Expandable well screen
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsRichard C. Haut, Ian J. Mickelburgh, Ronald G. Dusterhoft, Pat York, Jackie LaFontaine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved expandable well screen and associated methods of servicing a subterranean well provide enhanced functionality, while increasing the convenience of manufacture and deployment of the screen, and reducing the screen's cost. In one described embodiment of the invention, an expandable well screen includes a pleated woven metal filter element disposed overlying a perforated base pipe. When the screen is appropriately positioned within a well, an expanding tool is utilized to radially enlarge the base pipe and filter element.
Claims21
An expandable well screen, comprising:
- a pleated woven metal filter element, the filter element being radially expanded from a first radially compressed configuration to a second radially enlarged configuration, fluid flow through the well screen being filtered when the filter element is in the second configuration.
A subterranean well system, comprising:
- a wellbore intersecting a formation;
- and
- a well screen disposed within the wellbore and filtering fluid flowing between the formation and the wellbore, the screen including a woven metal material filter element radially expanded from a first configuration in which the filter element is circumferentally pleated to a second radially enlarged configuration, fluid flow through the well screen being filtered when the filter element is in the second configuration.
A subterranean well system, comprising:
- a wellbore intersecting a formation;
- and
- a well screen disposed within the wellbore and filtering fluid flowing between the formation and the wellbore, the screen including a filter element radially expanded from a first configuration in which the filter element is circumferentially pleated to a second radially enlarged configuration, the screen further including a perforated base pipe disposed within the filter element.
A subterranean well system, comprising:
- a wellbore intersecting a formation;
- and
- a well screen disposed within the wellbore and filtering fluid flowing between the formation and the wellbore, the screen including a filter element radially expanded from a first configuration in which the filter element is circumferentially pleated to a second radially enlarged configuration, the filter element being expanded to the second radially enlarged configuration with gravel in an annulus between the screen and the wellbore, the filter element urging the gravel to displace in the annulus about the screen when the filter element is expanded from the first to the second configuration.
A method of servicing a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- conveying a screen into the well, the screen being in a first radially compressed configuration thereof, and the screen including a circumferentially pleated woven metal material filter element;
- positioning the screen within the well;
- and
- expanding the screen to a second radially enlarged configuration thereof, fluid flow through the screen being filtered when the screen is in the second configuration.
A method of servicing a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- conveying a screen into the well, the screen being in a first radially compressed configuration thereof, the screen including a circumferentially pleated filter element, the screen further including a perforated base pipe disposed within the filter element;
- positioning the screen within the well;
- and
- expanding the screen to a second radially enlarged configuration thereof.
A method of servicing a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- conveying a screen into the well, the screen being in a first radially compressed configuration thereof, the screen including a circumferentially pleated filter element;
- positioning the screen within the well;
- and
- expanding the screen to a second radially enlarged configuration thereof by radially enlarging the screen within gravel disposed in an annulus formed between the screen and a wellbore of the well, fluid flow through the screen being filtered when the screen is in the second configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.