Downhole Filter Pucks for Sand Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The drilling and completion industry faces challenges with sand production in unconsolidated sandstone formations, where existing sand control methods like gravel packing can hinder well productivity by reducing the inner diameter of production tubulars and risking equipment erosion.
Innovation Solution
A downhole system featuring a filtering tubular with radially extending apertures and filter pucks that prevent sand entry while allowing fluid production, combined with control or monitoring lines arranged parallel to the tubular's longitudinal axis, providing a modular and replaceable solution that maintains a larger inner diameter for production flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gravel packing is used to control sand production, then sand control is improved, but the inner diameter of production tubulars is reduced and productivity is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into multiple filter pucks that can be individually inserted into apertures along the tubular. Each filter puck is a separate modular unit with filtering elements, allowing the system to provide sand control through distributed filtering rather than a single bulky gravel pack, thereby maintaining larger inner diameter and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter pucks incorporate filtering elements with porous structures that allow fluid flow while blocking sand particles. This porous filtering mechanism provides effective sand control without requiring the dense gravel pack structure, enabling maintained inner diameter and sustained productivity.
2Reliability
If screen or slotted liner is placed in borehole, then sand production is prevented, but equipment erosion risk increases and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter pucks act as intermediary filtering elements positioned within the tubular apertures, providing sand prevention without requiring extensive gravel packs or complex screened liners. This intermediate filtering approach reduces equipment erosion by eliminating the need for bulky surrounding materials while maintaining effective sand control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control lines are placed in conventional sand control systems, then intelligent well systems are enabled, but control lines are vulnerable to damage from radial flow and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control lines are routed in a different spatial dimension - parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular rather than radially. This dimensional change protects control lines from radial flow damage and simplifies assembly by providing a clear, protected pathway along the tubular length, eliminating complex routing through sand control materials.
4Productivity
If larger screen diameter is used, then productivity is improved, but room for gravel packing is reduced and sand control effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering function is segmented into multiple discrete filter pucks distributed along the tubular aperture array. This segmentation allows the tubular to maintain a larger diameter for productivity while the distributed filter pucks provide effective sand control, eliminating the need for thick gravel packs that would reduce inner diameter.
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
This solution effectively controls sand production while maintaining well productivity by allowing larger production volumes and protecting control lines from erosion, with the modular design enabling easy replacement of filter pucks and flexible configuration of flow ports.
Implementation Method 1
a filtering element within each body
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole system includes a tubular having a plurality of spaced apertures radially extending through a wall of the tubular. A section of the tubular blocking radial fluid flow through the wall between an interior and exterior of the tubular. The section arranged from a first end to a second end of the tubular. A plurality of filter pucks respectively inserted into at least some of the plurality of apertures. The filter pucks each including a body configured for insertion in one of the apertures and a filtering element within each body; and, at least one control or monitoring line arranged on the section. Further is a method of controlling sand in a downhole system.