Sand control screen assembly and treatment method using the same

A sand control screen assembly positionable within a production interval of a wellbore comprising:

• a base pipe having a plurality of openings that allow fluid flow therethrough;
• a filter medium positioned about the exterior of the base pipe, the filter medium selectively allowing fluid flow therethrough and preventing particulate flow therethrough;
• and
• a plurality of one-way valves positioned at least partially within the openings of the base pipe, the one-way valves having a first operating mode wherein the one-way valves prevent fluid flow from the interior of the base pipe to the exterior of the base pipe and are actuatable to allow fluid flow from the exterior of the base pipe to the interior of the base pipe and a second operating mode wherein the one-way valves allow fluid flow from the interior of the base pipe to the exterior of the base pipe and from the exterior of the base pipe to the interior of the base pipe.

A sand control screen assembly positionable within a production interval of a wellbore comprising:

• a base pipe having at least one opening that allows fluid flow therethrough;
• a filter medium positioned about an exterior of the base pipe, the filter medium selectively allowing fluid flow therethrough and preventing particulate flow therethrough;
• and
• a one-way valve positioned in a fluid flow path between the filter medium and the at least one opening in the base pipe that prevents fluid flow from an interior of the base pipe to an exterior of the filter medium and is actuatable to allow fluid flow from the exterior of the filter medium to the interior of the base pipe.

A sand control screen assembly comprising:

• a tubular member having at least one fluid passageway in a sidewall section thereof;
• a filter medium positioned exteriorly around the tubular member defining a first annular region with the tubular member;
• a housing positioned exteriorly around the tubular member defining a second annular region with the tubular member;
• and
• a sleeve slidably positioned within the second annular region, the sleeve having a sealing position and a nonsealing position, the sleeve mechanically biased toward the sealing position, the sleeve operated to the sealing position when a force generated by differential pressure acting on the sleeve between an exterior of the filter medium and an interior of the base pipe does not exceed the mechanical bias force, thereby preventing fluid flow from the interior of the base pipe to the exterior of the filter medium, the sleeve operated to the nonsealing position when the force generated by differential pressure acting on the sleeve between the exterior of the filter medium and the interior of the base pipe exceeds the mechanical bias force, thereby allowing fluid flow from the exterior of the filter medium to the interior of the base pipe.

A downhole treatment method comprising the steps of:

• locating a sand control screen assembly within a production interval of a wellbore, the sand control screen assembly including a base pipe having at least one opening and a filter medium positioned about an exterior of the base pipe;
• pumping a treatment fluid into the production interval;
• and
• preventing fluid flow from an interior to an exterior of the sand control screen assembly with a seal member operably associated with the base pipe that controls fluid flow through the at least one opening of the base pipe.

A downhole treatment method comprising the steps of:

• locating a sand control screen assembly within a production interval of a wellbore, the sand control screen assembly including a base pipe having at least one opening and a filter medium positioned about an exterior of the base pipe;
• preventing fluid flow from the interior to the exterior of the sand control screen assembly by positioning at least one one-way valve in a fluid path between the exterior and the interior of the sand control screen;
• pumping a treatment fluid into the production interval;
• allowing fluid flow from the exterior to the interior of the sand control screen assembly through the one-way valve;
• and
• selectively operating the one-way valve to a disabled configuration allowing fluid flow from the interior of the sand control screen assembly to the exterior of the sand control screen assembly.