the fluid using an additional sensor in fluid communication with the additional conduit.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising injecting fluid from a surface location through the conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising conveying fluid from the conduit to a surface location through the tubular. 
     
     
         19 . A fluid sensing device for sensing a property of a fluid in a wellbore having a wellbore wall and intersecting a subterranean earth formation, comprising:
 a housing comprising a flow channel;   a sealing element expandable to provide a fluid barrier in an annulus between the housing and the wellbore wall;   a fluid conduit separate from and radially spaced from the flow channel and in fluid communication with the annulus on both sides of the sealing element such that all fluid in the annulus flows through the conduit as it passes the sealing element; and   a sensor in fluid communication with the conduit and configured to measure a parameter of a fluid in the conduit.   
     
     
         20 . The fluid sensing device of  claim 19 , wherein flow through the flow channel is unobstructed by the sensor.