Gravel pack system with slurry exit port in coupling and method of gravel packing
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsBritain A. Fisher, Elmer Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gravel pack system includes slurry transport hardware including a first slurry transport pathway, a coupling configured to couple the first slurry transport pathway to a radially interiorly arranged screen assembly, and a first exit port in the coupler. The first exit port is fluidically connected to the first slurry transport pathway, and the first exit port is arranged to re-direct at least a portion of slurry passing longitudinally through the first slurry transport pathway in a radially outward direction.
Claims20
A gravel pack system comprising:
- slurry transport hardware including:
- a first slurry transport pathway;
- a coupling configured to couple the first slurry transport pathway to a radially interiorly arranged screen assembly;
- and,
- a first exit port in the coupler, the first exit port fluidically connected to the first slurry transport pathway, and the first exit port arranged to re-direct at least a portion of slurry passing longitudinally through the first slurry transport pathway in a radially outward direction.
A method of gravel packing an annulus between a gravel pack system and an outer tubular, the method comprising:
- coupling a slurry transport tube of the gravel pack system to a connection area of a screen assembly with a coupling, the connection area including a connection between adjacent screen joints, the coupling including at least one exit port fluidically connected to the slurry transport tube;
- and,
- directing slurry into the annulus when a bridge is not formed in the annulus, and, if slurry passage is blocked by a sand bridge, bypassing the sand bridge using the slurry transport tube;
- wherein at least a portion of the slurry flowing longitudinally through the slurry transport tube is radially directed into the annulus through the at least one exit port in the coupling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.