Sand control screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294760-B2
Application number	US-201615276480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2016
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for isolating a tool, such as a sand control screen, from axial and/or torsional loads applied to a tubular string. A sand screen assembly includes a sand control screen, a fixed-end coupling, and a free-end coupling. A first end of the sand control screen is coupled to the fixed-end coupling by a secure connection, and a second end of the sand control screen is coupled to the free-end coupling so the second end of the sand control screen is free to rotate or move axially relative to the free-end coupling.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A screen assembly, comprising:
a sand control screen;
a fixed-end coupling, wherein a first end of the sand control screen is coupled to the fixed-end coupling by a first secure connection; and
a free-end coupling, wherein a second end of the sand control screen extends through a middle section of the free-end coupling having a smooth inner surface to be movably coupled to the free-end coupling.

2. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the sand control screen is axially movable relative to the free-end coupling.

3. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the sand control screen is rotatable relative to the free-end coupling.

4. The screen assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the sand control screen is rotatable relative to the free-end coupling.

5. The screen assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first secure connection is a threaded connection.

6. The screen assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a seal element disposed between the second end of the sand control screen and the free-end coupling.

7. The screen assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tubular liner having a central bore, wherein the sand control screen is disposed in the central bore of the tubular liner, a first end of the tubular liner is coupled to the fixed-end coupling by a second secure connection, and a second end of the tubular liner is coupled to the free-end coupling by a third secure connection.

8. The screen assembly of claim 7 , wherein the fixed-end coupling comprises a tubular body having a first section, a second section, and a middle section between the first section and the second section, an inner diameter of the middle section is smaller than an inner diameter of the first section, the first end of the sand control screen is coupled to the middle section by the first secure connection, and the first end of the tubular liner is coupled to the first section by the second secure connection.

9. The screen assembly of claim 8 , wherein the middle section of the fixed-end coupling includes a threaded connection.

10. The screen assembly of claim 7 , wherein the free-end coupling comprises a tubular body having a first section, a second section, and the middle section between the first section and the second section, an inner diameter of the middle section is smaller than an inner diameter of the first section, the second end of the sand control screen is coupled to the middle section, and the second end of the tubular liner is coupled to the first section by the third connection.

11. The screen assembly of claim 10 , wherein an inner surface of the middle section of the free-end coupling houses an outer surface of the second end of the sand control screen.

12. A screen assembly, comprising:
a sand control screen;
a perforated tubular disposed radially outward the sand control screen;
a first coupling, wherein a first end of the sand control screen and a first end of the perforated tubular are connected to the first coupling; and
a second coupling, wherein a second end of the sand control screen extends through a middle section of the free-end coupling having a smooth inner surface to be movably coupled to the second coupling, and a second end of the perforated tubular is connected to the second coupling.

13. The screen assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first coupling comprises a tubular body having a first section, a second section, and a middle section between the first section and the second section, an inner diameter of the middle section is smaller than an inner diameter of the first section, the middle section is coupled to the sand control screen, and the first section is coupled to the perforated tubular.

14. The screen assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first section of the first coupling and the perforated tubular are coupled together by a threaded connection, and the middle section of the first coupling and the sand control screen are coupled together by a threaded connection.

15. The screen assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second coupling comprises a tubular body having a first section, a second section, and the middle section between the first section and the second section, an inner diameter of the middle section is smaller than an inner diameter of the first section, the middle section is movably coupled to the sand control screen, and the first section is coupled to the perforated tubular.

16. The screen assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first section of the second coupling and the perforated tubular are coupled together by a thread connection, and the middle section of the second coupling includes a smooth inner surface for housing an outer surface of the sand control screen.

17. The screen assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a seal disposed between the second coupling and the sand control screen.

18. The screen assembly of claim 17 , wherein the seal is disposed in a groove formed in the inner surface of the middle section of the second coupling.

19. A method of deploying a tubular string in a wellbore, comprising:
coupling a sand screen assembly to a tubular string, wherein the sand screen assembly includes:
a sand control screen;
a fixed-end coupling, wherein a first end of the sand control screen is coupled to the fixed-end coupling by a secure connection; and
a free-end coupling, wherein a second end of the sand control screen extends through a middle section of the free-end coupling having a smooth inner surface to be coupled to the free-end coupling so the second end of the sand control screen is free to rotate or move axially relative to the free-end coupling; and

running the tubular string and the sand screen assembly into the wellbore.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising assembling the sand screen assembly, comprising:
attaching the first end of the sand control screen to the fixed-end coupling;
attaching a first end of a tubular liner to the fixed end coupling; and
attaching the free-end coupling simultaneously to the sand control screen and the tubular liner.

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mcnamee Stephen
• Sladic John Steven

Classifications

• E21B43/106 Primary

  Couplings or joints therefor · CPC title

• E21B43/086

  Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners (comprising porous materials E21B43/082) · CPC title

• E21B17/042

  Threaded · CPC title

• E21B43/08 Primary

  Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} · CPC title