Sand control screen assembly having integral connector rings and method for making same

A sand control screen assembly comprising:

• a base pipe;
• a screen jacket including a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs and a screen wire wrapped around the ribs, the screen jacket operably positionable around the base pipe;
• and
• a pair of oppositely disposed connector rings at least partially positionable around first and second ends, respectively, of the screen jacket, the connector rings each having a plurality of openings in a sidewall portion thereof that are circumferentially alignable with at least a portion of the ribs such that the connector rings are integrally connectable with the aligned ribs via the openings such that the ribs are operable to share a torsional load between the connector rings, the connector rings operably positionable around the base pipe.

A method for manufacturing a screen jacket assembly for positioning around a base pipe to form a sand control screen, the method comprising:

• forming a screen jacket including a plurality of circumferentially distributed axially extending ribs and a screen wire wrapped therearound;
• positioning a pair of connector rings at least partially around first and second ends, respectively, of the screen jacket;
• circumferentially aligning openings formed in a sidewall portion of each connector ring with at least a portion of the ribs;
• integrally connecting the connector rings with the aligned ribs via the openings;
• and
• sharing a torsional load between the connector rings with the ribs.