Monitoring expandable screen deployment in highly deviated wells in open hole environment

A method for deploying a sand screen in a borehole penetrating the earth, the method comprising:

• disposing the sand screen in an unexpanded form in the borehole, the sand screen at least partially surrounding a base-pipe;
• activating the sand screen in the unexpanded form by applying at least one of an activation fluid or heat to the sand screen causing the sand screen to expand into an expanded form;
• conveying a downhole tool through the base-pipe, the downhole tool being configured to sense a property derived from at least one of expansion or non-expansion of the sand screen as a function of distance into the borehole to provide sensed data related to the at least one of expansion or non-expansion of the sand screen as a function of distance into the borehole, the downhole tool comprising a plurality of radial measurement sectors for measuring a distance from the base-pipe to a wall of the borehole by emitting and receiving acoustic signals using an acoustic transducer, wherein the property is sensed by transmitting and receiving signals that travel completely through the sand screen;
• and
• identifying, using a processor, one of an expanded state and an unexpanded state of the sand screen using the sensed data as a function of distance into the borehole by using the distance measurement from each radial measurement sector at the same distance in the borehole to provide a measure of at least one of tilt or displacement of the base-pipe with respect to the wall of the borehole.