Intake Screen Assembly For Submersible Well Pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018171763-A1
Application number	US-201615386176-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 21, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A well fluid particle screen assembly includes a base pipe having first and second pipe segments. First and second sets of perforations are located in sidewalls of the first and second pipe segments. First and second screens are mounted around the first and second pipe segments. A second pipe segment valve mounted to the second pipe segment has a closed position blocking well fluid flow through the second set of perforations. The second pipe segment valve has a pressure area acted on by a well fluid pressure differential. When reaching a threshold, the pressure differential causes the second pipe segment valve to move from the closed position to an open position. A retainer retains the second pipe segment valve in the closed position until the threshold is reached.

First claim

1 . A well fluid particle screen assembly, comprising:
a base pipe having an axis, a closed lower end, and an open upper end for attachment to a well pump intake structure within a well; the base pipe having a first pipe segment and a second pipe segment; first and second sets of perforations in sidewalls of the first and second pipe segments, respectively; first and second screens mounted around the first and second pipe segments, respectively, for screening particulates in well fluid flowing to the first and second sets of perforations, respectively; a second pipe segment valve mounted to the second pipe segment and having a closed position blocking well fluid flow through the second set of perforations from the second pipe segment into the first pipe segment, the second pipe segment valve being movable to an open position allowing well fluid flow through the second set of perforations from the second pipe segment into the first pipe segment; the second pipe segment valve having a pressure area acted on by a pressure differential between an interior and an exterior of the second pipe segment in response to suction of a well pump supported on the well pump supporting structure, and when reaching a selected second pipe segment valve minimum, the pressure differential causing the second pipe segment valve to move from the closed position to the open position; and a second pipe segment valve retainer that retains the second pipe segment valve in the closed position until the pressure differential reaches the selected second pipe segment valve minimum, which indicates that flow through the first screen and the first set of perforations has declined due to clogging of the first screen.

2 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second pipe segment valve retainer comprises means for shearing in response to the pressure differential reaching the selected second pipe segment valve minimum.

3 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second pipe segment valve retainer comprises at least one shear pin.

4 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second pipe segment valve comprises a sleeve located between the second screen and the second set of perforations, the sleeve being axially slidable from the closed to the open position.

5 . The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third pipe segment joining the second pipe segment; a third set of perforations in a sidewall of the third pipe segment; a third screen mounted around the third pipe segment; a third pipe segment valve mounted to the third pipe segment and having a closed position blocking well fluid flow through the third set of perforations from the third pipe segment into the second pipe segment, the third pipe segment valve being movable to an open position allowing well fluid flow through the third set of perforations from the third pipe segment into the second pipe segment; the third pipe segment valve having a pressure area acted on by a pressure differential between an interior and an exterior of the third pipe segment that urges the third pipe segment valve to move from the closed position to the open position; and a third pipe segment valve retainer that retains the third pipe segment valve in the closed position until the pressure differential acting on the third pipe segment valve reaches a selected third pipe segment valve minimum that is greater than the selected second pipe segment valve minimum, which indicates that flow through the second screen and the second set of perforations has declined due to clogging of the second screen.

6 . The assembly according to claim 5 , wherein:
each of the second and third pipe segment valve retainers comprises a shear member arrangement; and the shear member arrangement of the second pipe segment valve retainer is configured to shear at a lesser force than the shear member arrangement of the third pipe segment valve retainer.

7 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first pipe segment is configured such that the first set of perforations is continuously open to well fluid flow into an interior of the first pipe segment.

8 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of perforations is located nearer an upper end than a lower end of the first pipe segment; and the sidewall of the first pipe segment is free of perforations from the lower end of the first pipe segment to the first set of perforations.

9 . A well fluid particle screen assembly, comprising:
a base pipe having axis, a first pipe segment and a second pipe segment, the base pipe having an open upper end for attachment to supporting structure within a well and a closed lower end; a plurality of first perforations in a sidewall of the first pipe segment; a first screen mounted around the first pipe segment radially outward from the sidewall of the first pipe segment, defining a first annulus between the first screen and the sidewall of the first pipe segment for receiving well fluid flowing through the first screen and delivering the well fluid along a first flow path through the first perforations into the first pipe segment; a plurality of second perforations in a sidewall of the second pipe segment; a second screen mounted around the second pipe segment radially outward from the sidewall of the second pipe segment, defining a second annulus between the second screen and the sidewall of the second pipe segment; a second pipe segment valve chamber wall at one end of the second screen, the second pipe segment chamber wall being concentric with and radially outward from the second pipe segment, defining a second pipe segment valve chamber, the second pipe segment chamber wall having a lower end below the second perforations and an upper end above the second perforations; a second pipe segment sleeve valve in the second pipe segment valve chamber, the second pipe segment sleeve valve having a closed position blocking flow of well fluid from the second annulus to the second perforations and being slidable past the second perforations to an open position allowing flow from the second annulus through the second perforations; wherein the second pipe segment sleeve valve has a pressure area acted on by a pressure difference between pressure in the second annulus and in the second pipe segment; and a second pipe segment sleeve valve retainer that retains the second pipe segment sleeve valve in the closed position until the pressure difference reaches a selected threshold in response to flow through the first screen into the first annulus diminishing to a selected level.

10 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first perforations are closer to an upper end of the first pipe segment than a lower end of the first pipe segment, the sidewall of the first pipe segment being free of perforations from the first perforations to the lower end of the first pipe segment.

11 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the second perforations are closer to an upper end of the second pipe segment than a lower end of the second pipe segment, the sidewall of the second pipe segment being free of perforations from the second perforations to the lower end of the pipe segment.

12 . The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein an upper end of the second screen is located below all of the second perforations.

13 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first flow path is continuously open.

14 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first pipe segment is located above the second pipe segment.

15 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the retainer com

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Malbrel Christophe
• Peterson Elmer

Classifications

• E21B43/088

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

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B34/08

  responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/084

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

• E21B34/063

  Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc (E21B34/103 takes precedence) · CPC title