Abstract: A transition member (130) coupled between first and second slurry delivery devices (132, 134) for maintaining fluid slurry velocity therethrough is disclosed. Each slurry delivery device (132, 134) has a slurry passageway (144, 164) having a cross sectional area. The transition member (130) includes a transition passageway (200) operable to provide fluid communication between the slurry passageways (144, 164) of the slurry delivery devices (132, 134). The cross sectional area of at least a portion of the transition passageway (200) approximates the cross sectional area of the slurry passageways (144, 164) of the slurry delivery devices (132, 134). This allows the transition member (130) to maintain the fluid slurry velocity above the settling velocity of the slurry.

Abstract: An apparatus (60) and method for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore is disclosed. The apparatus (60) comprises a sand control screen (78) positioned within the wellbore and a tubular member (62) disposed within the wellbore forming a first annulus with the sand control screen (78) and a second annulus with the wellbore. The tubular member (62) has an axially extending production section (64) with a plurality of openings (66) and an axially extending nonproduction section (68) with a plurality of outlets (70). A channel (72) is disposed within the first annulus such that the channel (72) is substantially circumferentially aligned with the nonproduction section (68) of the tubular member (62) forming a slurry passageway (74) therewith.