Sand and Solids Bypass Separator

A particulate separator for use with a production well producing a fluid mixture including particulate matter, the separator comprising:

• an outer conduit having one or more openings extending from an exterior surface of the outer conduit into the conduit;
• and
• an inner conduit positioned within the outer conduit, wherein the inner conduit comprises a pump intake at a bottom end of the inner conduit positioned below the one or more openings of the outer conduit, the one or more openings allowing the fluid mixture to enter the outer conduit and to flow downward toward the pump intake, wherein the fluid mixture reaches a downward velocity sufficient to allow the particulate matter in the fluid mixture to continue downward as the fluid is drawn into the inner conduit through the pump intake;
• a bypass positioned to direct the particular matter from the fluid mixture to a point below the pump intake to inhibit the particulate matter from entering the pump intake.