Expandable Well Screen Segments for Uniform Gravel Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving uniform gravel packing in wellbore systems is challenging due to sand bridges and complications during gravel slurry pumping, and existing expandable screens have drawbacks.
Innovation Solution
The use of expandable screen assemblies with fluid collecting elements, flexure mechanisms, filter elements, and swellable elastomer expansion structures that radially extend from a compact to a radially extended state upon activating fluid contact, providing stable filtration and stabilization in wellbores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If uniform gravel packing is attempted, then filtration effectiveness is improved, but sand bridges and pumping complications occur
Solution Approach 1:
The screen assembly is divided into multiple screen segments separated by spacers, allowing each segment to be packed independently. This segmentation prevents sand bridge formation between segments while maintaining uniform gravel packing within each segment, resolving the contradiction between filtration effectiveness and pumping complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are pre-installed on the screen segments before gravel packing, creating predetermined flow channels and separation zones. This preliminary action ensures uniform gravel distribution during pumping by preventing sand bridge formation in advance, thereby improving filtration effectiveness without adding pumping complications
2Ease of operation
If expandable screens are used instead of gravel packing, then installation ease is improved, but uniform contact with wellbore and stability are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable screen is divided into multiple segments that can expand and contact the wellbore independently. This segmentation allows each segment to adapt to local wellbore irregularities, ensuring uniform contact and stability while maintaining the installation ease of expandable screens
Solution Approach 2:
Each screen segment can expand to different degrees based on local wellbore conditions, creating locally optimized contact patterns. This local quality adjustment ensures uniform overall contact with the wellbore while preserving the ease of installation provided by expandable design
3Manufacturing precision
If screen segments are separated by spacers, then gravel packing uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacers are pre-attached to the screen segments during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-install assembly that requires no additional components during field installation. This preliminary action achieves uniform gravel packing through the spacer structure while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity
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 solution enables effective filtration and stabilization of wellbores by ensuring uniform contact with the wellbore surface, preventing particulate passage and enhancing sand control, while maintaining stability in both compact and extended configurations.
Implementation Method 1
one or more expansion structures positioned proximate an inner surface of the plurality of fluid collecting elements. The expansion structures, which in one embodiment are swellable elastomer structures, may be positioned between the inner surface of the plurality of fluid collecting elements and a tubular base pipe. When the activating fluid contacts the expansion structures, the swellable material of each of the expansion structures can expand.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a well screen assembly, and method of use therefore. The well screen assembly, in one embodiment, includes a plurality of fluid collecting elements, wherein the fluid collecting elements have collection troughs extending along a length thereof. The well screen assembly, of this embodiment, further includes filter elements positioned over the collection troughs, and flexure mechanisms connecting proximate pairs of the fluid collecting elements, the flexure mechanisms allowing the plurality of fluid collecting elements to radially extend from a compact state to a radially extended state.