Reducing erosional peak velocity of fluid flow through sand screens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028668-B2
Application number	US-201916432171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Jul 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A method of reducing erosional peak velocity includes arranging a sand control screen assembly in an open hole section of a wellbore, the sand control screen assembly including a base pipe defining a plurality of flow ports, a sand screen arranged about the base pipe, and a wellbore isolation device deployed within an annulus defined between the sand control screen assembly and an inner wall of the wellbore. A fluid from a surrounding subterranean formation is circulated within the annulus, and the fluid within the annulus is diverted through the sand screen and into the base pipe upon approaching the wellbore isolation device. A peak velocity of the fluid flowing through the sand screen is reduced with a peak flux reducing assembly arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of reducing erosional peak velocity, comprising:
arranging a sand control screen assembly in an open hole section of a wellbore, the sand control screen assembly including a base pipe defining a plurality of flow ports, a sand screen arranged about the base pipe, and a wellbore isolation device deployed within an annulus defined between the sand control screen assembly and an inner wall of the wellbore;
circulating a fluid from a surrounding subterranean formation within the annulus;
diverting the fluid through the sand screen and into the base pipe upon approaching the wellbore isolation device; and
reducing a peak velocity of the fluid flowing through the sand screen with a peak flux reducing assembly arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, wherein the peak flux reducing assembly includes a flow diverter extending axially from the wellbore isolation device and radially above an end of the sand screen within the annulus, and wherein the flow diverter progressively reduces a volumetric flow area of the annulus in an uphole direction at the end of the sand screen, the method further comprising:
impinging the fluid within the annulus on the flow diverter and thereby progressively urging the fluid through the sand screen along an axial length of the sand screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sand screen terminates at a housing arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, and the peak flux reducing assembly includes one or more housing flow ports defined in the base pipe radially beneath the housing and an impermeable section of the base pipe extends between the one or more housing flow ports and the plurality of flow ports, the method further comprising:
flowing a first incoming portion of the fluid through the sand screen at or near the plurality of flow ports nearest the housing; and
flowing a second incoming portion of the fluid through the sand screen at or near the housing and through the one or more housing flow ports.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising altering a flow rate of the first and second incoming portions of the fluid through the sand screen by adjusting at least one of i) a size of the one or more housing flow ports, and ii) an axial length of the impermeable section.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sand control screen assembly further includes a second sand screen arranged about the base pipe and terminating at a second housing arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, and wherein the peak flux reducing assembly further includes one or more second housing flow ports defined in the base pipe radially beneath the second housing and a second impermeable section of the base pipe extends between the one or more second housing flow ports and a second plurality of flow ports defined in the base pipe, the method further comprising:
flowing the fluid within the base pipe past an axial location of the wellbore isolation device;
flowing a first exiting portion of the fluid out of the base pipe through the second sand screen via the one or more second housing flow ports; and
flowing a second exiting portion of the fluid out of the base pipe through the second sand screen via the second plurality of flow ports nearest the second housing.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising altering a flow rate of the first and second exiting portions of the fluid through the second sand screen by adjusting at least one of i) a size of the one or more second housing flow ports, and ii) an axial length of the second impermeable section.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising altering a flow rate of the fluid through the sand screen by adjusting at least one of i) a size of the flow diverter, ii) an axial length of the flow diverter, and iii) an angled face of the flow diverter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sand control screen assembly further includes a second sand screen arranged about the base pipe axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, and the peak flux reducing assembly further includes a second flow diverter extending axially from the wellbore isolation device and radially above an end of the second sand screen within the annulus, and wherein the second flow diverter progressively increases a volumetric flow area of the annulus in the uphole direction at the end of the second sand screen, the method further comprising:
flowing the fluid within the base pipe past an axial location of the wellbore isolation device; and
flowing a portion of the fluid out of the base pipe through the second sand screen along an axial length of the second sand screen.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising altering a flow rate of the fluid through the second and screen by adjusting at least one of i) a size of the second flow diverter, ii) an axial length of the second flow diverter, and iii) an angled face of the second flow diverter.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein circulating the fluid from the surrounding subterranean formation within the annulus comprises simultaneously circulating a portion of the fluid from the surrounding subterranean formation within the base pipe.

10. A sand control screen assembly deployable within an open hole section of a wellbore, comprising:
a base pipe that defines a plurality of flow ports;
a sand screen arranged about the base pipe;
a wellbore isolation device deployable within an annulus defined between the sand control screen assembly and an inner wall of the wellbore; and
a peak flux reducing assembly arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device to reduce a peak velocity of fluids traversing the sand screen, wherein the peak flux reducing assembly comprises a flow diverter extending from the wellbore isolation device radially above an end of the sand screen within the annulus, and wherein the flow diverter progressively reduces a volumetric flow area of the annulus in an uphole direction at the end of the sand screen.

11. The sand control screen assembly of claim 10 , wherein the peak flux reducing assembly comprises:
a housing arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, wherein the sand screen terminates at the housing;
one or more housing flow ports defined in the base pipe radially beneath the housing; and
an impermeable section of the base pipe extending between the one or more housing flow ports and the plurality of flow ports,
wherein the impermeable section urges a first incoming portion of the fluid through the sand screen at or near the plurality of flow ports nearest the housing and a second incoming portion of the fluid through the sand screen at or near the housing and through the one or more housing flow ports.

12. The sand control screen assembly of claim 11 , wherein the impermeable section extends radially beneath a portion of the sand screen and radially beneath the housing.

13. The sand control screen assembly of claim 11 , wherein the sand control screen assembly further includes a second sand screen arranged about the base pipe and the peak flux reducing assembly further comprises:
a second housing arranged axially adjacent the wellbore isolation device, wherein the second sand screen terminates at the second housing;
one or more second housing flow ports defined in the base pipe radially beneath the second housing; and
a second impermeable section of the base pipe extending between the one or more second housing flow ports and a second plurality of flow ports defined in the base pipe.

14. The sand control screen assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second impermeable section extends radially beneath a portion of the second

Assignees

• Gallo Federico G
• Wang Jason Y
• Mayer Christian S
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Gallo Federico G
• Wang Jason Y
• Mayer Christian S

Classifications

• E21B34/06 Primary

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B43/088

  Wire screens (comprising porous materials E21B43/082; comprising woven materials E21B43/084) · CPC title

• E21B43/084

  Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth · CPC title

• E21B43/086

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

• E21B43/08 Primary

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