Abstract: A well screen is disclosed for positioning in a well bore to screen solid particles from the fluid produced by the well comprising a base pipe, a portion of the wall of which is perforated, and having threaded connections for connecting the base pipe into a pipe string, a wire screen surrounding the perforated portion of the base pipe, a thin porous membrane comprising two layers of woven cloth of ceramic fibers wrapped around the wire screen, means for holding the ends of the porous cloth membrane in sealing engagement with the base pipe, and a perforated tubular metal shroud surrounding the woven ceramic cloth membrane to protect the membrane from damage when lowered into a well bore.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for anchoring a well screen on a stainless steel perforated mandrel without the use of welds in which cup-shaped members, each having a base and an annular wall, are positioned on the mandrel at each end of the screen with the walls of the cups extending partly over the screen and filling the annular cavities between the walls of the cups and the ends of the screen with a liquid adhesive epoxy to anchor the cups to the mandrel.

Abstract: A rod-based well screen is formed in place on a perforated pipe base by wrapping wire around the pipe base and a plurality of rods located around the outside of the pipe. The wire is welded sequentially to each individual rod as it is wrapped around the pipe. The welding and ground electrodes engage the wire and the rods respectively. The rod engaging ground electrode is positioned a short distance ahead of the wire being wrapped around the rods and the pipe base. The ground electrode includes a plurality of contacts. Each contact is mounted to pivot toward and away from a rod. Springs urge each contact toward a rod to hold the rod against the outside surface of the pipe base and to maintain good electrical contact between the contact and the rod. Each contact has a groove to guide the rod into position for welding to the wire.

Abstract: The well screen assembly disclosed includes a perforated pipe joint having a well screen mounted internally of the pipe joint. The well screen includes a plurality of rods positioned parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the pipe joint with an elongated wire helically wrapped around the outside of the rods and positioned between the rods and the inside wall of the pipe joint. The wire is wrapped so that the spaces between the wire screen solid particles out of the well fluid as the fluid flows between the slots in the wire into the inside of the well screen. The well screen is spaced from the inside surface of the pipe joint to allow fluid to flow freely around the outside of the well screen after the fluid passes through the perforations in the pipe joint. Means are provided to mount the screen in the pipe joint and to retain gravel, in the space between the well screen and the inside surface of the pipe joint, if the screen is gravel packed.