Sand control screen having improved reliability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725989-B2
Application number	US-201414188565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A sand control device is used for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore during production operations. The sand control device is divided into compartments along its length that provide redundancy for particle filtration. Each compartment first comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment. Each compartment also comprises a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. The filtering conduits comprise filtering media and generally circumscribe the base pipe. The filtering conduits are arranged so that the first filtering conduit is adjacent to the non-permeable section of the base pipe, while the second filtering conduit is adjacent to the permeable section of the base pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sand control device for restricting the flow of particles into a wellbore, the sand control device comprising:
at least a first compartment, wherein each compartment comprises:
a base pipe having an impermeable section and a permeable section, and a bore therein for receiving production fluids through the permeable section;
a first filtering conduit circumscribing the base pipe and forming a first annular region between the base pipe and the first filtering conduit, the first filtering conduit having a filtering medium adjacent the impermeable section of the base pipe;
a second filtering conduit also circumscribing the base pipe and forming a second annular region between the base pipe and the second filtering conduit, the second filtering conduit having a filtering medium adjacent the permeable section of the base pipe;
a blank tubular housing circumscribing the second filtering conduit and forming a third annular region between the second filtering conduit and the surrounding housing;
an in-flow control ring disposed along the base pipe between the first filtering conduit and the second filtering conduit, the in-flow control ring placing the first annular region in fluid communication with the third annular region;
an in-flow control device within the second annular region and disposed before the permeable section of the base pipe; and
wherein the at least first compartment is configured to reduce flow velocity as production fluids travel from the in-flow control ring to the third annular region;
wherein the second filtering conduit is configured to filter particulates from entering the permeable section of the basepipe in event of a breach of the first filtering conduit by the particulates, whereby in such breach event the third annular region fills with the particulates to further restrict fluid and particulate flow to the second filtering conduit; and
wherein the impermeable section of the base pipe extends past a beginning of the second filtering conduit to the permeable section of the base pipe, and the velocity of fluids flowing from the in-flow control ring to the third annular region is reduced along the impermeable section of the base pipe within the second annular region before reaching the permeable section.

2. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein the in-flow control ring comprises an under-flow ring that reduces the velocity of fluid flowing from the first annular region to the third annular region.

3. The sand control device of claim 2 , further comprising:
an in-flow control device adjacent the under-flow ring and having one or more flow channels that creates a pressure drop in addition to that of the under-flow ring.

4. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein the in-flow control ring is an under-flow ring and the under-flow ring has an outer diameter that sealingly receives the blank tubular housing at an end.

5. The sand control device of claim 4 , wherein the under-flow ring further comprises:
at least two inner ridges circumferentially spaced about the inner diameter; and
flow channels between the at least two inner ridges for directing formation fluids from the first annular region into the second annular region during a production operation.

6. The sand control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a baffle ring disposed between the in-flow control ring and the second filtering conduit for circumferentially dispersing fluids as the fluids move from the first annular region to the third annular region; and
wherein the baffle ring comprises a tubular body having an inner diameter and an outer diameter.

7. The sand control device of claim 6 , wherein:
the baffle ring has an outer diameter that sealingly receives the blank tubular housing at an end.

8. The sand control device of claim 6 , wherein:
the baffle ring has an outer diameter that is adjacent to an outer diameter of the in-flow control ring.

9. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the in-flow control ring is an in-flow control device having one or more flow channels that creates a pressure drop; and
the rate of fluids flowing from the first annular region to the third annular region is controlled by the placement of the in-flow control device.

10. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the impermeable section of the base pipe extends from the in-flow control ring to the second filtering conduit and the velocity of fluids flowing from the first annular region to the third annular region is reduced along the impermeable section of the base pipe.

11. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
a cross-sectional flow area of the third annular region is reduced with respect to the cross-sectional flow area of the in-flow control ring to reduce the velocity of fluids flowing from the in-flow control ring to the third annular region.

12. The sand control device of claim 1 , further comprising a porous medium in at least a portion of the third annular region to reduce the velocity of fluids flowing from the in-flow control ring to the third annular region.

13. The sand control device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a section of blank pipe is disposed between the in-flow control ring and the second filtering conduit for permitting a circumferential dispersion of fluids as the fluids move from the first annular region to the third annular region;
wherein:
the housing also circumscribes the section of blank pipe; and
an inner diameter of the surrounding housing comprises helical grooves or ribs for mixing production fluids.

14. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the in-flow control ring comprises an in-flow control device.

15. The sand control device of claim 14 , wherein the in-flow control device is fabricated from a ceramic material.

16. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the filtering medium of the first filtering conduit and the filtering medium of the second filtering conduit each comprises a wound wire screen or a wire mesh; and
the first filtering conduit and the second filtering conduit are each substantially concentrically placed around the base pipe.

17. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the sand control device is normally between about 10 feet (3.05 meters) and 45 feet (13.71 meters) in length.

18. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first filtering conduit comprises a first end and a second end;
the first annular region in the first compartment is sealed at the first end;
an in-flow control ring is placed along the first filtering conduit at the second end;
the second filtering conduit comprises a first end proximal to the first filtering conduit, and a second end distal to the first filtering conduit;
the second and third annular regions in the first compartment are sealed at the second end of the second filtering conduit; and
the blank tubular housing circumscribes the second filtering conduit and is also sealed at the second end of the second filtering conduit.

19. The sand control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second filtering conduit comprises a first end and a second opposite end;
the first filtering conduit and the in-flow control ring are disposed adjacent to first end of the second filtering conduit; and
the at least one compartment further comprises:
a third filtering conduit circumscribing the base pipe and forming a fourth annular region between the base pipe and the third filtering conduit, the third filtering conduit having a filtering medium adjacent an impermeable sectio

Assignees

• Mayer Christian S
• Yeh Charles S
• Howell David A
• Entchev Pavlin B
• Grueschow Eric R
• Long Ted A
• Moffett Tracy J
• Barry Michael D
• Hecker Michael T
• Sladic John S
• Hall Christopher A
• Mcnamee Stephen
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Mayer Christian S
• Yeh Charles S
• Howell David A
• Entchev Pavlin B
• Grueschow Eric R
• Long Ted A
• Moffett Tracy J
• Barry Michael D
• Hecker Michael T
• Sladic John S
• Hall Christopher A
• Mcnamee Stephen

Classifications

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B43/04

  Gravelling of wells · CPC title

• E21B43/08 Primary

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

• E21B43/082

  Screens comprising porous materials, e.g. prepacked screens · CPC title

• E21B43/088

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