US 6,012,522 A · Deformable well screen

Abstract

A deformable well screen for preventing migration of solid particles into a hydrocarbon production well is disclosed, the screen including at least one substantially tubular filter layer of which the sieve opening size remains fairly constant during or after expansion and/or other deformation of the screen. Optionally the screen also includes a series of circumferentially scaled filter segments that are arranged around an expandable slotted tube, an expandable slotted tube of which the slots are filled with resin coated granules, an expandable slotted tube with micro-slots, an assembly of woven metal wire screens that are sintered together and/or a synthetic geotextile fabric.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A deformable well screen for preventing migration of solid particles into a hydrocarbon production well, which screen comprises:

at least one substantially tubular filter layer having a sieve opening size which is tailored to the size of particles that are to be blocked by the screen,
wherein the filter layer is deformable such that it can be expanded, bent, and/or compressed during installation of the screen in a wellbore and that any variation of the sieve opening size of each filter layer as a result of such deformation remains within predetermined limits wherein the filter layer comprises an expandable slotted tube of which the slots and any gaps between the tube and borehole wall have been filled in situ with granules that are bonded to each other and to the rims of the slots by a bonding agent such that pore openings of a selected size remain between the granules.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Deformable well screen

Life of this patent

Deformable well screen

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5