Production sub including degradable orifice

Abstract

The present disclosure, in at least one aspect, provides a production sub, a well system, and a method. The production sub, in one aspect, includes a tubular having a length (l), an inside diameter (ID), an outside diameter (OD), and a sidewall thickness (t), a plurality of production ports extending through the sidewall thickness (t) and coupling the inside diameter (ID) and the outside diameter (OD), and a fluid flow assembly positioned in each of the plurality of production ports. Each fluid flow assembly, in one aspect, includes a radially interior burst disc, as well as a degradable fluid flow orifice positioned radially outside of the radially interior burst disk, the degradable fluid flow orifice configured to degrade over time after the radially interior burst disc has burst to increase a flow volume through the production port.

1 . A production sub, comprising:
 a tubular having a length (l), an inside diameter (ID), an outside diameter (OD), and a sidewall thickness (t);   a plurality of production ports extending through the sidewall thickness (t) and coupling the inside diameter (ID) and the outside diameter (OD); and   a fluid flow assembly positioned in each of the plurality of production ports, each fluid flow assembly including:
 a radially interior burst disc; and 
 a degradable fluid flow orifice positioned radially outside of the radially interior burst disk, the degradable fluid flow orifice configured to degrade over time after the radially interior burst disc has burst to increase a flow volume through the production port. 
   
     
     
         2 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is an erodible fluid flow orifice having a hardness less than a hardness of the tubular. 
     
     
         3 . The production sub as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the erodible fluid flow orifice comprises a low alloy steel, an Aluminum alloy, a Brass alloy, a Copper alloy, a Magnesium alloy, or an Iron-Carbon alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is an erodible fluid flow orifice having a hardness at least 20% less than a hardness of the tubular. 
     
     
         5 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is a dissolvable fluid flow orifice. 
     
     
         6 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , further including a dissolvable plug sealing the degradable fluid flow orifice. 
     
     
         7 . The production sub as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the dissolvable plug comprises a Magnesium based alloy, an Aluminum based alloy, a (PGA) Polyglycolic acid polymer, a (PLA) Polylactic acid polymer, or a (PHBV) Poly hydroxybutyrate-co-Hydroxy valerate polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is part of housing located within the production port. 
     
     
         9 . The production sub as recited in  claim 8 , further including one or more sealing elements positioned between the housing and the production port. 
     
     
         10 . The production sub as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of production ports include a first set of radially spaced apart production ports and a second set of radially spaced apart production ports, the first and second sets axially offset from one another along the length (l). 
     
     
         11 . A well system, comprising:
 a wellbore extending through one or more subterranean formations;   production tubing located within the wellbore;   a production sub coupled to the production tubing, the production sub including:
 a tubular having a length (l), an inside diameter (ID), an outside diameter (OD), and a sidewall thickness (t); 
 a plurality of production ports extending through the sidewall thickness (t) and coupling the inside diameter (ID) and the outside diameter (OD); and 
 a fluid flow assembly positioned in each of the plurality of production ports, each fluid flow assembly including:
 a radially interior burst disc; and 
 a degradable fluid flow orifice positioned radially outside of the radially interior burst disk, the degradable fluid flow orifice configured to degrade over time after the radially interior burst disc has burst to increase a flow volume through the production port. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is an erodible fluid flow orifice having a hardness less than a hardness of the tubular. 
     
     
         13 . The well system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the erodible fluid flow orifice comprises a low alloy steel, an Aluminum alloy, a Brass alloy, a Copper alloy, a Magnesium alloy, or an Iron-Carbon alloy. 
     
     
         14 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is an erodible fluid flow orifice having a hardness at least 20% less than a hardness of the tubular. 
     
     
         15 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is a dissolvable fluid flow orifice. 
     
     
         16 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , further including a dissolvable plug sealing the degradable fluid flow orifice. 
     
     
         17 . The well system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the dissolvable plug comprises a Magnesium based alloy, an Aluminum based alloy, a (PGA) Polyglycolic acid polymer, a (PLA) Polylactic acid polymer, or a (PHBV) Poly hydroxybutyrate-co-Hydroxy valerate polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degradable fluid flow orifice is part of housing located within the production port. 
     
     
         19 . The well system as recited in  claim 18 , further including one or more sealing elements positioned between the housing and the production port. 
     
     
         20 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of production ports include a first set of radially spaced apart production ports and a second set of radially spaced apart production ports, the first and second sets axially offset from one another along the length (l). 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 forming a wellbore through one or more subterranean formations; and   positioning production tubing having a production sub coupled thereto within the wellbore, the production sub including:
 a tubular having a length (l), an inside diameter (ID), an outside diameter (OD), and a sidewall thickness (t); 
 a plurality of production ports extending through the sidewall thickness (t) and coupling the inside diameter (ID) and the outside diameter (OD); and 
 a fluid flow assembly positioned in each of the plurality of production ports, each fluid flow assembly including:
 a radially interior burst disc; and 
 a degradable fluid flow orifice positioned radially outside of the radially interior burst disk, the degradable fluid flow orifice configured to degrade over time after the radially interior burst disc has burst to increase a flow volume through the production port. 
 
   
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the production sub includes a first production port having a first fluid flow assembly therein and a second production port having a second fluid flow assembly therein. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 22 , further including applying a first pressure to the production sub, the first pressure bursting a first radially interior burst disc of the first fluid flow assembly, and then applying a second pressure to the production sub, the second pressure bursting a second radially interior burst disc of the second fluid flow assembly while a first degradable fluid flow orifice of the first fluid flow assembly maintains a pressure differential across the inside diameter (ID) and the outside diameter (OD) of the tubular. 
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the first degradable fluid flow orifice is a first erodible fluid flow orifice, and further including a second erodible fluid flow orifice located in the second production port. 
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , further including fully eroding the first and second erodible fluid flow orifices after bursting the second radially interior burst disc. 
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 25 , further including producing hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation, through the first and second production ports having the eroded first and second erodible fluid flow orifices.