Abstract: A wire cross-sectional shape for a wire wrap screen provides a primary and secondary gap with a contained circumferential volume in between. The secondary gap extends screen life by taking the place of the primary gap if erosion opens the primary gap and lets the larger solids get past. The closed space between the primary and secondary gaps also has the effect of reducing velocity due to the enlarged volume before the secondary gap is reached while also creating turbulence between the gaps to slow the fluid velocity to protect the secondary gap. All or parts of the wire outer surface can optionally be coated to extend service life.

Abstract: A sand control screen assembly includes a base pipe having openings having non-uniform cross-section. The sand control screen assembly can also include a drainage layer positioned about the base pipe, a filter medium, and a protective shroud. The sand control screen assembly prevents the flow of particulate material of a predetermined size therethrough and allows the flow of production fluids therethrough.

Abstract: Disclosed is a screen packer assembly for use in filtering hydrocarbons in a wellbore at a subterranean location. The screen-packer assembly connects in a production tubing string and packs off the wellbore and provides an axial filter path for hydrocarbons through the assembly and into the productions tubing.

Abstract: A sand control device for restricting flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore, the device being divided into compartments along its length, each compartment comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment, also comprising a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. 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.

Abstract: A flow control device is disclosed. The device includes a tubular member having a plurality adjacent wraps, wherein each wrap has an outer surface and an inner surface. Some of the wraps include one or more flow control paths, wherein each such flow control path includes a tortuous path to control flow of a fluid from the outer surface to the inner surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a screen and welding apparatus thereof, putting a metal filter net around the outside of a support sheath and fixing the metal filter net to the outside of the support sheath by way of welding, such that the metal filter net completely covers all filter holes of the support sheath to form a filter sheath with; fixing the filter sheath to the outside of the base pipe and the filter sheath completely covering all penetrated holes on the base pipe; putting a jacket around the outside of the filter sheath and fixing it to the outside of the base pipe such that the jacket completely covers the outside surface of the filter area of the filter sheath.

Abstract: A valve for a well pipe, the valve having the following parts: a valve collar connectable to the well pipe; an index piston coaxially positioned within the valve collar for longitudinal translation within the valve collar between closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations; a detent in the index piston, wherein the detent restricts fluid flow in a circulation direction through a flow path through the index piston; a spring that biases the index piston toward the closed and locked-open configurations; and a plug of the valve collar that mechanically communicates with the index piston to be in corresponding closed, flow-open, and locked-open configurations.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wellscreen and a wellscreen that have the mechanical properties of a direct-wrap wellscreen and the precise slot tolerance of a slip-on wellscreen are provided. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a wellscreen for use in a wellbore is provided. The method includes disposing a filter subassembly on a base pipe sized so that there is annulus between the base pipe and the filter subassembly. The filter subassembly includes a length of wire wrapped and welded along a plurality of rods so that a slot is defined between adjacent coils of wire. The method further includes expanding the base pipe so that the slot is not substantially altered, thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the annulus.

Abstract: A sand control screen assembly (40) and method for treating formations traversed by a wellbore (34) in a single trip are disclosed. The sand control screen assembly (40) includes a base pipe (56) with a plurality of openings (58) that allow fluid flow therethrough. A filter medium (62) is positioned about the exterior of the base pipe (56) to filter particulate matter out of the production fluids. One-way valves (70) are operably associated within the openings (58) of the base pipe (56) to prevent fluid flow from the interior of the base pipe (56) to the exterior of the base pipe (56) during a treatment process. The one-way valves (70), however, are actuatable to allow fluid flow from the exterior of the base pipe (56) to the interior of the base pipe (56) to allow production of fluids from the formation (14).

Abstract: A completion assembly for use in a lateral well bore has a base pipe with a plurality of holes through the sidewall of the base pipe. Flow through the holes is regulated to produce an influx difference between the ends of the base pipe. Flow can be regulated by variably spacing or sizing the holes. Flow can also be regulated by selectively inserting a rod between adjacent splines located on the base pipe to cover and block the flow through certain holes in the base pipe. Flow can also be regulated using a rotatable sleeve adjacent to the base pipe such that rotation of the sleeve brings the holes and openings in the pipe and sleeve, respectively, into and out of alignment. A filter can be used to filter sand and other particulates. An erosion inhibitor can be used to extend the useful life of the assembly.

Abstract: A well screen for placement within wells used to filter out impurities from the fluid entering the well. In the preferred embodiment, the well screen comprises a spirally-wound wire forming a cylinder with gaps between the layers of wire. The layers of wire are attached by spacers placed within the gaps. In an alternative embodiment, the well screen is formed from concentric rings, and in a third embodiment the well screen is formed from a cylindrical tubes that are machined to remove material to form horizontal gaps. In the first two embodiments, at least one spacer is integrally formed to the wire or a ring to minimize the amount of welding required to secure the spacers to adjacent rings or windings.

Abstract: A well screen for placement within wells used to filter out impurities from the fluid entering the well. In the preferred embodiment, the well screen comprises a spirally-wound wire forming a cylinder with gaps between the layers of wire. The layers of wire are attached by spacers placed within the gaps and on the surfaces of the wire such that the spacers do not extend radially beyond the inner and outer edges of the wire. The outer edge of the spacer can be flush or slightly recessed from the outer edge of the wire to create greater open area for which fluid can flow through. The inner edge of the spacer can also be flush or slightly recessed from the outer edge of the wire. In the alternate embodiment, the well screen comprises a plurality of rings stacked atop each other and connected together by spacers located at intervals around the circumference of the rings.

Abstract: A well screen for placement within wells used to filter out impurities from the fluid entering the well. In the preferred embodiment, the well screen comprises a spirally-wound wire forming a cylinder with gaps between the layers of wire. The layers of wire are attached by spacers placed within the gaps and on the surfaces of the wire such that the spacers do not extend radially beyond the inner and outer edges of the wire, and thus, forming a flush inner and outer well screen surface. The outer edge of the spacer can be slightly recessed from the outer edge of the wire to create greater open area for which fluid can flow through. In the alternate embodiment, the well screen comprises a plurality of rings stacked atop each other and connected together by spacers located at intervals around the circumference of the rings. The spacers are attached to the wire or rings by a secure means such as welding which results in a single unitized screen that is structurally rigid.

Abstract: A well screen for a horizontal or high-angle well includes a screen main body and a protective frame. The screen main body has screen rods arranged in the circumferential direction of the well screen and a screen wire wound on the screen rods. The protective frame includes protective rods provided on the outside of the screen wire in the circumferential direction and extending in the axial direction of the well screen, annular rod holding members provided with interval in the axial direction for holding the protective rods, and a protective wire wound about the protective rods. When the well screen forced into the well passes through a bent section of the well, the protective frame slides in contact with the wall surface of the bent section thereby protecting the screen wire.

Abstract: A method and device for removing sand from hydrocarbonaceous fluids whereby a berm is formed adjacent to a slot which has penetrated a liner or perforated tube. The berm which is formed along each side of said slot operates to form a lip or platform so as to provide a solid base upon which to form a sand bridge to more effectively remove sand from hydrocarbonaceous fluids produced from the well.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a helical spring screen deep in a well while filtering liquid comprises (1) injecting a high pressure hydraulic surge pulse into the spring screen for expanding the coils, (2) forcing high pressure liquid between the coils of the helical spring screen simultaneously with expanding of the coils for washing the sand from between the coils, and (3) forcing the coils together following their expansion by expanding action of a second spring for crushing and dislodging any sand therebetween the coils for removal upon subsequent spreading of the coils. A second method is disclosed likewise. Thus the methods provide for the spring coils being cleaned for a multiplicity of times without having to shut the well in for workover, thus saving workover costs and lost production.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning sand from a helical spring sand filter, methods for assembling a self-cleaning helical spring sand filter, and a self-cleaning helical spring sand filter for use at the petroliferous unconsolidated sand strata of an oil well are disclosed. The filter comprises a helical spring connected in tension at each end to an elongated perforated sleeve for spacing apart all convolutions by a predetermined distance for forming the filter. One or more washer shaped cleaning rings with square holes therein are mounted between adjacent convolutions at one end of the spring for being rotated by a square ended rod supported by a sucker rod in a well between all of the convolutions to the spring other end for scraping off all foreign material from between the convolutions. The spring sand filter can be cleaned for as many times as there are cleaning rings instead of making trips to the surface for unclogging.

Abstract: This is a special downhole multi-layer sand screen for oil and other fluids containing sand. The preferred embodiment of the sand filter includes an outer screen, an intermediate screen and an inner screen although another embodiment may have only an outer and an inner screen. The outermost screen is of larger spacing to retain only the coarser sand particles and the openings in the inner two screens are progressively smaller to retain the less coarse sand material. The coarser sand particles bridge about the larger openings in the outer screens and progressively finer sand materials bridge across the intermediate and inner screens.