# US 2021/0277750 A1 · Multiple shunt pressure assembly for gravel packing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277750 A1 - Document ID: US20210277750A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/347,711 - Filed: 2019-03-28 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-22 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Maxime Philippe Coffin; Thomas Jules Frosell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277750A1 ## CPC - E21B 43/04: Gravelling of wells - E21B 43/08: Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} - E21B 43/086: {Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners (comprising porous materials E21B43/082)} - E21B 43/10: Setting of casings, screens, liners {or the like} in wells - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A lower completion assembly made up of an upper sand screen assembly and a lower sand screen assembly. Each sand screen assembly includes a shunt system. Each shunt system includes a transport tube and a packing tube extending from a junction block. Each packing tube includes a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from the junction block and from each other. The shunt system of the upper sand screen assembly has a higher pressure rating than the shunt system of the lower sand screen assembly. The wall thickness of the transport tubes of the upper sand screen assembly shunt system is greater than the wall thickness of the transport tubes of the lower sand screen assembly shunt system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A completion assembly for deployment in a wellbore, the completion assembly comprising: a first sand screen assembly comprising a base pipe having perforations therein and extending between a first end and a second ends, a sand screen disposed around a portion of the base pipe, and a shunt tube assembly disposed outwardly of the sand screen, the shunt tube assembly having a transport tube and a packing tube, where each of the tubes has a passageway defined therein, the packing tube further including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the tubes and each nozzle has a cross-sectional flow area; a second sand screen assembly comprising a base pipe having perforations therein and extending between a first end and a second ends, a sand screen disposed around a portion of the base pipe, and a shunt tube assembly disposed outwardly of the sand screen, the shunt tube assembly having a transport tube and a packing tube, the packing tube including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the tubes and each nozzle has a cross-sectional flow area; wherein the first and second sand screen assemblies are arranged end to end relative to one another so that the base pipes are in fluid communication with one another and the transport tubes are in fluid communication with one another; wherein the transport tube of the first sand screen assembly has a first wall thickness and the transport tube of the second sand screen assembly has a second wall thickness, the first wall thickness being greater than the second wall thickness. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional flow area of the packing tube nozzle opening in the first sand screen assembly is less than a cross-sectional flow area of the packing tube nozzle opening in the second sand screen assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sand screen assembly further comprises a junction block from which the transport tube and the packing tube extend, the plurality of nozzles being spaced apart from the junction block; and wherein the second sand screen assembly further comprises a junction block from which the transport tube and the packing tube extend, the plurality of nozzles being spaced apart from the junction block, wherein the distance between the first sand screen assembly junction block and the packing tube nozzles is greater in the first sand screen assembly than the distance between the second sand screen assembly junction block and the packing tube nozzles in the second sand screen assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the number of packing tube nozzles in the first sand screen assembly is less than the number of packing tube nozzles in the second sand screen assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional flow areas of the passageway in the first and second transport tubes is substantially the same. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the second end of the first sand screen assembly base pipe is connected to the first end of the second sand screen assembly base pipe forming a joint therebetween, the completion assembly further comprising an coupling interconnecting one end of a jumper tube to the transport tube of the first sand screen assembly, the other end of the jumper tube in fluid communication with the junction block of the second sand screen assembly whereby the jumper tube straddles the joint between the first and second sand screen assemblies. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of over 5000 psi and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of no more than 5000 psi. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of between 5000 and 10000 psi and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of less than 4000 psi. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of over a select threshold and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a pressure rating of no more than the select threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The completion assembly of claim 1, wherein a shunt tube assembly with a first burst pressure and the second sand screen assembly comprises a shunt tube assembly with a burst pressure less than the first burst pressure. ### Claim 11 A completion assembly for deployment in a wellbore, the completion assembly comprising: a first sand screen assembly attached to a second sand screen assembly, wherein the first sand screen assembly comprises a shunt tube assembly with a first burst pressure and the second sand screen assembly comprises a shunt tube assembly with a burst pressure less than the first burst pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The completion assembly of claim 11, wherein the first sand screen assembly comprises a shunt tube assembly disposed to operate at pressures over 5000 psi and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly disposed to operate at pressures of no more than 5000 psi. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The completion assembly of claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of first sand screen assemblies forming a lower portion of the completion assembly and attached to a plurality of second sand screen assemblies forming an upper portion of the completion assembly, wherein the first sand screen assemblies each comprises a shunt tube assembly having an operating pressure rating over 5000 psi and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly having an operating pressure rating of no more than 5000 psi. ### Claim 14 A method of installing a completion assembly in a wellbore, the method comprising: installing a first sand screen assembly in a wellbore adjacent a production zone; and attaching a second sand screen assembly to the first sand screen assembly upstream of the first sand screen assembly, wherein the first sand screen assembly has a low pressure shunt tube system and the second sand screen assembly has a high pressure shunt tube system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: installing a plurality of interconnected first sand screen assemblies in a wellbore adjacent the production zone; and attaching a plurality of second sand screen assemblies to the uppermost first sand screen assembly upstream of the first sand screen assemblies. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: identifying an elongated production zone having an upstream proximal end and a downstream distal end; determining a shunt tube system operating pressure associated with the proximal end of the production zone and selecting the high pressure shunt tube system based on the proximal end determined pressure; determining a shunt tube system operating pressure associated with the distal end of the production zone and selecting the low pressure shunt tube system based on the distal end determined pressure, wherein the low pressure shunt tube system has a lower shunt tube operating pressure than the high pressure shunt tube system; positioning the low pressure shunt tube system in the wellbore adjacent the production zone distal end; and positioning the high pressure shunt tube system in the wellbore adjacent the production zone proximal end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising introducing a working fluid into the shunt systems, wherein the working fluid is pressurized in accordance with the operating pressure of the high pressure shunt tube system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the high pressure shunt tube system is disposed to operate at pressures of 5000 psi and the low pressure shunt tube system is disposed to operate at pressures of no more than 5000. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the high pressure shunt tube system is disposed to operate at pressures above a select threshold and the low pressure shunt tube system is disposed to operate at pressures of no more than the select threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising injecting the working fluid into the annulus adjacent the shunt tube system so as to form a gravel pack in the annulus. ### Claim 21 A completion assembly for deployment in a wellbore, the completion assembly comprising: a first sand screen assembly comprising a base pipe having perforations therein and extending between a first end and a second ends, a sand screen disposed around a portion of the base pipe, and a shunt tube assembly disposed outwardly of the sand screen, the shunt tube assembly having a transport tube and a packing tube, where each of the tubes has a passageway defined therein, the packing tube further including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the tubes and each nozzle has a cross-sectional flow area; a second sand screen assembly comprising a base pipe having perforations therein and extending between a first end and a second ends, a sand screen disposed around a portion of the base pipe, and a shunt tube assembly disposed outwardly of the sand screen, the shunt tube assembly having a transport tube and a packing tube, the packing tube including a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from each other, wherein each of the tubes and each nozzle has a cross-sectional flow area; wherein the first and second sand screen assemblies are arranged end to end relative to one another so that the base pipes are in fluid communication with one another and the transport tubes are in fluid communication with one another; wherein the transport tube of the first sand screen assembly is formed of a first material and the transport tube of the second sand screen assembly is formed of a second material, the first material having a greater tensile strength than the second material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The completion assembly of claim 21, wherein the transport tube of the first sand screen assembly has a first wall thickness and the transport tube of the second sand screen assembly has a second wall thickness, the first wall thickness being greater than the second wall thickness. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The completion assembly of claim 21, wherein the first sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a first pressure rating and the second sand screen assembly has a shunt tube assembly with a second pressure rating less than the first pressure rating.