MX2009001906A

MX2009001906A - Autonomous inflow restrictors for use in a subterranean well.

Info

Publication number: MX2009001906A
Application number: MX2009001906A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Rune Freyer; Geirmund Saetre; William Richards; Gerry Kennedy
Original assignee: Halliburton Energy Serv Inc
Priority date: 2006-08-21
Filing date: 2007-08-10
Publication date: 2009-03-09
Also published as: WO2008024645A3; US20080041580A1; AU2007286918A1; WO2008024645A2; BRPI0715720A2; EP2146049A2; NO20091161L; EP2052128A2

Abstract

Autonomous flow restrictors for use in a subterranean well. An apparatus is disclosed for use in a well wherein both oil and gas are produced. The apparatus includes multiple flow blocking members having a density less than that of the oil. The members are positioned within a chamber with the members increasingly restricting a flow of the gas out of the chamber through multiple outlets. Another apparatus is disclosed for restricting production of at least one undesired fluid which has a density different from a density of a desired fluid. The apparatus includes at least one flow restrictor and at least one bypass flow restrictor. The bypass restrictor may have a greater restriction to flow therethrough as compared to the other flow restrictor. The apparatus further includes multiple flow blocking members operative to increasingly restrict flow of the undesired fluid through the flow restrictor in response to an increased proportion of the undesired fluid.

Description

AUTONOMOUS AFFLOWANCE FLOW RESTRICTORS FOR USE IN A UNDERGROUND WELL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a used equipment and operations developed together with an underground well, and in the modalities described below, very particularly, it provides an apparatus for automatically controlling the inflow or inflow of an underground formation within a tubular chain. located in the well.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When the proportion of formation water and / or formation gas produced from a well becomes excessive, in many cases production has to be stopped. The advance of water or gas can vary along the well from one area to another, and depends on the container or reservoir and its permeability, pressure communication in the reservoir, flow closure and other non-homogeneities in the reservoir. Deposit. However, closing an area that mainly produces water can result in increased production from other areas in the well, which can produce mainly oil. In recent years, this knowledge has led to the development of systems that include controlled valves on the surface and adjustable nozzles. Some of the disadvantages associated with such a system are the technical complexity and the need for a complicated type of drilling, resulting in poor reliability. Another disadvantage is that these systems typically restrict the flow area of the pipe that is located inside the well. Certain well installations benefit because they have a flow restriction device in a well screen. For example, said flow restriction devices have been useful to prevent the water from closing in its flow, production to be balanced from prolonged horizontal intervals, etc. These flow restriction devices are sometimes referred to as inflow or inflow control devices. In certain proposed influx control devices, the devices are adapted to counteract the frictional effects caused by the flow of fluids through the pipe. However, these devices do not have the ability to regulate the pressure drop across the system, based on the cutoff of water in the fluid. Before they flow into the pipe, the produced fluids have to flow through a fixed flow restriction, such as a capillary tube or nozzle, typically arranged around the pipe in the form of a helical thread; the fluid flows through the grooves in the thread. Another inflow control device is used, when it is desired that the gas be produced from a well, without simultaneous production of water. The device is equipped with controlled, spherical, and buoyancy-stacked elements, each of which has a density less than that of water. At the moment of entering the water from that formation, the elements become floating and close one or more of the openings, as to prevent the water from flowing inside the pipe. In fact, another proposed flow control device includes a flow chamber secured to the pipe, and provided with floating bodies, each having a density almost equal to that of the forming water. The camera is formed with an inlet and surround nozzles that provide fluid communication between the pipe and the formation. When the inflow includes a sufficient proportion of water, the floating bodies become floatable, and said bodies float from a position within the chamber, distant from the nozzles to a position that closes or covers the nozzles, thereby restricting the influx inside the pipeline. From the above, it is obvious that improvements are needed in the technique, of automatic control of affluence in the wells. These improvements could be useful in operations as well.

SUMMARY OF THE IWE1CIOH In carrying out the principles of the present invention, an apparatus is provided, which solves at least one problem in the art. Next, an example is described in which the flow of gas, or alternative water or gas, is restricted, along with the oil produced. Another example is provided, where the functions are included to prevent the outputs of the devices from becoming clogged, and in a similar manner. According to a described modality, an apparatus is provided to restrict the flow of fluids unwanted from an underground formation inside a tubular chain, located in a well that produces hydrocarbons. The apparatus includes a flow housing, secured to the tubular chain and adapted to surround outlets that communicate the tubular chain with the formation through the housing. The housing has an inlet for the fluid, and is provided with fluid blocking members, which when the fluid does not primarily include oil, are adapted to float from a position within the housing, distant from the outlets to a position lock, covering or in some other way increasingly restricting the flow through the exits. Preferably, the fluid blocking members are in the form of spheres. If the unwanted fluid is gas, then preferably the members have a lower density than the oil, such as to increasingly close or regulate the flow within the tubular chain when an increased proportion of gas is produced. If the unwanted fluid is water, then preferably the elements will have a density approximately equal to water. Alternatively, the elements may have a density lower than that of water, or greater than that of oil or gas (what you want from the above, so that they are produced and have a higher density). As another alternative, some of the elements may have a density, approximately equal to that of water, and some of the members or elements may have a density less than that of water. The exits are preferably provided with restaurants. Some of the restrictors may have flow restriction between them different from the other restrictors. Some of the restrictors can be used to circumvent the effect of the elements that block the flow, so that the elements that block the flow have no effect on the flow through these restrictors. Alternatively, the flow blocking elements can be increasingly coupled and restricted to the flow through the restrictors, without completely avoiding the flow through the restrictors. When undesired gas along with desired oil is produced, it is possible to restrict the gas flow, using flow restrictors, whose density is lighter than the oil produced, preferably from about 600 kg / m3 to about 800 kg / m3. Similarly, in case that the quantities of unwanted water produced or gas, the water flow can be increasingly restricted by the addition of flow blocking elements having a density equal to the density of the formation water, normally around 1.030 kg / m3 . At the time of water production, the elements can become neutrally floatable, and have the capacity to increasingly restrict the flow through the exits, due to the drag caused by the flow through the exits. By using tubular extensions for the outlets, a desired pressure flow can be maintained, while a larger internal diameter is allowed, compared to a simple nozzle. Deviation of exits, or restrictors that are not closed by the elements, allow part of the flow of oil and gas or water within the tubular chain to pass, and not completing the stoppage of production to a higher level of gas or closure of water. To reduce the flow from several areas of the formation that powerfully produce an excessively large proportion of gas or water, more than one apparatus can be disposed at relatively short intervals along the tubular chain; how these devices operate independently one of another and with an immediate response, a greater selectivity and better control is achieved. Therefore, an apparatus is provided for use in a well, where the fluid that is produced includes both oil and gas. The apparatus includes multiple flow blocking elements, each of the elements has a lower density than that of oil. The elements are positioned inside a camera, so that these elements increasingly restrict a gas flow out of the chamber through multiple outputs. An apparatus is also provided to restrict the production of at least one unwanted fluid from a well, the unwanted fluid having a density different from the density of the desired fluid. The apparatus includes at least one flow restrictor and at least one flow restrictor of bypass. The deviation restrictor may also have a greater restriction to flow through it, compared to the other flow restrictor. The apparatus also includes multiple flow blocking elements. The elements are operative to increasingly restrict the flow of unwanted fluid through the flow restrictor in response to an increased rate of flow. unwanted fluid These and other features, advantages, benefits, and objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon careful consideration of the detailed description of "Representative embodiments of the present invention herein, as well as their annexed figures, in which similar elements, are indicated in the various figures using the same reference numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a well system with the principles that modalize the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus, modeling the principles of the invention, which can be used in the well system of Figure 1, the apparatus includes a flow housing and flow blocking elements in the form of spheres that have a lower density than petroleum; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an alternate configuration of the apparatus, wherein the spheres have a density increased, same that are included; Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another alternate configuration of the apparatus, including tubular restrictor extensions of fluid outlets and liquid bypass outlets, respectively; Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus, taken along line 4A-4A of Figure 4; Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another alternate configuration of the apparatus, similar to that of the configuration of Fig. 3, but including tubular restrictor extensions of the fluid outlets and the diverting outlets respectively; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of another alternate configuration of the apparatus; Figure 7 is a schematic sectional view of another alternate embodiment of the apparatus, wherein both the fluid restrictors and the diversion restrictors are connected between the outputs and an excluder; Figure 8 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view illustrating different input shapes of the fluid restrictors and deflection restrictors in the configuration of Figure 7; Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus with separated stratified layers of gas, oil and water in a chamber of the apparatus; and Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus with mixtures of different proportions of gas, oil and water in the chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention described herein can be used in various orientations, such as inclined, inverted, horizontal, vertical, etc., and in various configurations, without departing from the principles of the present invention. The embodiments are simply described as examples of useful applications of the principles of the invention, which are not limited to any specific details of these modalities. In the following description, of the representative embodiments of the invention, the Directional terms, such as "up", "down", "upper", "lower", etc., are used for convenience to refer to the attached drawings or figures. The modalities described below, each include an apparatus that automatically controls the flow from an underground formation within a tubular chain, located in a well producing hydrocarbons. Although the figures illustrate a tubular chain, oriented in a horizontal direction, it should be understood that the invention is applicable to tubular chains oriented in the vertical direction, as well as to any other direction. The formation from which the fluid is produced can be found either on the coast or outside it. Representatively illustrated in Figure 1 is a well system 40 that modalizes the principles of the present invention. A tubular chain 5 (such as a tubular chain to production) is installed in a well bore 41 of a well. The tubular chain 5 includes multiple well screens 1, generally positioned horizontally and uncoated, of the well borehole 41. One or more of the well 1 screens can be place in an isolated portion of the wellbore 41, for example, between packages 42 established in the wellbore. In addition, or alternatively, many of the well screens 1 may be positioned in a long and continuous portion of the wellbore 41, without gaskets that isolate the wellbore between the screens. Gravel beds can be provided around or near the well 1 screens if desired. A variety of additional well equipment (such as for example valves, sensors, pumps, control and activation devices), etc., which could also be provided in the well system 40. It should also be clearly understood that the system Well 40, is simply representative of a well system where the principles of the invention can be used beneficially. However, the invention is not limited in any way to the details of the well system 40 described herein. For example, the screens 1 could instead be positioned in a perforated portion and lined with a well bore, the screens could be positioned in a generally vertical portion of a well bore, the screens could be used in an injection well , instead of a production well, etc. As will be fully described below, the screens 1, each of them are part of an apparatus 20, including an inflow control device. However, it should be clearly understood that it is not necessary for the apparatus 20 to include a screen 1, since an inflow control device can be used apart from the screen if desired. Each apparatus 20 functions to variably restrict flow from an adjacent zone within the tubular chain 5. When the zone corresponding to a particular area of the devices 20, produces a greater proportion of an unwanted fluid, (such as water, or some times gas), the device will increasingly restrict the flow from that area. Therefore, the other zones, which are producing a greater proportion of desired fluid (such as oil), will contribute more to the production through the tubular chain 5. In particular, there will be a greater pressure drop from the formation towards the chain tubular 5, resulting in a greater production of desired fluid, due to the increased restriction, to flow from the areas that produce higher proportions of unwanted fluid.

As representatively illustrated in Figure 2, the apparatus 20 includes a flow housing 2, secured to the tubular chain 5, for example, with the housing secured to a tubing interconnected as part of the tubular chain. The outlets 4, provide fluid communication between an inner chamber 24 of the housing 2, and an inner part of the tubular chain 5. The oil to be produced from that formation, has the ability to flow into the tubular chain 5 , at a speed partially determined by the number of outputs 4, and the areas of length and flow thereof. The outputs 4, for example, may be in the form of nozzles or other types of flow restrictors. An inlet 21 is formed at one end of the housing 2 to receive fluid 25 from an underground formation 26. To prevent clogging due to the presence of particles and other debris in the forming fluid 25, the inlet 21 may be provided. with a suitable filter 9. A screen 1, of an appropriate kind, can be placed upstream of the inlet 21. Alternatively, the housing 2 could be positioned upstream of the screen 1 if it is you want The screen 1 does not need to remain adapted to the principles of the invention. One or more flow blocking elements 7 in the form of spheres, are present inside the housing 2 to restrict the flow of undesired portions of the fluid 25, through the outlets 4, for example, when the oil produced includes undesirable amounts of gas. Then, the density of each of the elements 7, is preferably less than that of the oil, allowing each to maintain, either a position within the housing 2, distant from the outlets 4 (when only a very small amount of proportion is present). of gas, in chamber 24), or a position (not shown), which closes or regulates the flow through the outlets (when a greater proportion of gas is present in the chamber). Therefore, when the fluid 25 is mainly petroleum, the elements 7 will be placed relatively distant from the outlets 4, for example, to the upper part of the chamber 24. However, when a sufficient proportion of gas is also present in the fluid 25, the elements 7 will restrict the flow of the gas by closing it or by diverting the flow through certain of the outlets 4.

It should be understood that, although the elements 7 are described in the figures and are described in the present invention as in the form of spheres, other shapes (such as cylindrical, prismatic, etc.) can be used to stay within the principles of the invention. Nor is it necessary for a particular element 7 to completely block the flow through a respective output 4, since that element could instead simply simply incrementally restrict the flow through the output, if desired. By selecting an average preferred density of about 600 kg / m3 to about 800 kg / m3, and keeping in mind that the density of the oil is typically somehow less than 900 kg / m3, the elements 7 will be in a buoyancy or in a "free floating" state, as soon as the gas potentially included in the fluid does not reduce the overall density of the fluid 25, below the density of the selected element. On the other hand, if the inflow of gas should result in a general density of the fluid, approximately equal to the density of the element, then the elements 7 will have a "neutral buoyancy" and will be dragged to the outputs 4, due to the pressure drop on them. The respective output 4 can be blocked by means of a single element 7, or alternatively, it can be blocked by means of several elements. The density of. elements 7, preferably it is between the density of the oil and the density of gas. If gas and oil are separated in chamber 24 (ie, with the lower density of gas over the higher oil density), then elements 7 will be positioned at an interface between oil and gas. As the interface descends in the chamber 24 (ie, there is an increased proportion of gas in the chamber), an increased number of the outputs 4 will be blocked by the elements 7. As the interface ascends in the chamber 24 (ie, there is an increased proportion of oil in the chamber), the elements 7 will block a decreasing number of the outputs 4. Therefore, the apparatus 20 provides multiple benefits. As the gas ratio increases, the restriction for the flow of fluids 25 also increases through the housing 2. Additionally, the elements 7 block the outlets 4, which are more exposed to the gas in the chamber 24, thereby providing a greater pressure drop across the apparatus, increasing the pressure drop across the other zones in the well; thus allowing a greater production of oil from the other zones to flow within the tubular chain 5. There may be cases where a complete shutdown of production is undesirable, no matter how large the proportion of gas in the fluid 25. The optional diverting outlets 3 can be used to provide communication between the interior of the housing 2 and the interior of the tubular chain 5, thereby allowing some production, even when the elements 7 could have a closure or deflection of flow through the remaining exits 4 (such as, in case of large quantities of gas in the fluid 25). For example, the deviation outputs 3 may for example be in the form of nozzles or other types of flow restrictors. Preferably, the outlets 3 have a greater restriction to the flow between them, compared to the outlets 4, for example, so that the fluid 25, contains a large proportion of gas, only a very limited flow through the outlets will be allowed. 3, .

The elements 7, are retained and distant from the deviation outputs 3, by means of an excluder 6 in the form of a spacer ring secured to the tubular chain 5, and having a height to prevent the passage of the elements 7 to the outputs of deviation. Other types of exclusors (such as filters, siphons, etc.) may be used to stay within the principles of the invention. To avoid an excessive amount of gas being produced, from multiple zones, the fluid 25 from different zones can be individually restricted by arranging more than one apparatus 20 along the tubular chain 5. One or more apparatuses can be used to control the flow of fluids from each corresponding zone. As a result, the well will produce an increased proportion of oil, due to the fact that the zones that produce excessive amounts of gas, are closed or are increasingly regulated by the corresponding apparatus 20. An alternative configuration of the apparatus 20, is representatively illustrated in Figure 3. A significant difference between the configurations of Figures 2 and 3 is that the configuration of Figure 2 includes the presence of additional members 8 in chamber 24, each of these members or elements have a density approximately equal to that of water, or at least greater density than that of oil. The elements 8 of the configuration of figure 3, preferably have a density of about 1.030 kg / m3. The elements 7 in the configuration of figure 3, preferably have a density of about 600 kg / m3 to about 800 kg / m3. The density of the elements 8 is preferably about the density of the water, although the density of the elements 8 can be between the density of the water and the density of the oil if desired. The density of the elements 7 is preferably between the petroleum density and the density of the gas. The addition of said heavier elements 8, provides the ability to increasingly restrict the flow of fluid 25, not only when excessive gas is produced together with oil, but also when excess water is produced. Unlike the lower density elements 7, the heavier elements 8 are preferably not as floatable as the well is producing a sufficient proportion of oil. Conversely, in this situation, the elements 8 would preferably be positioned in a bottom portion of the chamber 24. The "neutral buoyancy" of the elements 8 only occurs when a sufficient proportion of water is produced, to cause a sufficiently increased proportion of water in the fluid produced 25. When the density of the fluid 25 increases by a sufficient amount, the heavier elements 8 become neutrally floatable, and are entrained by the water phase and couple the outlets 4, due to the pressure drop through of the outlets, thus restricting the flow of fluids within the tubular chain 5. There may be some concerns regarding the blocking, etc., of the fluid outlets 4 and the outlets of deviation 3, if they have diameters very small interns. To avoid such problems, figures 4-8 describe other configurations of the apparatus 20. These embodiments are generally similar to those described above, and differ from them, at least in part by having tubular flow restrictors 10, 11, providing flow passages between the interior of the housing 2 and the fluid outlets 4 and the outlets of deviation 3, respectively. The restrictors 10, 11, allow larger dimensions of internal passage, than those possible for the outputs 4, 3, while still maintaining desired pressure drops between the interior of the housing 2 and the interior of the tubular chain 5. The housing 2 can include elements 7, which have a density between that of oil and gas, or, alternatively, elements 8, 7, which have a density between that of oil and water (or approximately equal to water), and less than that of oil, respectively, as described above. Both flow restrictors 10 and deflection restrictors 11 are preferably formed with a portion extending parallel to the tubular chain 5, as described in Figures 4-6. The ends of the flow restrictors 10, opposite the outlets 4, are secured to the extruder 6, appropriately. The elements 7, are retained and distant from the diversion restrictors 11, by means of the excluder 6. In addition, the excluder 6 is provided with shutter seats 22, which flow from the chamber 24, within the corresponding restrictor 10, and so both are prevented from flowing from the chamber 24; by at least it is increasingly restricted. As described in the configuration of Figure 7, the deviation restrictors are longer than the flow restrictors 10. In this way, the flow passing through the deviation restrictors 11 is more restrictive compared to the flow which passes through the flow restrictors 10, so that less fluid is produced when the elements 7, 8, avoid or increasingly restrict the flow through the flow restrictors. Other methods may be used to provide an increased restriction to flow, through the deviation restrictors 11. For example, the flow area of each deviation restrictor 11 may be less than the flow area of each flow restrictor. , the total flow area of the deviation restrictors, may be less than the total flow area of the flow restrictors (for example, providing smaller deviation restrictors than flow restrictors), deviation constraints may be provided with trajectories of tortuous or sinuous flow. Therefore, any way to increasingly restrict the flow through the deviation restrictors 11 in relation to the flow passing through the flow restrictors 10, can be used to stay within the principles of the invention. To reduce the height of the housing 2, the diversion restrictors 11, can also be connected to the excluder 6, as described in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this configuration, the inputs 23 to the diversion restrictors 11, have a shape that prevents elements 7, 8, completely blocking the deviation inputs. However, when one of the elements 7, 8, which are coupled to one of the inputs 23, flows within the corresponding deviation restrictor 11, and is preferably restricted in an increased manner. It should be noted that, in the configuration of Figures 7 and 8, the fluid 25, enters the entrances of the restrictors 10, 11, in the same direction as the fluid flows inside the chamber 24. In this way, the fluid 25 applies both dynamic and static pressure to the inputs of the flow restrictors 10, 11. In contrast, in the configuration of FIG. 6, the fluid 25 changes the direction to enter the inputs of the restrictors 10, 11, and thus the fluid applies its tcially only static pressure at the entrances of the rest rictores. Now, it will be fully appreciated that the apparatus 20 described above in its various configurations, has the ability to achieve a variety of desirable benefits in different situations. For example, when it is desired to limit the production of water from a gas bore (ie, it is desired to produce gas, but not water), the configurations of FIGS. 1, 7 can be used (although the elements 8 in the Figures 3 and 5-8, can not be used), with the elements 7, each having a density approximately equal to, or less than, that of water. In this way, the elements 7, could have either neutral buoyancy in the water, or they will float on top of the water, when the water enters the housing 2, and the elements, therefore will have to be transported by the water to the outlets 4 , or the plug seats 22 will thereby increasingly restrict or increasingly prevent the flow of water within the tubular chain 5. As another example, when it is desired to limit the production of gas from an oil well (i.e. , it is desired to produce oil but not gas), the configurations of Figures 2-8 can be used again (although the elements 8 in Figures 3 and 5-8 can not be used), with the elements 7, each having a lower density than that of the oil. In this way, the elements 7, will float above the oil, or will remain in the upper part of the housing 2, and out of the outlets 4 or the shutter seats 22, as described in figure 4A, until it occurs a sufficient proportion of gas, to allow the elements to descend into the housing, and to close (or at least more restrictively) the flow through the outlet. This will restrict or prevent the flow of gas from entering the tubular chain. 5 It should be noted that the case of production of gas restriction from an oil well is very different from the case of restricting the production of water from a gas well. . When the production of gas is restricted from an oil well, the elements 7 are preferably but not neutrally floating in the liquid phase (oil), otherwise, the elements would be transported with the liquid flow to the outlets 4 or shutter seats 22. When water production is restricted from a gas well, the elements 7 can be neutrally floating in the liquid phase (the water), since it is desired that the elements be carried with the flow of liquid towards the outlets 4 or shutter seats 22, to restrict the flow of liquid inside the tubular chain 5. In fact another example, when you want to limit the production of gas and water from an oil well (that is, you want to produce oil, but not gas or water), the configurations of Figures 3 and 5-8 can be used, where the elements 7 each have a lower density than that of the oil, and the elements 8, each have a greater density than that of oil. The elements 7 will preferably have densities between the oil and gas densities, and the elements 8 will preferably have densities between the oil and water densities, or approximately equal to the density of the water. In this manner, the elements 7 will float above the oil, or will remain in the upper part of the housing 2, and away from the outlets 4 and the shutter seats 22, as described in Figure 4A, until a sufficient proportion of gas to allow the elements to descend into the housing, and to close (or at least increasingly restrict) the flow through the outputs. This will restrict or prevent the flow of gas within the tubular chain 5. The elements 8, will remain in the lower part of the housing 2 and outside the outlets 4 or the shutter seats 22, until a sufficient proportion of water is produced to allow the elements to ascend in the housing, and to close (or at least more restrictively) the flow through the exits. This will restrict or prevent the flow of water within the tubular chain 5. The characteristics of the apparatus 20 are illustrated schematically in Figure 9. The outputs 3, 4 are described in Figure 9 as being vertically distributed and providing communication between them. the chamber 24 (to the left of the illustration) and the interior of the tubular chain 5 (to the right of the illustration). Of course, in the apparatus 20, as shown in the previous figures 2-8, the outputs 3, 4 are not linearly distributed as described in figure 9, but it will be appreciated that, because the outputs are formed radially around the tubular chain 5, some of the outlets are vertically higher, and some of the outlets are vertically lower, relative to the other exits. Therefore, Figure 9 schematically represents this vertical distribution of the outlets 3, 4 as well as the vertical distribution of the seats and inlets 22, 23 of the restrictors 10, 11. In this example, the fluid 25 is stratified in the chamber 24 within a layer of water 27, a layer of oil 28, and a gas layer 29. Some of the elements 7 are blocking (or at least increasingly restricting) the flow of gas 29, through the outlets 3. , 4 within the tubular chain 5, and some of the elements 8, are blocking (or at least increasingly restricting) the flow of water 27, through the outlets within the tubular chain. Therefore, since the fluid 25 contains a larger proportion of gas 29 and / or water 27, the flow through the apparatus 20 is increasingly restricted. An increased proportion of oil 28 in the fluid 25, however, results in a reduction of the flow through the apparatus 20, since less of the outlets will be blocked by the elements 7, 8. As an interface 30 between the water 27 and the oil 28 rises in chamber 24, more than elements 8 block (or at least restrict in a way increasing) the flow of water through the restrictors 10, 11, as the interface 30 descends in the chamber 24, the elements 8 can be decoupled from the seats and inlets 22, 23, to thereby allow more oil to flow 28 towards the restrictors 10, 11, and through the outlets 3, 4 inside the tubular chain 5. As an interface 31 between the gas 29 and the oil 28 descends in the chamber 24, more of the elements 7 block (or to the less restrict increasingly) the flow of gas through the restrictors 10, 11. As the interface 31 ascends in the chamber 24, the elements 7 can be decoupled from the seats and entries 22, 23, to allow more oil 28 flow through the restrictors 10, 11, and through the outlets 3, 4 towards the inside of the tubular chain 5. It should be noted that the elements 7, preferably are maintained at the interface 31, between the gas 29 and the oil 28, since the elements 7 are preferably m They are dense than oil, but they are not floating in the gas. However, elements 8 can be maintained at interface 30 between oil 28 and water 27 (for example, if elements 8 are less dense than water, but denser than oil), or elements 8 can be neutrally floating in water (for example, if the elements have approximately the same density as water). The restrictors 10, are described in Figure 9 with larger internal steps, compared with the restrictors 11. In this way, the flow through the restrictors 11 is more restricted compared to the flow through the restrictors 10. When one of the elements 7, 8, is coupled to an inlet 23 of one of the restrictors 11, the flow through the restrictor is increasingly restricted, but not completely avoided. Therefore, in the example of Figure 9, part of the gas 29 is allowed to flow through the restrictors 11, which are coupled with the elements 7, and part of the water 27, is allowed to flow through the restrictors lower ones that are coupled by the elements 8, but these flows are very restricted. This increased restriction to flow is due to the coupling between the elements 7, 8, and the respective inputs 23, and to the increased restriction to the flow through the restrictors 11. As described in FIG. 9, the coupling between the elements 7, 8, and the obturator seats 22, completely prevent the flow through the corresponding restrictors 10. However, said coupling could allow an increased restriction to the flow, without completely avoiding the flow itself if desired.

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVE CION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following is claimed as property: CLAIMS 1. An apparatus for use in an underground well, wherein the fluid produced includes both oil and gas, said apparatus comprising: multiple first flow blocking elements, each of these first elements having a lower density than that of oil, and First elements are positioned inside a chamber, so that the first elements increasingly restrict a gas flow out of the chamber, through multiple first outputs. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the entry passages between the chamber and the first exits are vertically distributed. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the input steps is provided with an input. which allows at least limited flow of gas through the corresponding passage when one of the first elements is coupled with the inlet. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a first portion of the entry passages has a greater flow restriction, than a second portion of the entry passages. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the first elements do not increasingly restrict the flow through the first portion of the inlet passages, in response to an increased proportion of gas in the chamber. 6. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the first elements increasingly restrict, but do not prevent, the flow through the first portion of the inlet passages in response to an increased proportion of gas in the chamber. . The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first elements increasingly restrict the flow of gas through an increased number of the first outputs in response to a proportion increased gas in the chamber. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the fluid produced also includes water, and wherein the apparatus further comprises multiple second flow blocking elements, each of the second elements, having a density greater than that of the oil , so that the second elements increasingly restrict a flow of water outwards, through multiple second exits. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the second elements are positioned in the same chamber as the first elements. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the first and second elements are not positioned in the same chamber. 11. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the input passages for the flow to the second outputs are vertically distributed. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one of the input steps is provided with an input which allows at least the limited flow of water through the corresponding passage when one of the second elements is coupled with the inlet. 13. The apparatus according to the rei indication 11, characterized in that a first portion of the entry passages has greater flow restriction than a second portion of the entry passages. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the second elements do not increasingly restrict the flow through the first portion of the inlet passages, in response to an increased proportion of water. 15. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the second elements increasingly restrict, but do not prevent, the flow through the first portion of the input passages in response to. an increased proportion of water. 16. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the second elements increasingly restrict the flow of water through an increased number of second outlets in response to an increased proportion of water. 17. An apparatus for restricting the production of at least one undesired first fluid from an underground well, the first fluid having a first density different from a second density of a second desired fluid, the apparatus comprising: at least a first flow restrictor, having a first flow restriction; at least one second flow restrictor having a second flow restriction; and multiple first blocking elements, the first elements are otive to increasingly restrict the flow of the first fluid, through the first restrictor, in response to an increased proportion of the first fluid. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the apparatus includes multiple first flow restrictors, and wherein the entry passages of the first restrictors are vertically distributed. 19. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the second flow restriction is greater than the first flow restriction. 20. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the first Elements increasingly restrict, but do not prevent, the flow of the first fluid through the second restoratives. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the second restrictors have inputs that prevent the complete flow blocking coupling between the first elements and the inputs. 22. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the first elements have a lower density than the second density of the second fluid. 23. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the first elements have a lower density than the first density of the first fluid. 24. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the first elements have a density approximately equal to the first density of the first fluid. 25. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that a third undesired fluid has a third density different from the first and second densities, and wherein the apparatus further comprises multiple second elements. of flow blocking, the second elements are otive to increasingly restrict the flow of the third fluid, through the first restrictor in response to an increased proportion of the third fluid. 26. The apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the apparatus includes multiple first flow restrictors, and wherein the entry passages of the first restrictors are vertically distributed. 27. The apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the second flow restriction is greater than the first flow restriction. 28. The apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the second elements increasingly restrict, but do not prevent, the flow of the third fluid through the second restrictors. 29. The apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the second restrictors have inputs that prevent the complete flow blocking coupling between the second elements and the inputs. 30. The apparatus in accordance with claim 25, characterized in that the second elements have a density less than the third density of the third fluid. 31. The apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the second elements have a density greater than the second density of the second fluid. 32. The apparatus according to the indication 25, characterized in that the second elements have a density approximately equal to the third density of the third fluid.