Non-metallic compliant sand screen with smart fillers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sand screens, including expandable metallic and polymeric ones, face limitations in conforming to irregular borehole shapes and resisting pressure, leading to potential well control issues and reduced permeability due to mechanical weakness and limited temperature resistance.
Innovation Solution
A non-metallic sand screen apparatus using a base polymer with smart fillers that expands to conform to the wellbore shape, featuring a mechanical retainer for compression and self-expansion, eliminating the need for activation fluids and enhancing mechanical properties for improved pressure and temperature resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If expandable metallic sand screens are used, then the screen can be installed in the wellbore, but the expansion ratio is limited and the ability to conform to borehole irregularities is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the glass transition temperature parameter change of thermoplastic urethane material. By heating the material above its glass transition temperature, the polymer transitions from a rigid state to a soft, compliant state, enabling it to conform to irregular borehole shapes. This parameter change allows the screen to adapt its shape without compromising structural integrity when cooled
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining thermoplastic urethane polymer matrix with embedded metallic mesh or wire structure. The polymer provides conformability and corrosion resistance, while the metallic reinforcement maintains structural strength and external pressure resistance during expansion and operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional polymeric foam sand screens are used, then the screen can conform to irregular borehole shapes, but the mechanical properties are weak and temperature resistance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system where thermoplastic urethane polymer provides conformability and the embedded metallic mesh or wire reinforcement provides structural strength. This composite structure maintains both the adaptability to irregular shapes and the mechanical reliability needed for downhole operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the glass transition temperature parameter change of thermoplastic urethane material. By heating the material above its glass transition temperature, the polymer transitions from a rigid state to a soft, compliant state, enabling it to conform to irregular borehole shapes. This parameter change allows the screen to adapt its shape without compromising structural integrity when cooled
3Ease of operation
If activation fluids like acetyl acetone are used to expand polymeric screens, then the screen can expand in the borehole, but the fluid is difficult to handle due to low flash point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical activation fluid expansion mechanism with a thermal-mechanical expansion system. Instead of using chemical reactions with activation fluids, the screen is expanded by heating the thermoplastic urethane material above its glass transition temperature, causing it to soften and expand to the desired configuration. This eliminates the need for hazardous chemical fluids
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the glass transition temperature parameter change of thermoplastic urethane material. By heating the material above its glass transition temperature, the polymer transitions from a rigid state to a soft, compliant state, enabling it to conform to irregular borehole shapes. This parameter change allows the screen to adapt its shape without compromising structural integrity when cooled
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 provides enhanced conformability to irregular borehole shapes, improved mechanical strength, and increased temperature resistance, reducing the risk of screen collapse and well control issues while maintaining permeability and ease of removal.
Implementation Method 1
Recently, self-conformable polymer screens have been developed by using thermoplastic urethane (TPU) and implementing a shape memory concept. The polymeric screen has an open cell structure, which has been compressed. The polymeric screen is then placed into a wellbore and expanded by controlling the glass transition temperature of the polymeric material
Implementation Method 2
the one or the plurality of smart fillers react with the base polymer in the expanded state after exposure to a wellbore condition
Data Source
AI summary
A sand screen apparatus for use in a downhole operation for hydrocarbon recovery includes a non-metallic material and a mechanical retainer. The non-metallic material has a compressed state and an expanded state, and includes a base polymer, and one or a plurality of smart fillers dispersed with a polymeric matrix of the non-metallic material. The mechanical retainer compresses the non-metallic material in the compressed state. The one or the plurality of smart fillers react with the base polymer in the expanded state after exposure to a wellbore condition.