Abstract: A sand control screen assembly (10) having a sacrificial anode (26) is disclosed. The sand control screen assembly (10) comprises a plurality of ribs (16) spaced around a base pipe (12) and a screen wire (18) wrapped around the plurality of ribs (16) forming adjacent turns (20, 22) having gaps therebetween that allow the flow of fluids therethrough while preventing the flow of particulate therethrough. The plurality of ribs (16) includes at least one rib (26) that comprises a first metal. The screen wire (18) comprises a second metal that is cathodic to the first metal such that the at least one rib (26) that comprises the first metal acts as a sacrificial anode to reduce the environmental cracking of the screen wire (18).

Abstract: To determine the tensile breaking force of a selected rod/wrap member weld joint in a metal screen of a tubular sand screen assembly used in downhole oil and gas recovery operations a test specimen, including a single rod segment and arcuate segments of the wrap member welded thereto, is removed from the screen. The removed test specimen is supported between base and cover portions of a specially designed test fixture, and a compressive force is exerted on the fixture to forcibly move the base and cover portions thereof toward one another. Representatively, the fixture is operatively positioned in a conventional spring test machine that exerts such compressive force on the fixture. The base and cover portions of the test fixture are configured such that the compressive force is converted to a tensile force exerted on a selected single rod/wrap weld joints in the specimen, with the spring test machine recording the tensile force exerted on the weld joint at its breakage.