# US 11,441,391 B2 · Downhole sand screen with automatic flushing system

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- Number: US 11,441,391 B2
- Document ID: US11441391B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/694,939
- Filed: 2019-11-25
- Published: 2020-05-28
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-27
- Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC
- Applicants: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC
- Inventors: Reda El-Mahbes; Jordan Kirk; Leslie Reid
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441391B2

## CPC

- E21B 37/08: cleaning in situ of down-hole filters, screens, {e.g. casing perforations,} or gravel packs (E21B37/06 takes precedence)
- E21B 43/122: {Gas lift}
- E21B 43/127: {Adaptations of walking-beam pump systems}
- E21B 43/128: {Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A pump that is configured to lift fluids through a tubing string includes a gas mitigation system and a screen flush module. The gas mitigation system has a canister with an interior and an intake screen. The gas mitigation system further includes an intake tube that extends into the canister. The screen flush module is configured to flush solids particles trapped in the intake screen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric submersible pump configured to lift fluids through a tubing string contained in a well having a well casing, the electric submersible pump comprising:
an electric motor;
a centrifugal pump driven by the electric motor when the electric motor is energized, wherein the centrifugal pump includes an intake manifold;
a gas mitigation system comprising:
a canister having an interior; and
an intake screen;
a bottom intake pipe, wherein the bottom intake pipe extends from the interior of the canister to the intake manifold of the centrifugal pump; and
a screen flush module, wherein the screen flush module comprises:
a flush diverter connected to the tubing string above the centrifugal pump;
a wash line extending from the flush diverter to the bottom intake pipe through the intake manifold of the centrifugal pump; and
wherein the flush diverter is configured to release fluids under hydrostatic pressure within the tubing string above the centrifugal pump into the gas mitigation system to selectively backwash particles trapped by the intake screen of the gas mitigation system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the gas mitigation system further includes a flush manifold that has a plurality of nozzles within the canister.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the screen flush module is configured to be automatically placed into a flush mode of operation by the hydrostatic pressure of fluid in the tubing string when the electric motor is not energized.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The pump of claim 3, wherein the flush diverter comprises:
a flush discharge; and
a shuttle valve that selectively opens the flush discharge to permit pressurized fluid to pass from the tubing string through the flush diverter and into the wash line during the flush mode of operation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The pump of claim 4, wherein the shuttle valve comprises:
a shuttle cage;
a check ball contained within the shuttle cage;
a seat; and
a spring that biases the shuttle cage in an open position in which the check ball is displaced from the seat.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The pump of claim 5, wherein the shuttle valve is configured such that the shuttle cage blocks the flush discharge when the shuttle valve is urged to the open position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electric submersible pump of claim 1, wherein the screen flush module further comprises a check valve within the intake manifold that closes the intake manifold of the centrifugal pump when the wash line contains pressurized fluid.

### Claim 8

A pump configured to lift fluids through a tubing string contained in a well having a well casing, the pump comprising:
an electric motor;
a centrifugal pump driven by the electric motor when the electric motor is energized;
a gas mitigation system comprising:
a canister having an interior and an intake screen; and
an intake tube, wherein the intake tube extends from inside the canister to the centrifugal pump; and
a screen flush module, wherein the screen flush module comprises:
a dump valve above the canister of the gas mitigation system;
an inlet line, wherein the inlet line connects the tubing string to the dump valve;
an outlet line, wherein the outlet line connects the dump valve to the intake tube below the centrifugal pump; and
wherein the dump valve is configured to release fluids under hydrostatic pressure within the inlet line and tubing string above the dump valve into the gas mitigation system through the outlet line to selectively backwash particles trapped by the intake screen of the gas mitigation system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The pump of claim 8, wherein the dump valve comprises:
a central passage;
a ball valve seat within the central passage;
a ball valve; and
an actuator to selectively lift the ball valve off the ball valve seat to permit fluid flow through the central passage, wherein the actuator includes a hydraulically-driven ram that is connected to the ball valve.

### Claim 10

A pump configured to lift fluid through a tubing string contained in a well having a well casing, the pump comprising:
an electric motor;
a centrifugal pump driven by the electric motor when the electric motor is energized;
a gas mitigation system comprising:
a canister having an interior; and
an intake screen;
a bottom intake pipe, wherein the bottom intake pipe extends from the interior of the canister to the centrifugal pump; and
a screen flush module configured to selectively backwash particles trapped by the intake screen of the gas mitigation system, wherein the screen flush module comprises:
a wash line connected to the gas mitigation system; and
a flush diverter connected to the tubing string, wherein the flush diverter comprises:
a flush discharge; and
a shuttle valve that selectively opens the flush discharge to permit pressurized fluid to pass through the wash line into the interior of the canister during the flush mode of operation; and;
wherein the screen flush module is configured to be automatically placed into a flush mode of operation by a hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the tubing string when the electric motor is not energized.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The pump of claim 10, wherein the shuttle valve comprises:
a shuttle cage;
a check ball contained within the shuttle cage;
a seat;
a spring that biases the shuttle cage in an open position in which the check ball is displaced from the seat; and
wherein the shuttle valve is configured such that the shuttle cage blocks the flush discharge when the shuttle valve is urged to the open position while the electric motor is energized.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The electric submersible pump of claim 10, wherein the screen flush module further comprises a check valve within the intake manifold that closes the intake manifold of the centrifugal pump when the wash line contains pressurized fluid.