Screen assembly and method for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore

A sand control screen assembly for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the screen assembly comprising:

• a base pipe having a perforated section and a nonperforated section;
• a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced around and axially extending along the exterior surface of the base pipe, two of the ribs positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe;
• a filter medium positioned around the plurality of ribs having voids therethrough;
• a filler material disposed within a portion of the voids that is circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section of the base pipe, thereby forming a slurry passageway bounded by the nonperforated section of the base pipe, the two ribs positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe and the portion of the filter medium and the filler material in the voids that are circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section of the base pipe;
• and
• a plurality of manifolds in fluid communication with the slurry passageway, the manifolds deliver a fluid slurry to a plurality of levels of the interval through exit ports that are not circumferentially aligned with the slurry passageway when the screen assembly is in an operable position.

A sand control screen assembly for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the screen assembly comprising:

• a base pipe having a perforated section and a nonperforated section;
• a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced around and axially extending along the exterior surface of the base pipe, two of the ribs positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe;
• a filter medium positioned around the plurality of ribs having voids therethrough;
• a filler material disposed within a portion of the voids that is circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section, thereby forming a slurry passageway bounded by the nonperforated section, the two ribs positioned within the nonperforated section and the portion of the filter medium and the filler material in the voids that are circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section;
• a plurality of tubes selectively positioned within the slurry passageway;
• and
• a plurality of exit ports through the filter medium, the filler material in the voids that are circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section and the tubes to deliver a fluid slurry to a plurality of levels of the interval when the screen assembly is in an operable position.

A method for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• traversing a formation with the wellbore;
• positioning a sand control screen assembly within the wellbore, the screen assembly including a base pipe having a perforated section and a nonperforated section, a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced therearound and a filter medium positioned around the plurality of ribs having voids therethrough, the screen assembly also includes a slurry passageway defined by the nonperforated section of the base pipe, two of the ribs which are positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe and a portion of the filter medium that is circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section of the base pipe, the voids in the portion having a filler material disposed therein;
• injecting a fluid slurry containing gravel through the slurry passageway such that the fluid slurry exits the screen assembly through exit ports in manifolds that are in fluid communication with the slurry passageway at a plurality of levels of the interval;
• and
• terminating the injecting.

A method for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• traversing a formation with the wellbore;
• positioning a sand control screen assembly within the wellbore, the screen assembly including a base pipe having a perforated section and a nonperforated section, a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced therearound and a filter medium positioned around the plurality of ribs having voids therethrough, the screen assembly also includes a slurry passageway defined by the nonperforated section of the base pipe, two of the ribs which are positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe and a portion of the filter medium that is circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section of the base pipe, the voids in the portion having a filler material disposed therein;
• injecting a fluid slurry containing gravel through the slurry passageway such that the fluid slurry exits the screen assembly through exit ports in manifolds that are not circumferentially aligned with the slurry passageway at a plurality of levels of the interval;
• and
• terminating the injecting.

A method for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• traversing a formation with the wellbore;
• positioning a sand control screen assembly within the wellbore, the screen assembly including a base pipe having a perforated section and a nonperforated section, a plurality of ribs circumferentially spaced therearound and a filter medium positioned around the plurality of ribs having voids therethrough, the screen assembly also includes a slurry passageway defined by the nonperforated section of the base pipe, two of the ribs which are positioned within the nonperforated section of the base pipe and a portion of the filter medium that is circumferentially aligned with the nonperforated section of the base pipe, the voids in the portion having a filler material disposed therein;
• injecting a fluid slurry containing gravel through the slurry passageway such that the fluid slurry exits the screen assembly through exit ports in the filter medium and filler material at a plurality of levels of the interval;
• and
• terminating the injecting.

A sand control screen assembly for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the screen assembly comprising:

• a base pipe having a plurality of openings;
• a filter medium positioned around the base pipe;
• a slurry passageway positioned between the base pipe and the filter medium;
• and
• a plurality of manifolds in fluid communication with the slurry passageway, the manifolds deliver a fluid slurry to a plurality of levels of the interval through exit ports when the screen assembly is in an operable position.

A sand control screen assembly for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore, the screen assembly comprising:

• a base pipe having a plurality of openings;
• a filter medium positioned around the base pipe;
• a slurry passageway positioned between the base pipe and the filter medium;
• and
• a plurality of manifolds in fluid communication with the slurry passageway, the manifolds deliver a fluid slurry to a plurality of levels of the interval through exit ports that are not circumferentially aligned with the slurry passageway when the screen assembly is in an operable position.