Compartmentalized Sand Control Screen with In-Flow Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sand control devices in open-hole completions are susceptible to erosion and failure, especially in high-pressure, high-productivity formations, due to the lack of redundancy in filtering media and inadequate protection from fluid velocity hot spots.
Innovation Solution
A sand control device with multiple compartments, each comprising a base pipe with permeable and impermeable sections, surrounded by filtering conduits and an in-flow control ring to reduce fluid velocity, providing redundancy and effective filtration while minimizing erosion risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single filtering medium is used in sand control devices, then the device structure is simple, but the reliability is reduced due to susceptibility to erosion and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The sand control device is divided into multiple compartments, each containing its own filtering medium. This segmentation allows each compartment to independently filter sand and particles, providing redundancy if one compartment becomes eroded or blocked. The device includes a tubular body with multiple compartments arranged along its length, where each compartment has filtering media that can operate autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering conduits are positioned within the tubular body, with each filtering conduit containing filtering media nested inside the tubular structure. The in-flow control rings are nested within the compartments, creating a layered configuration where smaller elements are positioned within larger structural components to achieve compact yet redundant filtration.
2Productivity
If high fluid velocity is allowed in sand control devices, then productivity is improved, but erosion and damage to the screen increases
Solution Approach 1:
The in-flow control rings are positioned at specific locations within the compartments to locally reduce fluid velocity where it is most needed. These rings create controlled flow distribution zones that mitigate high-velocity erosion at critical points while allowing overall high productivity. The filtering media are also positioned to provide localized protection against particle impact.
3Reliability
If multiple compartments with filtering conduits are added to reduce erosion, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular body serves multiple functions: it provides the structural framework, contains the compartments, supports the filtering conduits, and facilitates fluid flow. The in-flow control rings simultaneously distribute fluid flow and reduce velocity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite the addition of multiple compartments.
4Reliability
If filtering media are positioned to accumulate debris, then screen damage is prevented, but fluid flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the device into multiple compartments, the debris accumulation is distributed across several compartments rather than concentrating in a single location. This segmentation prevents any one compartment from becoming completely blocked, maintaining overall fluid flow while still providing screen protection through redundant filtration paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively restricts particle flow and reduces fluid velocity, enhancing the durability and productivity of sand control in open-hole completions by distributing fluid flow evenly and accumulating debris to prevent screen damage.
Implementation Method 1
an in-flow control ring disposed within the second compartment and configured to reduce a velocity of the production fluids flowing from the second annular region into the second filtering conduit
Implementation Method 2
The filtering medium is constructed to filter sand and other formation particles while allowing an ingress of formation fluids
Implementation Method 3
A sand control device is provided for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore
Data Source
AI summary
A sand control device is used for restricting the flow of particles from a subsurface formation into a tubular body within a wellbore during production operations. The sand control device is divided into compartments along its length that provide redundancy for particle filtration. Each compartment first comprises a base pipe. The base pipe defines an elongated tubular body having a permeable section and an impermeable section within each compartment. Each compartment also comprises a first filtering conduit and a second filtering conduit. The filtering conduits comprise filtering media and generally circumscribe the base pipe. 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.