Patent attributes
A flow conditioning opening may be used to manipulate the flow of particulates in a particulate laden fluid in a downhole environment. The particulate flow may be manipulated towards or away from openings downstream of the flow conditioning opening. For example, a perforation cluster may include a flow conditioning opening extending from the wellbore into the subterranean formation that is aligned axially along the wellbore with and uphole of a perforation, wherein the flow conditioning opening has at least one of the following characteristics selected from the group consisting of: the flow conditioning opening having a smaller cross-sectional area at a wellbore face than the perforation, the flow conditioning opening having a smaller volume in the subterranean formation than the perforation, the flow conditioning opening having a smaller depth into the subterranean formation than the perforation, and any combination thereof.
