Method and apparatus for connecting shunt tubes to sand screen assemblies
First Claim
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1. A sand screen assembly for use downhole in a wellbore, comprising:
- a base pipe having an axial bore therethrough;
a filter media connected to the base pipe defining an annular bore between the base pipe and the filter media;
a first tubular end component connected to one end of the base pipe and substantially coaxially aligned therewith, and a second tubular end component connected to the other end of the base pipe and substantially coaxially aligned therewith, wherein the filter media is arranged between the tubular end components, each tubular end component comprising one or more flow ports adapted to communicate with the annular bore;
one or more shunt tubes arranged within the annular bore; and
a set of couplers adapted to connect the one or more shunt tubes to the first and second tubular end components, each coupler comprising a first end for connection to an end of a shunt tube and a second end for connection to the one or more flow ports of the first and second tubular end components, wherein the one or more flow ports are defined in the first and second tubular end components.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for connecting internal shunt tubes to tubular end components of a sand screen assembly by coupling each end of each shunt tube to ports formed in the tubular end components in an annular space between a base pipe and a filter media using a tubular coupler.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A sand screen assembly for use downhole in a wellbore, comprising:
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a base pipe having an axial bore therethrough; a filter media connected to the base pipe defining an annular bore between the base pipe and the filter media; a first tubular end component connected to one end of the base pipe and substantially coaxially aligned therewith, and a second tubular end component connected to the other end of the base pipe and substantially coaxially aligned therewith, wherein the filter media is arranged between the tubular end components, each tubular end component comprising one or more flow ports adapted to communicate with the annular bore; one or more shunt tubes arranged within the annular bore; and a set of couplers adapted to connect the one or more shunt tubes to the first and second tubular end components, each coupler comprising a first end for connection to an end of a shunt tube and a second end for connection to the one or more flow ports of the first and second tubular end components, wherein the one or more flow ports are defined in the first and second tubular end components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing a sand screen assembly, comprising:
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providing first and second tubular end components, each tubular end component having at least one port formed therein for conveyance of a fluid; arranging a base pipe having an axial bore therethrough between the first and second tubular end components such that the base pipe and the first and second tubular end components are substantially coaxially aligned; connecting a first end of a shunt tube to the at least one flow port of the first tubular end component using a first coupler; engaging a face of the first tubular end component with a stop element of the first coupler; connecting a second end of the shunt tube to the at least one flow port of the second tubular end component using a second coupler; engaging a face of the second tubular end component with a stop element of the second coupler; and applying a filter media around the base pipe to form an annular space between the base pipe and filter media wherein resides the shunt tube and first and second couplers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Coupler apparatus for use in manufacturing a sand screen assembly, the sand screen assembly comprising a base pipe connected to an end component, a filter media formed around and external to the base pipe to define an annular space between the base pipe and the filter media, and a shunt tube for connecting to the end component to reside in the annular space, the coupler apparatus comprising:
a tubular body defining an axial bore therethrough adapted to convey a fluid between the shunt tube and a port formed in the end component, the tubular body having a first end adapted to connect with the port of the end component, the tubular body having a second end formed opposite the first end and adapted to connect with the shunt tube, and the tubular body having a stop element adapted to engage an end of the shunt tube. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
Specification