Expandable Well Screen Recessed Filter Section Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Expandable well screens face issues with reduced fluid flow area due to swellable materials extruding onto the outer surface and contacting the well surface, leading to erosion and diminished filtering capacity.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates filter sections with recessed outer surfaces and raised boundaries to maintain the flow area and prevent swellable material extrusion, ensuring increased fluid flow and preventing erosion by spacing the filter sections away from the well surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If swellable material is used to displace filter sections radially outward, then the well screen can support the wellbore wall and consolidate gravel pack, but the swellable material extrudes onto the outer surface of the filter section, reducing the surface area available for fluid flow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewellbore support and gravel pack consolidationVSAvoidfilter section surface area for fluid flow

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The filter section is segmented into a recessed outer surface area and a raised boundary area. The swellable material is confined to the recessed area, while the raised boundary prevents extrusion onto the well surface. This segmentation allows the swellable material to provide wellbore support without compromising the filter section's fluid flow surface area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The raised boundary acts as an intermediary structure between the swellable material and the well surface. It prevents direct contact between the extruding swellable material and the well surface, maintaining the filter section's effective surface area while still allowing the swellable material to expand and provide mechanical support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the filter section is pressed against the perforated casing or liner to provide support, then wellbore stability is improved, but only the surface area exposed to perforations remains available for fluid flow, reducing overall drainage capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewellbore stabilityVSAvoiddrainage surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The filter section surface is divided into a recessed area that contacts the well surface for mechanical support and a raised boundary area that remains exposed for fluid flow. This segmentation ensures that wellbore stability is maintained through contact at the recessed area while the raised boundary preserves maximum drainage surface area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The filter section utilizes radial positioning in addition to axial positioning. By recessing the outer surface radially, the design creates a three-dimensional configuration where the filter section can contact the well surface at certain radial positions while maintaining exposed surface area at other radial positions, thereby achieving both support and drainage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the swellable material is allowed to extrude onto the outer surface, then the filter section may be secured to the well surface, but the surface area available for fluid flow is reduced and erosion may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilter section securingVSAvoiderosion and reduced filtering capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The potential harmful effect of swellable material extrusion is extracted and isolated to the recessed area. The raised boundary removes the extruding material from contact with the well surface, preventing erosion while maintaining the securing function within the confined recessed space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The raised boundary structure is designed in advance to prevent the harmful extrusion of swellable material onto the well surface. This preliminary protective structure stops the erosion problem before it can occur, while still allowing the swellable material to expand and secure the filter section within the recessed area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 configuration enhances the fluid flow area and prevents erosion, maintaining the filtering capacity and efficiency of the expandable well screens.

Implementation Method 1

a swellable material which swells in response to contact with a fluid and which displaces the filter section radially outward

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSwelling: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9970269B2Expandable well screen having enhanced drainage characteristics when expanded

Publication Date: 2018.05.15 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

An expandable well screen can include a filter section which is displaced outward when the well screen is positioned downhole, the filter section including an outer surface that is recessed relative to a raised boundary of the filter section adjacent the recessed outer surface. Another filter section can include an outer surface having one more structures thereon which space the outer surface away from a well surface when the filter section is displaced outward. Another filter section can include one or more structures on an interior thereof which space apart inner and outer sides of a wall of the filter section, a telescoping tubular connector which provides fluid communication between the filter section and a base pipe of the well screen, and a filter media being positioned in the tubular connector.