Compliant Screen Flow Restriction for Wellbore Crossflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cross flow of wellbore fluids through compliant screens leads to erosion and reduced production efficiency, as fluids bypass the conduit and enter the wellbore annulus, causing damage and loss of formation support.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of flow restrictive portions in compliant screens, such as infused materials or additional layers, to reduce cross flow without obstructing fluid inflow through the compliant portion, using mechanisms like hydraulic expansion or chemical activation to maintain screen integrity and support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If compliant screens are installed to screen out formation particulates, then production efficiency is improved, but cross flow of wellbore fluids occurs causing erosion and reduced production
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant screen is divided into multiple segments with different flow characteristics. The screen includes restrictive portions with smaller apertures and compliant portions with larger apertures, creating distinct zones that perform different functions - one zone restricts cross flow while another maintains high productivity for formation fluid entry.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the compliant screen are given different flow restrictive properties. The restrictive portions have smaller apertures to reduce cross flow, while the compliant portions have larger apertures to maintain high productivity. This local differentiation allows each zone to optimize for its specific function.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flow restrictive portions are added to reduce cross flow, then erosion is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant screen uses a flexible membrane structure that can be manufactured as a continuous thin element with varying aperture sizes. This approach avoids complex rigid structures while achieving flow restriction, as the flexible material can be formed into different aperture patterns during manufacturing without requiring assembly of multiple complex components.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliant screen incorporates composite construction with restrictive portions and compliant portions made from materials with different flow properties. This composite approach allows the screen to achieve both erosion protection and structural integrity through material selection rather than complex geometric design.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If restrictive portions are used to reduce cross flow, then screen life is extended, but fluid flow through the screen is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is segmented into restrictive portions and compliant portions, allowing fluid flow to be distributed across different zones. The compliant portions with larger apertures ensure sufficient total flow quantity is maintained while the restrictive portions provide erosion protection to extend screen life.
Solution Approach 2:
The restrictive portions are applied partially rather than across the entire screen surface. By limiting flow restriction to specific zones while maintaining open flow in compliant portions, the screen achieves adequate erosion protection without excessively restricting overall fluid flow quantity needed for production.
Data Source
AI summary
Compliant screens and methods of preventing crossflow through the compliant screen in a well completion. Example compliant screens have a drainage layer, a filtration layer disposed over the drainage layer, and an outer shroud disposed over the filtration layer. The filtration layer is a mesh having a lower transition portion, an upper transition portion, and a compliant portion disposed between the lower and upper portions. Flow through the lower and upper portions is reduced relative to the compliant portion. The compliant screen is activated by expanding the compliant screen such that it makes contact with an adjacent subterranean formation and a fluid is flowed through the compliant section from the subterranean formation.