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US 8,783,348 B2Granted
Secondary flow path module, gravel packing system including the same, and method of assembly thereof
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsJeff S. Edwards, Luis A. Garcia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for gravel packing includes a sand screen and a secondary flow path module. The module is installed over the sand screen with the sand screen positioned radially inward the secondary flow path module. The secondary flow path module includes a protective cover to which the secondary flow path hardware is attached on an interior of the protective cover.
Claims18
A secondary flow path module comprising:
- a protective cover;
- and
- secondary flow path hardware including an end cap and slurry transport tubes extending from the end cap, the end cap attached to a first end of the protective cover, and at least one portion of the secondary flow path hardware spaced from the end cap is directly attached to an interior of the protective cover, the at least one portion spaced from the end cap and directly attached to the interior of the protective cover including a support ring;
- wherein the module is a self-contained unit configured to be slidably installable onto a tool.
1 more element
An apparatus for gravel packing, the apparatus comprising:
- a sand screen;
- and,
- a secondary flow path module installed over the sand screen, the sand screen positioned radially inward the secondary flow path module, the secondary flow path module comprising:
- a protective cover;
- and
- secondary flow path hardware including an end cap, and slurry transport tubes extending from the end cap, the end cap attached to a first end of the protective cover, and at least one portion of the secondary flow path hardware spaced from the end cap is directly attached to an interior of the protective cover;
- wherein the module is a self-contained unit configured to be slidably installable onto the sand screen as a unit.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a gravel packing system, the method comprising:
- affixing secondary flow path hardware to an interior of a protective cover by welding at least one of slurry transport tubes, splitter, support ring, emitter tubes and emitters to the interior of the protective cover and attaching the protective cover to an end cap of the secondary flow path hardware to form a secondary flow path module;
- and,
- subsequently installing the secondary flow path module over a sand screen, wherein subsequently installing the secondary flow path module over a sand screen includes sliding an entirety of the secondary flow path module over the sand screen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.