US20080041588A1 - Inflow Control Device with Fluid Loss and Gas Production Controls - Google Patents

Abstract

Inflow control devices for sand control screens. An inflow control device for restricting flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore includes at least two of a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section and a reverse flow preventer section, and the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two sections. A well screen or liner includes a filter or inlet portion and an inflow control device including a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, the inflow control device being configured so that fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• The present application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No. 11/466,022, filed Aug. 21, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
BACKGROUND
• The present invention relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with subterranean wells and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides inflow control devices for sand control screens and open hole liners, such as but not limited to, slotted or perforated liners and any configuration of screens, liners and inflow control devices.
• Certain well installations benefit from having a flow restriction device in a well screen. For example, such flow restriction devices have been useful in preventing water coning, balancing production from long horizontal intervals, etc. These flow restriction devices are sometimes referred to as “inflow control devices.”
• Unfortunately, typical inflow control devices do not provide fluid loss and gas production control. Thus, prior inflow control devices may be unsuited for certain situations where an overbalanced condition may exist, or restriction of gas production may be desired.
• Therefore, it may be seen that improvements are needed in the art of well screens having inflow control devices. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide such improvements.
SUMMARY
• In carrying out the principles of the present invention, a well screen and associated inflow control device are provided which solve at least one problem in the art. One example is described below in which the inflow control device is configured so that it performs multiple functions in controlling flow downhole. Another example is described below in which the inflow control device is conveniently constructed so that the multiple functions are performed in series as fluid flows between the interior and exterior of a tubular string in a well.
• In one aspect, an inflow control device for controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore is provided. The inflow control device includes at least two of a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section and a reverse flow preventer section. The inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through the at least two sections.
• In another aspect, a well screen or other tubular string (such as a slotted or perforated liner, etc.) is provided which includes a filter portion and an inflow control device. The inflow control device includes a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section. The inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.
• These and other features, advantages, benefits and objects of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the detailed description of representative embodiments of the invention hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, in which similar elements are indicated in the various figures using the same reference numbers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a schematic partially cross-sectional view of a well system embodying principles of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale cross-sectional view of a well screen which may be used in the system ofFIG. 1, the well screen including an inflow control device embodying principles of the present invention;
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the well screen with a reverse flow preventer section of the inflow control device being in a closed configuration;
• FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the well screen with an outer housing of the inflow control device removed, and with the reverse flow preventer section in an open configuration;
• FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the well screen with an outer housing of the inflow control device removed, and with the reverse flow preventer section in a closed configuration;
• FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate configuration of the well screen including an alternate configuration of the inflow control device embodying principles of the present invention; and
• FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the well screen ofFIG. 6 with an outer housing of the inflow control device removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention described herein may be utilized 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 described merely as examples of useful applications of the principles of the invention, which is not limited to any specific details of these embodiments.
• In the following description of the representative embodiments of the invention, directional terms, such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, etc., are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. In general, “above”, “upper”, “upward” and similar terms refer to a direction toward the earth's surface along a wellbore, and “below”, “lower”, “downward” and similar terms refer to a direction away from the earth's surface along the wellbore.
• Representatively illustrated inFIG. 1 is awell system10 which embodies principles of the present invention. Aproduction tubing string12 is installed in awellbore14 of a well. Thetubing string12 includesmultiple well screens16 positioned in an uncased generally horizontal portion of thewellbore14.
• One or more of thewell screens16 may be positioned in an isolated portion of thewellbore14, for example, betweenpackers17 set in the wellbore. In addition, or alternatively, many of thewell screens16 could be positioned in a long, continuous portion of thewellbore14, without packers isolating the wellbore between the screens.
• Thewell screens16 could alternatively be perforated or slotted liner, etc. Thus, it should be clearly understood that it is not necessary for thetubing string12 to include any particular element, and the term “well screen” can include elements such as slotted or perforated liners, etc.
• Gravel packs could be provided about any or all of thewell screens16, if desired. A variety of additional well equipment (such as valves, sensors, pumps, control and actuation devices, etc.) could also be provided in thewell system10.
• It should be clearly understood that thewell system10 is merely representative of one well system in which the principles of the invention may be beneficially utilized. However, the invention is not limited in any manner to the details of thewell system10 described herein. For example, thescreens16 could instead be positioned in a cased and perforated portion of a wellbore, the screens could be positioned in a generally vertical portion of a wellbore, the screens could be used in an injection well, rather than in a production well, etc.
• Referring additionally now toFIG. 2, an enlarged scale schematic cross-sectional view of thescreen16 is representatively illustrated. The wellscreen16 may be used in thewell system10, or it may be used in any other well system in keeping with the principles of the invention.
• Afluid18 flows inwardly through afilter portion20 of thescreen16. Thefilter portion20 is depicted inFIG. 2 as being made up of wire wraps with an outer shroud, but other types of filter material (such as mesh, sintered material, pre-packed granular material, etc.) may be used in other embodiments. If thescreen16 is a perforated or slotted liner, etc., then thefilter portion20 could be the slots, perforations, or other inlet portion thereof.
• Thefluid18 enters anannular space22 between thefilter portion20 and atubular base pipe24 of thescreen16. Thefluid18 then passes through aninflow control device26, and viaopenings38 into aflow passage28 extending longitudinally through thescreen16. When interconnected in thetubing string12 in thewell system10 ofFIG. 1, theflow passage28 is a part of a flow passage extending through the tubing string.
• Although theflow passage28 is depicted inFIG. 2 and others of the drawings as extending internally through thefilter portion20, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible in keeping with the principles of the invention. For example, the flow passage could be external to the filter portion, in an outer shroud of thescreen16, etc.
• Theinflow control device26 includes afluid discriminator section30, aflow restrictor section32 and a reverseflow preventer section34. Thesesections30,32,34 are preferably configured in series, so that thefluid18 flows through the sections in succession. Although three of thesections30,32,34 are illustrated inFIG. 2 and described below, it should be understood that, in appropriate circumstances, any two of the sections could be used instead.
• As depicted inFIG. 2, thefluid18 flows first into thefilter portion20, then through the reverseflow preventer section34, then through theflow restrictor section32, then through the fluiddiscriminator section30, and then into thepassage28. However, it should be clearly understood that any order of these elements may be used in keeping with the principles of the invention. For example, the reverseflow preventer section34 could be downstream of theflow restrictor32 and/orfluid discriminator30 sections, thefilter portion20 could be downstream of theinflow control device26, etc.
• Thefluid discriminator section30 is configured to prevent, or at least restrict, flow of undesired fluid components (e.g., formation water and/or gas) into thepassage28. Preferably, thesection30 includesmultiple bodies36 which operate to restrict or prevent flow throughmultiple openings38 formed in thebase pipe24.
• Thebodies36 may be spherical in shape and theopenings38 may be cylindrical in shape, or other shapes may be used, if desired. Note that some of thebodies36 may be designed to restrict flow of one undesired fluid component, and others of the bodies may be designed to restrict flow of another undesired fluid component. Alternatively, all of thebodies36 may be designed to restrict flow of the same undesired fluid component.
• Theopenings38 are spaced apart circumferentially about thebase pipe24, so that some of the openings are vertically higher than others of the openings. If thebodies36 have a density which is less than that of oil, then when the fluid18 contains a sufficiently large proportion of oil, the bodies will be grouped at the top of achamber40 of thesection30, away from most of the openings38 (as depicted inFIG. 2), and flow of the fluid through the openings will be relatively unrestricted.
• However, as the proportion of gas in the fluid18 increases, thebodies36 will be suspended progressively further downward in thechamber40, and the flow of the fluid will cause the bodies to engage theopenings38 and plug or at least increasingly restrict flow through the openings as the bodies descend in the chamber. If thebodies36 engage and increasingly restrict, but do not completely prevent, flow through theopenings38, then some significantly reduced flow of the fluid18 will still be permitted through these openings.
• As another alternative, at least one of theopenings38 could be configured or positioned so that thebodies36 cannot prevent flow through the opening. This would allow some bypass flow through that opening, even though thebodies36 may have engaged all of theother openings38.
• Thefluid discriminator section30 could, for example, utilize any of the fluid discriminating and/or bypass features described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/477,440, filed Mar. 29, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
• In thewell system10, this will result in increased restriction of flow through thosescreens16 which are producing a greater proportion of gas. Therefore, a greater proportion of oil will be produced from the well.
• If the bodies have a density which is approximately equal to that of formation water, then when the fluid18 contains a sufficiently large proportion of oil, the bodies will be grouped at the bottom of thechamber40, away from most of theopenings38, and flow of the fluid through the openings will be relatively unrestricted.
• However, as the proportion of formation water in the fluid18 increases, thebodies36 will be suspended progressively further upward in thechamber40, and the flow of the fluid will cause the bodies to engage theopenings38 and plug or at least increasingly restrict flow through the openings as the bodies ascend in the chamber. If thebodies36 engage and increasingly restrict, but do not completely prevent, flow through theopenings38, then some significantly reduced flow of the fluid18 will still be permitted through these openings.
• As another alternative, at least one of theopenings38 could be configured or positioned so that thebodies36 cannot prevent flow through the opening. This would allow some bypass flow through that opening, even though thebodies36 may have engaged all of theother openings38.
• In thewell system10, this will result in increased restriction of flow through thosescreens16 which are producing a greater proportion of water. Therefore, a greater proportion of oil will be produced from the well.
• By using a combination ofbodies36, some of which have a density less than that of oil, and some of which have a density approximately equal to that of formation water, production of both undesirable components (gas and formation water) can be reduced. Examples of fluid discriminators which restrict production of both gas and formation water are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/466,022, filed Aug. 21, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
• Theflow restrictor section32 preferably includesmultiple flow restrictors42 for restricting flow of the fluid18. Such flow restriction is desirable in some circumstances, for example, to deter water or gas coning, to regulate flow distribution along a wellbore, etc.
• In thesection32, therestrictors42 are preferably in the form of tubes, and most preferably the tubes are curved in a manner which forces the fluid18 to change momentum within the tubes (due to a change in direction of flow within the tube). In addition, the fluid18 is forced to change direction in flowing between the restrictors42 in achamber44 of thesection32. This change in direction between the restrictors42 may be more clearly seen in the view ofFIG. 4.
• The use of tubes for therestrictors42 is preferable because the tubes provide relatively large passages therein which are less easily obstructed by debris, as compared to an orifice or nozzle having an equivalent restriction to flow. However, other types of restrictors (such as orifices, nozzles, tortuous passages, etc.) may be used instead of, or in addition to, thetube restrictors42 if desired. Examples of various combinations of restrictor types are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/668,024, filed Jan. 29, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
• Note that functions of theflow restrictor section32 could be combined with those of thefluid discriminator section30, if desired. For example, theopenings38 could serve as the flow restrictors of theflow restrictor section32 if the openings are small enough to induce a significant pressure drop in the flow of the fluid18 through the openings. In that case, theopenings38 could be provided in the form of nozzles or orifices.
• Of course, theopenings38 could also serve as flow restrictors in addition to theflow restrictors42, if desired. In that case, thesection30 could perform both the fluid discriminating and flow restricting functions, and thesection32 could perform an additional flow restricting function. Thus, any combination of the functions performed by any of thesections30,32,34 may be performed by any of the other sections, or any combination of the sections, in keeping with the principles of the invention.
• The reverseflow preventer section34 is preferably used as a fluid loss control device. For example, in completion operations it sometimes occurs that an overbalanced condition results in loss of completion fluids into a formation surrounding a wellbore. This not only causes loss of expensive completion fluid, but can also lead to skin damage in the formation.
• Furthermore, while running a tubular string (such as thetubing string12 in the well system10) into a wellbore, it is preferable to be able to circulate through the tubular string. When the tubular string includes well screens, it is desirable to prevent the circulating flow from passing through the screens.
• As depicted inFIG. 2, the reverseflow preventer section34 permits flow of the fluid18 into thewell screen16, from an exterior of the tubing string12 (when used in the well system10) to theinterior passage28, but prevents a reverse direction of flow. When positioned between thefilter portion20 and theflow restrictor section32 as shown inFIG. 2, thesection34 permits flow from the filter portion to the flow restrictor section, but prevents flow from the flow restrictor section to the filter portion. Of course, thesection34 could be otherwise positioned in theinflow control device26 without departing from the principles of the invention.
• Thesection34 preferably includes a check valve made up of anannular shuttle46, a biasing device48 (such as a spring) and aseat50. The biasingdevice48 biases theshuttle46 toward theseat50 to close off flow through thesection34. A sufficient pressure differential across thesection34 will overcome the biasing force exerted by thedevice48 and will allow theshuttle46 to displace away from theseat50, thereby permitting flow through the section (as depicted inFIG. 2).
• Thecheck valve46,48,50 is shown in its closed configuration inFIGS. 3 and 5. Thecheck valve46,48,50 is shown in its open configuration inFIGS. 2 and 4.
• Note that other types of reverse flow preventing devices may be used in keeping with the principles of the invention. For example, descriptions of reverse flow preventing devices for use with well screens are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,108,083, 6,857,476, 6,886,634 and 7,096,945, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
• Referring additionally now toFIGS. 6 and 7, an alternate configuration of thewell screen16 is representatively illustrated. InFIG. 7, theinflow control device26 is shown with an outer housing removed therefrom. The configuration ofFIGS. 6 and 7 differs significantly from the configuration ofFIGS. 2-5, in that thefluid discriminator section30 is positioned upstream of the reverseflow preventer section34 and downstream of thefilter portion20, and different types of fluid discriminator and flowrestrictor sections30,32 are used.
• As depicted inFIG. 6, thefluid discriminator section30 includes thebodies36 which have a density approximately equal to that of formation water. Thebodies36 engage and seal off (or at least increasingly restrict flow through) horizontally extending and vertically distributedopenings52 formed through anannular bulkhead54 as the fluid18 contains an increased proportion of formation water. Theopenings52 could also serve as flow restrictors, for example, in the form of orifices or nozzles, etc., as described above for theopenings38.
• Note that thesection30 could also, or alternatively, include thebodies36 which have a density less than oil, so that flow is increasingly restricted through progressively more of theopenings52 as the fluid18 contains an increased proportion of gas. Thus, thesection30 could function to exclude (or at least increasingly restrict) flow of the fluid18 which includes a substantial proportion of gas and/or formation water. If thebodies36 engage and increasingly restrict, but do not completely prevent, flow through theopenings52, then some significantly reduced flow of the fluid18 will still be permitted through these openings.
• As another alternative, at least one of theopenings52 could be configured or positioned so that thebodies36 cannot prevent flow through the opening. This would allow some bypass flow through that opening, even though thebodies36 may have engaged all of theother openings52.
• Thefluid discriminator section30 could, for example, utilize any of the fluid discriminating and/or bypass features described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/477,440, filed Mar. 29, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
• Theflow restrictor section32 ofFIG. 6 includes theflow restrictor42 in the form of a helical structure which forces the fluid18 flowing therethrough to follow a helical flowpath. As discussed above, theflow restrictor section32 may include any type of flow restrictor, any number of flow restrictors, and any combination of different types of flow restrictors.
• The configurations of thewell screen16 described above and depicted inFIGS. 2-7 could be expanded radially outward downhole, if desired. For example, such expansion of thewell screen16 could provide alarger flow passage28 for production/injection and access, the expanded well screen could provide support for thewellbore14 to prevent collapse, eliminate or reduce the need for gravel packing, etc.
• To expand thewell screen16, a drift, inflatable membrane or other expansion device may be positioned in thepassage28, and pressure or force may be applied to radially outwardly deform the well screen. Any procedures and equipment may be used to expand the well screen16 (including the inflow control device26) in keeping with the principles of the invention.
• It may now be fully appreciated that thewell screen16 has many benefits over prior well screens. One important benefit is due to use of theinflow control device26 in thewell screen16. For example, theinflow control device26 is capable of preventing reverse flow through thesection34, desirably restricting flow through thesection32, and reducing flow of undesirable fluid components through thesection30.
• Accordingly, thewell screen16 has been described as including thefilter portion20 and theinflow control device26 which includes theflow restrictor section32, thefluid discriminator section30, and the reverseflow preventer section34. Theinflow control device26 is preferably configured so that the fluid18 which flows through thefilter portion20 also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverseflow preventer sections32,30,34.
• The flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverseflow preventer sections32,30,34 may be configured in series, so that the fluid18 which flows through thefilter portion20 also flows through each of the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections. The fluid18 may flow from thefilter portion20 to the reverseflow preventer section34, then through theflow restrictor section32, and then through thefluid discriminator section30.
• Theflow restrictor section32 may include at least onetube restrictor42, and the fluid18 may flow through an interior of the tube. The tube may be shaped so that the fluid18 which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube.
• Thefluid discriminator section30 may include at least onebody36 which increasingly restricts flow through at least oneopening38 in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in thefluid18. One or more of thebodies36 may have a density less than that of oil, so that the bodies increasingly restrict flow through theopenings38 when an increased proportion of gas is present in thefluid18. One or more of thebodies36 may have a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the bodies increasingly restrict flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in thefluid18.
• The reverseflow preventer section34 may include acheck valve46,48,50. The check valve may be positioned downstream of thefilter portion20 and upstream of theflow restricting section32.
• Of course, a person skilled in the art would, upon a careful consideration of the above description of representative embodiments of the invention, readily appreciate that many modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, and other changes may be made to these specific embodiments, and such changes are within the scope of the principles of the present invention. Accordingly, the foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (40)

1. An inflow control device for controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the inflow control device comprising:

at least two flow sections selected from a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, and

wherein the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections.

2. The inflow control device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two flow sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections.

3. The inflow control device ofclaim 2, wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the at least two flow sections.

4. The inflow control device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the flow restrictor section, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through an interior of the tube.

5. The inflow control device ofclaim 4, wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube.

6. The inflow control device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the fluid discriminator section, wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid.

7. The inflow control device ofclaim 6, wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid.

8. The inflow control device ofclaim 6, wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid.

9. The inflow control device ofclaim 1, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the reverse flow preventer section, and wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve.

10. The inflow control device ofclaim 9, wherein the check valve is positioned upstream of the flow restricting section.

11. An inflow control device for controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the inflow control device comprising:

a flow restrictor section;

a fluid discriminator section; and

a reverse flow preventer section, and

wherein the inflow control device is configured so that fluid which flows between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

12. The inflow control device ofclaim 11, wherein the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through each of the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

13. The inflow control device ofclaim 12, wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through the reverse flow preventer section, then through the flow restrictor section, and then through the fluid discriminator section.

14. The inflow control device ofclaim 11, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage also flows through an interior of the tube.

15. The inflow control device ofclaim 14, wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube.

16. The inflow control device ofclaim 11, wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid.

17. The inflow control device ofclaim 16, wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid.

18. The inflow control device ofclaim 16, wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid.

19. The inflow control device ofclaim 11, wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve.

20. The inflow control device ofclaim 19, wherein the check valve is positioned upstream of the flow restricting section.

21. A well screen, comprising:

a filter portion; and

an inflow control device including a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section, and the inflow control device being configured so that fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

22. The well screen ofclaim 21, wherein the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections are configured in series, so that the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through each of the flow restrictor, fluid discriminator and reverse flow preventer sections.

23. The well screen ofclaim 22, wherein the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through the reverse flow preventer section, then through the flow restrictor section, and then through the fluid discriminator section.

24. The well screen ofclaim 21, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the fluid which flows through the filter portion also flows through an interior of the tube.

25. The well screen ofclaim 24, wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube.

26. The well screen ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid discriminator section includes at least one body which increasingly restricts flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid.

27. The well screen ofclaim 26, wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid.

28. The well screen ofclaim 26, wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid.

29. The well screen ofclaim 21, wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve.

30. The well screen ofclaim 29, wherein the check valve is positioned downstream of the filter portion and upstream of the flow restricting section.

31. A method of controlling flow into a passage of a tubular string in a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an inflow control device including at least two flow sections selected from a flow restrictor section, a fluid discriminator section, and a reverse flow preventer section; and

flowing a fluid between an exterior of the tubular string and the passage, so that the fluid flows through each of the at least two flow sections.

32. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the at least two flow sections are configured in series, and wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing through each of the at least two flow sections in series.

33. The method ofclaim 32, wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage via each of the at least two flow sections.

34. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the flow restrictor section, wherein the flow restrictor section includes at least one tube, and wherein the flowing step further comprises the fluid flowing between the exterior of the tubular string and the passage via an interior of the tube.

35. The method ofclaim 34, wherein the tube is shaped so that the fluid which flows through the interior of the tube is forced to change momentum within the interior of the tube.

36. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the fluid discriminator section, and wherein the flowing step further comprises at least one body of the fluid discriminator section increasingly restricting flow through at least one opening in response to an increased proportion of an undesired component in the fluid.

37. The method ofclaim 36, wherein the body has a density less than that of oil, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of gas is present in the fluid.

38. The method ofclaim 36, wherein the body has a density approximately equal to that of formation water, so that the body increasingly restricts flow through the opening when an increased proportion of formation water is present in the fluid.

39. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the at least two flow sections includes the reverse flow preventer section, and wherein the reverse flow preventer section includes a check valve.

40. The method ofclaim 31, further comprising the step of expanding the inflow control device radially outward in the wellbore.

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