Sintered spherical plastic bead prepack screen aggregate

A well screen for separating particulate material from formation fluid, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel having a bore defining a production flow passage, said mandrel being radially intersected by at least one flow aperture connecting with said flow passage;
• tubular screen means spaced from and concentrically surrounding said mandrel to define an annulus, said screen means having at least one screen aperture in communication with said annulus and said flow aperture;
• and
• a plurality of sintered, substantially spherical members located in said annulus between said screen means and said mandrel and covering said flow aperture.

A well screen for separating particulate material from formation fluid, comprising:

• a tubular mandrel having a bore defining a production flow passage, said mandrel being radially intersected by at least one flow aperture connecting with said flow passage;
• a cylindrical inner screen mounted concentrically around said mandrel and including
• a plurality of longitudinally extending rib wires spaced circumferentially around said mandrel, and
• a screen wire wrapped externally about said rib wires in a longitudinally spaced pattern to define longitudinally spaced screen apertures in communication said flow aperture for conducting formation fluids through said inner screen;
• a cylindrical fluid-porous, particulate-restricting member mounted concentrically around said inner screen and radially spaced therefrom to form a prepack annulus, said particulate-restricting member including
• a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending rib wires located in said prepack annulus and spaced circumferentially around said inner screen, and
• a screen wire wrapped externally about said rib wires to define said annulus in a longitudinally spaced pattern to delineate longitudinally spaced screen apertures for conducting formation fluids through said outer screen;
• and
• a plurality of sintered, substantially spherical plastic members disposed within said prepack annulus between said particulate-restricting member and said inner screen and covering said flow aperture.