We Claim:
1. A fluid discrimination system for use with a subterranean well, the system
comprising:
a fluid discriminator which selects through which of multiple outlet flow
5 paths a fluid composition flows, the selection being based on at least one direction
of flow of the fluid composition through the fluid discriminator, and the direction
being dependent on at least one fluid type in the fluid composition.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
first outlet flow path in response an increase in a ratio of desired to undesired fluid
10 in the fluid composition, and wherein the fluid discriminator selects a second outlet
flow path in response to a decrease in the ratio of desired to undesired fluid.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
first outlet flow path in response to the direction of flow being more radial, and
wherein the fluid discriminator selects a second outlet flow path in response to the
15 direction of flow being more rotational.
4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one direction
comprises opposite directions.
5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one direction
comprises first and second directions, and wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
2 0 first outlet flow path in response to flow of the fluid composition more in the first
direction, and wherein the fluid discriminator selects a second outlet flow path in
response to flow of the fluid composition more in the second direction.
6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flow of the fluid composition
in the first direction impinges on a structure, whereby the structure displaces and
2 5 the first outlet flow path is selected.
7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flow of the fluid composition
in the second direction impinges on the structure, whereby the structure displaces
and the second outlet flow path is selected.
8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the structure rotates in response to
3 0 the impingement of the fluid composition on the structure.
22 -
X . ^^ ^^^ oiuGi''^^ /^a^aR^P OVi ^tmy \4
9. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a fluid switch selects in which of
the first and second directions the fluid composition flows, wherein the fluid
switch directs the fluid composition to flow more in the first direction in response
to an increase in a ratio of desired to undesired fluid, and wherein the fluid switch
5 directs the fluid composition to flow more in the second direction in response to a
decrease in the ratio of desired to undesired fluid.
10. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first direction is radial.
11. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second direction is rotational.
12. A fluid discriminator for use with a subterranean well, the fluid
10 discriminator comprising:
a structure which displaces in response to a flow of a fluid composition,
whereby an outlet flow path of a majority of the fluid composition changes in
response to a change in a ratio of fluids in the fluid composition.
13. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the structure is
15 exposed to the flow of the fluid composition in at least first and second directions,
and wherein the outlet flow path changes in response to a change in a proportion of
the fluid composition which flows in the first and second directions.
14. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the structure is more
biased in a first direction by the flow of the fluid composition more in the first
2 0 direction, and wherein the structure is more biased in a second direction by the
flow of the fluid composition more in the second direction.
15. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first direction is
opposite to the second direction.
16. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and second
25 directions comprise at least one of the group including circumferential, axial,
longitudinal, lateral, and radial directions.
17. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 12, fiirther comprising a fluid
switch which directs the flow of the fluid composition to at least first and second
inlet flow paths.
3 0 18. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the structure is more
biased in a first direction by the flow of the fluid composition more through the
- 23 -
u k r t*
=«'="'"- 09:885^1*
first inlet flow path, and wherein the structure is more biased in a second direction
by the flow of the fluid composition more through the second inlet flow path.
19. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the structure pivots,
and thereby changes the outlet flow path, in response to a change in a proportion of
5 the fluid composition which flows through the first and second inlet flow paths.
20. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the structure rotates,
and thereby changes the outlet flow path, in response to a change in a proportion of
the fluid composition which flows through the first and second inlet flow paths.
21. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the structure rotates,
10 and thereby changes the outlet flow path, in response to a change in a ratio of
desired to undesired fluids.
22. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fluid switch
comprises a blocking device which at least partially blocks the flow of the fluid
composition through at least one of the first and second inlet flow paths.
15 23. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 22, wherein the blocking device
increasingly blocks one of the first and second inlet flow paths, in response to the
flow of the fluid composition toward the other of the first and second inlet flow
paths.
24. A fluid discriminator as claimed in claim 22, wherein the fluid switch
2 0 directs the flow of the fluid composition toward one of the first and second inlet
flow paths in response to the blocking device increasingly blocking the other of the
first and second inlet flow paths.
25. A method as claimed in discriminating between fluids flowed in a
subterranean well, the method comprising:
2 5 providing a fluid discriminator which selects through which of multiple
outlet flow paths a fluid composition flows in the well, the selection being based
on at least one direction of flow of the fluid composition through the fluid
discriminator, and the direction being dependent on a ratio of the fluids in the fluid
composition.
3 0 26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
first outlet flow path in response an increase in the ratio of fluids, and wherein the
24
fluid discriminator selects a second outlet flow path in response to a decrease in the
ratio of fluids.
27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
first outlet flow path in response to the direction of flow being more radial, and
5 wherein the fluid discriminator selects a second outlet flow path in response to the
direction of flow being more rotational.
28. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one direction
comprises opposite directions.
29. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one direction
10 comprises first and second directions, and wherein the fluid discriminator selects a
first outlet flow path in response to flow of the fluid composition more in the first
direction, and wherein the fluid discriminator selects a second outlet flow path in
response to flow of the fluid composition more in the second direction.
30. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the flow of the fluid
15 composition in the first direction impinges on a structure, whereby the structure
displaces and the first outlet flow path is selected.
31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the flow of the fluid
composition in the second direction impinges on the structure, whereby the
structure displaces and the second outlet flow path is selected.
20 32. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the structure rotates in response
to the impingement of the fluid composition on the structure.
33. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein a fluid switch selects in which of
the first and second directions the fluid composition flows, wherein the fluid
switch directs the fluid composition to flow more in the first direction in response
25 to an increase in the ratio of fluids, and wherein the fluid switch directs the fluid
composition to flow more in the second direction in response to a decrease in the
ratio of fluids.
34. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first direction is radial.
35. A method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the second direction is
3 0 rotational.