DOWNHOLE SCREEN ASSEMBLY
A screen assembly that is used with a well includes a base pipe, a screen and ribs. The base pipe has a non-perforated section and has a longitudinal axis. The screen at least partially circumscribes the non-perforated section of the base pipe, and the ribs extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the non-perforated section. A flexible member (e.g., a wire) is wrapped around the ribs. Various other mechanisms may be used instead of the ribs and flexible member in the annular space. In this regard, such annular standoffs such as a corrugated material, a member that has longitudinal channels, and a member formed from a first set of wires that is interwoven with a second set of wires may be used. Alternatively, longitudinal channels may be formed in the outer surface of the base pipe.
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The invention generally relates to a downhole screen assembly.
For purposes of filtering particulates from produced well fluid, a well fluid production system may include sandscreen assemblies. Each sandscreen assembly typically includes a screen (a wire wrap or a woven wire mesh, as an example), which contains openings that are sized to allow the communication of well fluid into the interior space of the assembly while suppressing sand production. The interior space of the sandscreen assembly is in communication with production tubing.
SUMMARYIn an embodiment of the invention, a screen assembly that is used with a well includes base pipe, a screen and ribs. The base pipe has a non-perforated section and has a longitudinal axis. The screen at least partially circumscribes the non-perforated section of the base pipe, and the ribs extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the non-perforated section. A flexible member of the screen assembly is wrapped around the ribs and is disposed in the annular space.
In another embodiment of the invention, a screen assembly that is usable with a well includes a base pipe, a screen and a corrugated material. The screen at least partially circumscribes the base pipe, and the corrugated material is located in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe.
In another embodiment of the invention, a screen assembly that is usable with a well includes a base pipe, a screen, a first set of flexible members and a second set of flexible members. The screen at least partially circumscribes the base pipe, and the first set of flexible members extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the non-perforated section. The second set of flexible members is interwoven with the first set of flexible members.
In another embodiment of the invention, a screen assembly that is usable with a well includes a base pipe, and a screen. The base pipe has a longitudinal axis, and the screen at least partially circumscribes the base pipe. One or more members of the screen assembly extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe. Each member includes a base portion and at least two side walls to form at least one longitudinal channel.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a screen assembly that is usable with a well includes a base pipe and a screen. The base pipe has a longitudinal axis, and the screen at least partially circumscribes the base pipe. Longitudinal channels are formed in the base pipe and are at least partially circumscribed by the screen.
Advantages and other features of the invention will become apparent from the following drawing, description and claims.
Referring to
Inside the production zone 30, the tubular string 20 includes a series of connected sandscreen assemblies, each of which includes a sandscreen section 40 and an associated inflow control device 42. It is noted that although one sandscreen section 40 and one inflow control device 42 are depicted in
The inflow control device 42, as it name implies, regulates the flow of well fluid from the annulus that immediately surrounds the associated sandscreen section 40, through the sandscreen section 40 and into the central passageway of the tubular string 20. Thus, the tubular string 20 has multiple inflow control devices 42, each of which is associated with a sandscreen section 40 and has an associated flow characteristic for purposes of establishing a relatively uniform flow distribution from the production zone 30.
Various embodiments of the invention are set forth herein relating to different designs for the screen assembly. In particular, various annular standoff designs for the screen assembly are described herein for purposes of forming an annular space between a filter (a woven wire or metal fiber filter) and a base pipe of the screen assembly. The annular space receives well fluid that flows through the filter, and the well fluid is communicated through radial perforations, or openings, in the base pipe into the base pipe's central passageway. Depending on the particular embodiment of the invention, the filter may or may not circumscribe the portion of base pipe, which contains the openings.
Referring to
The longitudinally extending ribs 120 form a substantial part of the annular standoff between the base pipe 60 and the filter 100. In accordance with embodiments of the invention described herein, a spirally-wrapped flexible member, such as a wire 190, is concentric with the longitudinal axis 50 extends around the longitudinal ribs 120 for purposes of providing additional inner support for the filter 100. The wire 190 may have many differential cross-sectional forms (round, rectangular, etc.), depending on the particular embodiment of the invention. It is noted that, as depicted in
The gap between the wrapped wire 190 and the longitudinal ribs 120 is sufficiently close such that the filter 100 under collapse conditions cannot deform into the annular flow area and reduce the annular flow area.
Among the other features of the screen assembly 40, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the screen assembly 40 includes an upper housing section 70, which is attached to the outer surface of the base pipe 60 and provides support for the shroud 80 and the filter 100. In this regard, the filter 100 may be part of an assembly that includes solid sections 90 and 92. The screen assembly 40 may also include a cover 160 that controls access to the annular space 150 and a middle housing section 130 which provides lower support for the shroud 80 and support for the cover 160. The cover 160 is also supported by a lower housing section 180, that is attached to the outer surface of the base pipe 60.
Referring to
In other embodiments of the invention, the corrugated material 200 may be solid and thus, may not be perforated in an arrangement in which the fluid flow is confined to the outside surface of the corrugated material 200.
In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, an annular standoff may be achieved using a wire mesh 220, which is depicted in
Referring to
Referring to
As another variation, in accordance with other embodiments of the invention, an annular standoff may be formed by longitudinal members that have axial channels on the outside (such as the longitudinal members 250 (
In yet another variation,
While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.
Claims
1. A screen assembly usable with a well, comprising:
- a base pipe having a non-perforated section and having a longitudinal axis;
- a screen at least partially circumscribing the non-perforated section of the base pipe;
- ribs to extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the non-perforated section; and
- a flexible member to be wrapped around the ribs.
2. The screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible member comprises a wire.
3. The screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the ribs comprise wires.
4. The screen assembly of claim 3, wherein each wire has a cross-sectional dimension that is substantially the same as a distance between the non-perforated section of the base pipe and the screen.
5. The screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible member is spirally wrapped around the ribs.
6. The screen assembly of claim 1, wherein the base pipe further comprises a perforated section not at least partially circumscribed by the screen, the perforated section to receive fluid communicated through the screen.
7. A screen assembly usable with a well, comprising:
- a base pipe;
- a screen at least partially circumscribing the base pipe; and
- a corrugated material located in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe.
8. The screen assembly of claim 7, wherein the corrugated material comprises a metal.
9. The screen assembly of claim 7, wherein the corrugated material is perforated.
10. A screen assembly usable with a well, comprising:
- a base pipe having a longitudinal axis;
- a screen at least partially circumscribing the base pipe;
- a first set of flexible members to extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe; and
- a second set of flexible members interwoven with the first set of flexible members.
11. The screen assembly of claim 10, wherein the first set of flexible members comprise a first set of wires,
- the second set of flexible members comprise a second set of wires, and
- the wires of the second set of wires each have a substantially smaller cross-sectional dimension than wires of the first set of wires.
12. The screen assembly of claim 10, wherein the first set of flexible members comprise a first set of wires,
- the second set of flexible members comprise a second set of wires, and
- the wires of the second set of wires are substantially transverse to the wires of the first set of wires.
13. A screen assembly usable with a well, comprising:
- a base pipe having a longitudinal axis;
- a screen to at least partially circumscribing the base pipe; and
- at least one member to extend longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe, each member comprising a base portion and at least two sidewalls to form at least one longitudinal channel.
14. The screen assembly of claim 13, wherein said at least one longitudinal channel comprises an open channel which faces the base pipe.
15. The screen assembly of claim 13, wherein said at least one longitudinal channel comprises an open channel which faces the screen.
16. The screen assembly of claim 15 further comprising:
- a wire to be wrapped around the said at least one member.
17. The screen assembly of claim 16, wherein the wire is adapted to be spirally wrapped around said at least one member.
18. The screen assembly of claim 13, wherein said at least one member is perforated.
19. The screen assembly of claim 13, wherein said at least one member forms multiple longitudinal channels.
20. A screen assembly usable with a well, comprising:
- a base pipe having a longitudinal axis;
- a screen to at least partially circumscribing the base pipe,
- wherein longitudinal channels are formed in the base pipe and at least partially circumscribed by the screen.
21. The screen assembly of claim 20, further comprising:
- a support layer to be located between the screen and the base pipe.
22. The screen assembly of claim 21, wherein the support layer comprises a woven mesh, a square mesh or a perforated sheet material.
23. A method usable with a well, comprising:
- providing a base pipe having a non-perforating section and having a longitudinal axis;
- at least partially surrounding a non-perforated section of the base pipe with a screen;
- longitudinally extending ribs in an annular space between the screen and the non-perforated section of the base pipe; and
- wrapping a flexible member around the ribs.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the ribs comprise wires.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein each wire has a cross-sectional dimension that is substantially the same as a distance between the non-perforated section of the base pipe and the screen.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the flexible member comprises a wire.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the wire is spirally wrapped around the ribs.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the base pipe further comprises a perforated section not at least partially circumscribed by the screen, the perforated section to receive fluid communicated through the screen.
29. A method usable with a well, comprising:
- providing a base pipe;
- at least partially surrounding the base pipe with a screen; and
- disposing a corrugated material in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the corrugated material comprises a metal.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein the corrugated material is perforated.
32. A method usable with a well, comprising:
- providing a base pipe;
- at least partially surrounding the base pipe with a screen;
- extending a first set of wires longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe; and
- interweaving a second set of wires with the first set of wires.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein wires of the second set of wires each have a substantially smaller cross-sectional dimension than wires of the first set of wires.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein wires of the second set of wires are substantially transverse to the wires of the first set of wires.
35. A method usable with a well, comprising:
- providing a base pipe;
- at least partially surrounding the base pipe with a screen;
- extending at least one member longitudinally in an annular space between the screen and the base pipe; and
- forming at least one longitudinal channel in the member.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least one longitudinal channel comprises an open channel which faces the base pipe.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least one longitudinal channel comprises an open channel which faces the screen.
38. The method of claim 37 further comprising:
- a wire to be wrapped around the said at least one member.
39. The method of claim 37, wherein the wire is adapted to be spirally wrapped around said at least one member.
40. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least one member is perforated.
41. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least one member forms multiple longitudinal channels.
42. A method usable with a well, comprising:
- providing a base pipe;
- at least partially surrounding the base pipe with a screen; and
- forming longitudinal channels in the base pipe, the channels being at least partially circumscribed by the screen.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:
- disposing a support layer between the screen and the base pipe.
44. The method of claim 43, wherein the support layer comprises a woven mesh, a square mesh or a perforated sheet material.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 26, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 27, 2008
Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (Sugar Land, TX)
Inventors: Terje Moen (Sandnes), Michael D. Langlais (Sandnes), Arthur Dybevik (Sandnes)
Application Number: 11/828,839
International Classification: E03B 3/18 (20060101); E21B 41/02 (20060101);