Sand control method and apparatus

A string, comprising:

• a tubing;
• a sealing element coupled to the tubing;
• a sand control device positioned below the sealing element;
• a tool adapted to be run through the tubing to perform at least one of a gravel pack operation, a fracturing operation, a cleaning operation, and a stimulating operation;
• and
• an intelligent completions device positioned below the sand control device and a control conduit extending past the sand control device to the intelligent completions device.

A string, comprising:

• a tubing;
• a sealing element coupled to the tubing;
• a sand control device positioned below the sealing element;
• a tool adapted to be run through the tubing to perform at least one of a gravel pack operation, a fracturing operation, a cleaning operation, and a stimulating operation;
• a flow control device actuatable at least between an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a control conduit adapted to carry a signal to operate the flow control device.

A string, comprising:

• a tubing;
• a sealing element coupled to the tubing;
• a sand control device positioned below the sealing element;
• and
• a fluid communication control device to control flow of fluid between the tubing and a region outside the sand control device;
• a tool adapted to be run through the tubing and to actuate the fluid communication control device;
• and
• a flow control device controllable by a signal that is at least one of a signal communicated through a control conduit and a wireless signal, the flow control device adapted to control fluid flow from the region outside the sand control device to the tubing.

A string, comprising:

• a tubing;
• a sealing element coupled to the tubing;
• a sand control device positioned below the sealing element;
• a fluid communication control device to control flow of fluid between the tubing and a region outside the sand control device;
• a tool adapted to be run through the tubing and to actuate the fluid communication control device;
• a flow control device actuatable at least between an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a control conduit adapted to carry a signal to operate the flow control device.

An apparatus for use in a well, comprising:

• a production tubing;
• a sand control assembly coupled to the production tubing;
• an intelligent completions device, the sand control assembly, the intelligent completions device, and the production tubing adapted to be lowered as a string in a single run;
• and
• a control conduit extending along the production tubing and to the intelligent completions device, the control conduit adapted to communicate a signal to operate the intelligent completions device.

An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

• a sand control assembly having a screen and defining an annular passageway inside the screen;
• a sealing element;
• and
• a flow control device having one or more radial flow ports to receive fluid from an annular region outside the flow control device,
• the sealing element being positioned between the sand control assembly and the flow control device,
• the sealing element having one or more bypass conduits to enable fluid communication between the annular passageway and the annular region outside the flow control device.

A method of gravel packing a wellbore, comprising:

• positioning a string having a tubing and sand control assembly;
• running a service tool through the tubing;
• using the service tool to perform at least one of a gravel packing operation, a fracturing operation, a stimulating operation, and a cleaning operation;
• and
• remotely operating a flow control device to control flow from an annular region outside the sand control assembly using a signal that is one of a signal communicated through a control conduit and a wireless signal.

A method for use in a well, comprising:

• providing an apparatus having a sand control assembly having a screen and defining an annular passageway inside the screen;
• providing a sealing element;
• providing a flow control device to receive fluid from an annular region outside the flow control device;
• and
• routing fluid flow from the annular passageway through a bypass flow conduit in the sealing element to the annular region on the other side of the sealing element.

A well completion disposed within a casing, comprising:

• a production tubing;
• a first packer coupled to the production tubing;
• a first closing sleeve disposed below the first packer;
• a first sand screen disposed below the first closing sleeve and having a plurality of fluid passageways disposed therethrough;
• a first internal sleeve member disposed within the first sand screen, the first sand screen and first internal sleeve defining an annular passageway therebetween, the annular passageway being in fluid communication through the fluid passageways in the sand screen with a well annulus formed between the completion and the casing;
• and
• a first surface controlled flow control device having at least one remotely openable and closable flow port in fluid communication with the annular passageway, whereby fluid communication between the annular passageway and a longitudinal bore of the completion is established through the at least one flow port when the at least one port is in an open position and restricted when the at least one port is in a closed position,
• the first surface controlled flow control device actuatable by a signal that is one of a signal communicated through a control conduit and a wireless signal.

A method of completing a well having a plurality of production zones, comprising:

• remotely restricting fluid communication between all but one of the plurality of production zones and a longitudinal bore of a well completion;
• using a first flow control device and a closure member to remotely establish fluid communication between the one of the plurality of production zones and the longitudinal bore;
• and
• remotely controlling the first flow control device using a signal transmitted via a control conduit connected to the first flow control device.