EP0980462A1 - Expandable well screen - Google Patents

Expandable well screen

Info

Publication number
EP0980462A1
EP0980462A1 EP98924261A EP98924261A EP0980462A1 EP 0980462 A1 EP0980462 A1 EP 0980462A1 EP 98924261 A EP98924261 A EP 98924261A EP 98924261 A EP98924261 A EP 98924261A EP 0980462 A1 EP0980462 A1 EP 0980462A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
slots
carrier tube
well screen
tube
filter sheets
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98924261A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0980462B1 (en
Inventor
Martin Donnelly
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Original Assignee
Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV filed Critical Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
Priority to EP98924261A priority Critical patent/EP0980462B1/en
Publication of EP0980462A1 publication Critical patent/EP0980462A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0980462B1 publication Critical patent/EP0980462B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
    • E21B43/10—Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells
    • E21B43/103—Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like
    • E21B43/108—Expandable screens or perforated liners
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
    • E21B43/08—Screens or liners
    • E21B43/086—Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
    • E21B43/10—Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells
    • E21B43/103—Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an expandable well screen for preventing migration of solid particles into a hydrocarbon fluid production well.
  • the invention relates to an expandable well screen which comprises a number of filter sheets which are secured in an iris-shaped configuration and co-axial to an expandable slotted carrier tube such that as a result of expansion of the tube the amount of overlap between adjacent filter sheets is reduced.
  • an expandable well screen is disclosed in applicant's co-pending international patent application PCT/EP96/04887.
  • Figure 3 of this prior art reference discloses that the filter sheets consist of plates in which a series of circular perforations are present. The size of these perforations is chosen such that solid particles larger than the size of the hole are prevented from flowing into the well.
  • a suitable expandable slotted carrier tube for use with the screen is disclosed in international patent application PCT/EP93/01460.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a well screen comprising an iris-shaped configuration of filter sheets which do not buckle and which slide easily relative to each other and relative to the carrier tube during the process of expanding the carrier tube.
  • the well screen according to the invention thereto comprises filter sheets having slots which are oriented in a substantially circumferential orientation with respect to the carrier tube.
  • the reference to a circumferential arrangement of slots means that the slots each are directed in a substantially tangential orientation with respect to the carrier tube and such the slots are oriented substantially transversal to the central axis and any axial slots of the carrier tube.
  • the filter sheets consist of elongate strips with staggered rows of slots in a transversal direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of each strip .
  • the pattern of slots is preferably such that alternate rows are displaced up to half a slot pitch in the transverse direction, the length of the slots is greater than half the transverse slot pitch, and the pattern of slots is continued through the longitudinal edges of the strips.
  • each strip is secured at regularly spaced points along its length to the expandable slotted carrier tube and that each strip is secured to the expandable slotted carrier tube at said points by either spot welding, brazing, soldering, gluing, riveting or screwing the strip to the tube at each of said points .
  • Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a well-screen comprising an iris-shaped configuration of filter sheets according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the well screen of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 3 is a side view of the well screen of Fig. 1 and 2 in which the protective surrounding tube has been omitted; and Fig. 4 and Fig. 4A, B, C and D show the original shape and deformation of the circumferential slots near a longitudinal edge of the filter sheets before, during and after the expansion process.
  • Fig. 1 there is shown an expandable slotted carrier tube 1 which is surrounded by a well screen 2 which comprises a series of filter sheets 3 which are arranged in an iris-shaped configuration around the carrier tube 1.
  • the filter sheets 3 consist of elongate rectangular strips which are each, as shown in Fig. 1 secured to the carrier tube 1 at attachment points 4 located on or close to the longitudinal centreline of the filter sheet 3 by for example spot welding, brazing, soldering, gluing, riveting or screwing at regularly spaced points along the length of the carrier tube 1.
  • the attachment points are located on the nodes between the ends of the slots of the carrier tube 1.
  • the filter sheets 3 overlap each other in both axial and circumferential direction such that during and after the expansion process which is illustrated in Fig. 4 at least some overlap remains between adjacent filter sheets 3.
  • the protective surrounding tube 5 which is shown in Figs . 1 and 2 has been omitted to show that the filter sheets 3 each comprise a series of staggered rows of circumferential slots 6 which are oriented in a substantially tangential direction with respect to the carrier tube 1 and substantially transversal to the axial slots 7 of the carrier tube 1 and to the central axis 8 of the carrier tube 1.
  • the carrier tube 1 is expanded by an expansion cone 9 during the expansion process such that the axial slots 7 deform into a diamond shape.
  • the illustrated sequential opening and closing of the circumferential slots 6 provides axial flexibility to the filter sheets 3 which prevents buckling or tearing of the fragile sheets 3 during expansion of the carrier tube 1.
  • the circumferential slots 6 also allow the overlapping sheets 3 to slide easily relative to each other during the expansion process.
  • the filter sheets 3 may also be arranged in a shallow helix around the carrier tube 1.
  • the helix angle should be selected small enough so that the deviation of the slots 6 from the tangential direction of the carrier tube 1 is less than 20 degrees.

Landscapes

  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Filtering Materials (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)
  • Lubrication Details And Ventilation Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Separation Of Particles Using Liquids (AREA)

Abstract

An expandable well screen for preventing migration of sand or other solid particles into a hydrocarbon fluid production well comprises a number of filter sheets (3) with circumferential slots (6), which sheets (3) are secured in an iris-shaped configuration and co-axial to an expandable slotted carrier tube (1) such that as result of expansion of the tube (1) the amount of overlap between adjacent filter sheets (3) is reduced. The circumferential slot pattern of the slots (6) enables the filter sheets (3) to slide easily relative to each other and to avoid buckling and/or tearing of the filler sheets during the expansion process.

Description

EXPANDABLE WELL SCREEN
The invention relates to an expandable well screen for preventing migration of solid particles into a hydrocarbon fluid production well.
More particularly, the invention relates to an expandable well screen which comprises a number of filter sheets which are secured in an iris-shaped configuration and co-axial to an expandable slotted carrier tube such that as a result of expansion of the tube the amount of overlap between adjacent filter sheets is reduced. Such an expandable well screen is disclosed in applicant's co-pending international patent application PCT/EP96/04887.
Figure 3 of this prior art reference discloses that the filter sheets consist of plates in which a series of circular perforations are present. The size of these perforations is chosen such that solid particles larger than the size of the hole are prevented from flowing into the well.
A suitable expandable slotted carrier tube for use with the screen is disclosed in international patent application PCT/EP93/01460.
It has been found that filter sheets which are secured to an expandable slotted carrier tube are deformed considerably during the process of expanding the carrier tube by moving an expansion mandrel therethrough. The carrier tube normally shortens during the expansion process as a result of opening of the axial slots towards a diamond shape.
This may cause the filter sheets to buckle to accommodate the carrier tube shortening and friction between the overlapping filter sheets and the carrier tube or tubes may cause the filter sheets to tear.
An object of the present invention is to provide a well screen comprising an iris-shaped configuration of filter sheets which do not buckle and which slide easily relative to each other and relative to the carrier tube during the process of expanding the carrier tube.
The well screen according to the invention thereto comprises filter sheets having slots which are oriented in a substantially circumferential orientation with respect to the carrier tube.
When used in this specification the reference to a circumferential arrangement of slots means that the slots each are directed in a substantially tangential orientation with respect to the carrier tube and such the slots are oriented substantially transversal to the central axis and any axial slots of the carrier tube.
Preferably the filter sheets consist of elongate strips with staggered rows of slots in a transversal direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of each strip .
The pattern of slots is preferably such that alternate rows are displaced up to half a slot pitch in the transverse direction, the length of the slots is greater than half the transverse slot pitch, and the pattern of slots is continued through the longitudinal edges of the strips.
It is also preferred that each strip is secured at regularly spaced points along its length to the expandable slotted carrier tube and that each strip is secured to the expandable slotted carrier tube at said points by either spot welding, brazing, soldering, gluing, riveting or screwing the strip to the tube at each of said points . These and further aspects, features and advantages of- the well screen according to the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying claims, abstract and the following " detailed description with reference to the drawings .
In the drawings :
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a well-screen comprising an iris-shaped configuration of filter sheets according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the well screen of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the well screen of Fig. 1 and 2 in which the protective surrounding tube has been omitted; and Fig. 4 and Fig. 4A, B, C and D show the original shape and deformation of the circumferential slots near a longitudinal edge of the filter sheets before, during and after the expansion process.
Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown an expandable slotted carrier tube 1 which is surrounded by a well screen 2 which comprises a series of filter sheets 3 which are arranged in an iris-shaped configuration around the carrier tube 1. As shown in Fig. 2 and 3 the filter sheets 3 consist of elongate rectangular strips which are each, as shown in Fig. 1 secured to the carrier tube 1 at attachment points 4 located on or close to the longitudinal centreline of the filter sheet 3 by for example spot welding, brazing, soldering, gluing, riveting or screwing at regularly spaced points along the length of the carrier tube 1. The attachment points are located on the nodes between the ends of the slots of the carrier tube 1.
The filter sheets 3 overlap each other in both axial and circumferential direction such that during and after the expansion process which is illustrated in Fig. 4 at least some overlap remains between adjacent filter sheets 3.
In Fig. 3 the protective surrounding tube 5 which is shown in Figs . 1 and 2 has been omitted to show that the filter sheets 3 each comprise a series of staggered rows of circumferential slots 6 which are oriented in a substantially tangential direction with respect to the carrier tube 1 and substantially transversal to the axial slots 7 of the carrier tube 1 and to the central axis 8 of the carrier tube 1.
As shown in Fig. 4 the carrier tube 1 is expanded by an expansion cone 9 during the expansion process such that the axial slots 7 deform into a diamond shape.
The expansion causes the carrier tube 1 to shorten and as illustrated in Figs. 4A-D the circumferential slots 6 at and near the longitudinal edges of the filter sheets 3 will initially open up to the diamond shape shown in Fig. 4B, then close to the X-shape shown in Fig. 4C and then partly re-open again to the key-hole shape shown in Fig. 4D.
The illustrated sequential opening and closing of the circumferential slots 6 provides axial flexibility to the filter sheets 3 which prevents buckling or tearing of the fragile sheets 3 during expansion of the carrier tube 1. The circumferential slots 6 also allow the overlapping sheets 3 to slide easily relative to each other during the expansion process.
It is observed that instead of arranging the filter sheets 3 in a longitudinal direction around the carrier tube 1 as illustrated in Fig. 3, the filter sheets 3 may also be arranged in a shallow helix around the carrier tube 1. In such case the helix angle should be selected small enough so that the deviation of the slots 6 from the tangential direction of the carrier tube 1 is less than 20 degrees.

Claims

C L A I M S
1. An expandable well screen for preventing migration of solid particles into a hydrocarbon fluid production well, which screen comprises a number of filter sheets which are secured in an iris-shaped configuration and co-axial to an expandable slotted carrier tube such that as a result of expansion of the tube the amount of overlap between adjacent filter sheets is reduced, wherein the filter sheets comprise slots which are oriented in a substantially circumferential orientation with respect to the carrier tube.
2. The well screen of claim 1, wherein the filter sheets consist of elongate strips with staggered rows of slots in a transversal direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of each strip.
3. The well screen of claim 2, wherein the pattern of slots is such that alternate rows are displaced up to half a slot pitch in the transverse direction, the length of the slots is greater than half the transverse slot pitch, and the pattern of slots is continued through the longitudinal edges of the strips.
4. The well screen of claim 3, wherein each strip is secured at regularly spaced attachment points along its length to the expandable slotted carrier tube.
5. The well screen of claim 4, wherein each strip is secured to the expandable slotted carrier tube at said attachment points by either spot welding, brazing, soldering, gluing, riveting or screwing the strip to the tube at each of said points.
6. The well screen of claim 5, wherein the regularly spaced attachment points are located on the nodes between the ends of the slots of the expandable slotted carrier "" tube .
7. The well screen of claim 6, wherein the longitudinal axis of each strip is substantially parallel to a central axis of the carrier tube both before and after expansion of the carrier tube.
EP98924261A 1997-04-28 1998-04-27 Expandable well screen Expired - Lifetime EP0980462B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98924261A EP0980462B1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-27 Expandable well screen

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP97201267 1997-04-28
EP97201267 1997-04-28
PCT/EP1998/002577 WO1998049423A1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-27 Expandable well screen
EP98924261A EP0980462B1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-27 Expandable well screen

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0980462A1 true EP0980462A1 (en) 2000-02-23
EP0980462B1 EP0980462B1 (en) 2003-01-08

Family

ID=8228269

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98924261A Expired - Lifetime EP0980462B1 (en) 1997-04-28 1998-04-27 Expandable well screen

Country Status (14)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0980462B1 (en)
AU (1) AU717503B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9809005A (en)
CA (1) CA2284865C (en)
DE (1) DE69810610T2 (en)
DK (1) DK0980462T3 (en)
ID (1) ID22839A (en)
MY (1) MY119637A (en)
NO (1) NO317766B1 (en)
NZ (1) NZ337859A (en)
OA (1) OA11211A (en)
RU (1) RU2197600C2 (en)
UA (1) UA57785C2 (en)
WO (1) WO1998049423A1 (en)

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US6263972B1 (en) * 1998-04-14 2001-07-24 Baker Hughes Incorporated Coiled tubing screen and method of well completion
MY121129A (en) * 1999-02-01 2005-12-30 Shell Int Research Method for creating secondary sidetracks in a well system
GB9921557D0 (en) * 1999-09-14 1999-11-17 Petroline Wellsystems Ltd Downhole apparatus
US6457518B1 (en) * 2000-05-05 2002-10-01 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Expandable well screen
US6530431B1 (en) 2000-06-22 2003-03-11 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Screen jacket assembly connection and methods of using same
US6412565B1 (en) 2000-07-27 2002-07-02 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Expandable screen jacket and methods of using same
NO20013594L (en) * 2000-07-27 2002-01-28 Halliburton Energy Serv Inc Procedures for open-hole sand packing with expandable screens
US6695054B2 (en) * 2001-01-16 2004-02-24 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Expandable sand screen and methods for use
US6799637B2 (en) * 2000-10-20 2004-10-05 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Expandable tubing and method
US6789621B2 (en) 2000-08-03 2004-09-14 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Intelligent well system and method
US6494261B1 (en) 2000-08-16 2002-12-17 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Apparatus and methods for perforating a subterranean formation
GB2382607A (en) * 2000-08-18 2003-06-04 Halliburton Energy Serv Inc Expandable coupling
GB2395214B (en) * 2000-10-20 2004-12-29 Schlumberger Holdings Expandable wellbore tubing
RU2225497C2 (en) * 2000-10-20 2004-03-10 Шлюмбергер Текнолоджи Б.В. Device with expandable tubular component and method for using this device in the well
GB2379691B8 (en) * 2000-10-20 2012-12-19 Halliburton Energy Serv Inc Expandable wellbore tubing
US20040011534A1 (en) 2002-07-16 2004-01-22 Simonds Floyd Randolph Apparatus and method for completing an interval of a wellbore while drilling
US6543545B1 (en) 2000-10-27 2003-04-08 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Expandable sand control device and specialized completion system and method
US6568472B1 (en) 2000-12-22 2003-05-27 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Method and apparatus for washing a borehole ahead of screen expansion
DE60226185D1 (en) * 2001-01-16 2008-06-05 Schlumberger Technology Bv Bistable, expandable device and method for expanding such a device
US7168485B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2007-01-30 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Expandable systems that facilitate desired fluid flow
US6695067B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2004-02-24 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Wellbore isolation technique
NO335594B1 (en) * 2001-01-16 2015-01-12 Halliburton Energy Serv Inc Expandable devices and methods thereof
US20030070811A1 (en) 2001-10-12 2003-04-17 Robison Clark E. Apparatus and method for perforating a subterranean formation
US7886831B2 (en) 2003-01-22 2011-02-15 Enventure Global Technology, L.L.C. Apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member
US7712522B2 (en) 2003-09-05 2010-05-11 Enventure Global Technology, Llc Expansion cone and system
CA2577083A1 (en) 2004-08-13 2006-02-23 Mark Shuster Tubular member expansion apparatus
RU2479711C1 (en) * 2011-11-28 2013-04-20 Открытое акционерное общество "Татнефть" имени В.Д. Шашина Reinforcement method of productive formations at thermal methods of oil extraction, and extendable filter for its implementation
GB201323121D0 (en) 2013-12-30 2014-02-12 Darcy Technologies Ltd Downhole Apparatus
US11441399B2 (en) * 2020-07-29 2022-09-13 Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc Downhole conformable screen system and method of making a conformable screen for downhole use

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69810610T2 (en) 2003-07-03
EP0980462B1 (en) 2003-01-08
NO317766B1 (en) 2004-12-13
NZ337859A (en) 2000-03-27
BR9809005A (en) 2000-08-08
CA2284865C (en) 2005-10-25
AU7651798A (en) 1998-11-24
OA11211A (en) 2003-07-18
NO995248L (en) 1999-10-27
MY119637A (en) 2005-06-30
DK0980462T3 (en) 2003-04-07
WO1998049423A1 (en) 1998-11-05
CA2284865A1 (en) 1998-11-05
DE69810610D1 (en) 2003-02-13
RU2197600C2 (en) 2003-01-27
NO995248D0 (en) 1999-10-27
AU717503B2 (en) 2000-03-30
ID22839A (en) 1999-12-09
UA57785C2 (en) 2003-07-15

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