Patent ID: 11879311
Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 0:
1. A method of installing a gravel pack in a wellbore annulus of an open hole penetrating a subterranean formation comprising:
installing at least one sand control screen into the open hole, the at least one sand control screen being disposed about a tubular member;
circulating a slurry comprising an expandable gravel and a carrier fluid;
depositing the slurry in the wellbore annulus surrounding the at least one sand control screen in an alpha wave beginning at a heel of the wellbore annulus;
detecting at least one of:
an arrival of the alpha wave at a toe of the wellbore annulus; or
a start of a beta wave at the toe of the wellbore annulus;

stopping circulation of the slurry upon the detecting of at least one of the arrival of the alpha wave or the start of the beta wave; and
upon the stopping of circulation of the slurry, triggering the expandable gravel to expand to pack the wellbore annulus surrounding the at least one sand control screen above the alpha wave.