Sand Control Screen Assembly Having a Compliant Drainage Layer

• US 20120152528A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Greci, Stephen Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/227
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/088 Wire screens comprising porous materials E21B43/082; comprising woven materials E21B43/084

Abstract

A sand control screen assembly (300) includes a base pipe (302) having at least one opening in a sidewall thereof and a screen jacket positioned about the base pipe (302). The screen jacket includes a drainage layer (304) and a filter medium positioned about the drainage layer (304). The drainage layer (304) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs (306) and a wrap wire (308) positioned around the ribs (306) forming a plurality of turns having gaps therebetween. The ribs (306) includes a plurality of first ribs (310) having a first cross-sectional rib profile, shaped and sized to maintain an annular space between the wrap wire (308) and the base pipe (302) and a plurality of second ribs (312) having a second cross-sectional rib profile, shaped and sized to provide for a gap between the second ribs (312) and the base pipe (302).

Claims

1. A sand control screen assembly comprising:

a base pipe having at least one opening in a sidewall thereof; and

a screen jacket positioned about the base pipe, the screen jacket including a drainage layer and a filter medium positioned about the drainage layer, the drainage layer including a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs and a wrap wire positioned around the ribs forming a plurality of turns having gaps therebetween, the ribs including a plurality of first ribs having a first cross-sectional rib profile shaped and sized to maintain an annular space between the wrap wire and the base pipe and a plurality of second ribs having a second cross-sectional rib profile shaped and sized to provide for a gap between the second ribs and the base pipe.

2. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the screen jacket is positioned about a perforated section of the base pipe.

3. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the screen jacket is positioned about a nonperforated section of the base pipe.

4. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the filter medium further comprises a wire mesh filter medium.

5. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first ribs have a generally-trapezoidal cross-sectional rib profile and the second ribs have a circular cross-sectional rib profile.

6. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first ribs have a generally-trapezoidal cross-sectional rib profile and the second ribs have a rectangular cross-sectional rib profile.

7. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one second rib is circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.

8. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least two second ribs are circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.

9. A sand control screen assembly comprising:

a base pipe having at least one opening in a sidewall thereof; and

a screen jacket positioned about the base pipe, the screen jacket including a drainage layer and a filter medium positioned about the drainage layer, the drainage layer including a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs and a wrap wire positioned around the ribs forming a plurality of turns having gaps therebetween, the ribs including a plurality of first ribs and a plurality of second ribs, the first ribs have a nominal diameter in the radial direction that is greater than a nominal diameter in the radial direction of the second ribs to provide for a gap between the second ribs and the base pipe.

10. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the screen jacket is positioned about a perforated section of the base pipe.

11. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the screen jacket is positioned about a nonperforated section of the base pipe.

12. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the filter medium further comprises a wire mesh filter medium.

13. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the first ribs have a generally-trapezoidal cross-sectional rib profile and the second ribs have a circular cross-sectional rib profile.

14. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the first ribs have a generally-trapezoidal cross-sectional rib profile and the second ribs have a rectangular cross-sectional rib profile.

15. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least one second rib is circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.

16. The sand control screen assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least two second ribs are circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.

17. A screen jacket for positioning around a base pipe to form a sand control screen assembly, the screen jacket comprising:

a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs; and

a wrap wire positioned around the ribs forming a plurality of turns having gaps therebetween;

wherein the ribs include a plurality of first ribs and a plurality of second ribs, the first ribs have a nominal diameter in the radial direction that is greater than a nominal diameter in the radial direction of the second ribs.

18. The screen jacket as recited in claim 17 wherein the first ribs have a one-to-one relationship with the second ribs.

19. The screen jacket as recited in claim 17 wherein at least one second rib is circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.

20. The screen jacket as recited in claim 17 wherein at least two second ribs are circumferentially located between each adjacent pair of first ribs.