Patent ID: 7775284
Filing Date: 2010-08-17
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A sand control screen comprising: a base pipe having first, second, third and fourth openings that allow fluid flow between an exterior of the base pipe and an interior flow path of the base pipe; a filter medium disposed exteriorly of the base pipe; a flow restricting section disposed exteriorly of the base pipe, the flow restricting section including first, second and third flow restricting devices that respectively create first, second and third pressure drops in fluids flowing therethrough, the first flow restricting device providing a first flow path between the filter medium and the interior flow path via the first opening, the first and second flow restricting devices providing a second flow path between the filter medium and the interior flow path via the second opening, the first, second and third flow restricting devices providing a third flow path between the filter medium and the interior flow path via the third opening; and actuatable devices operably associated with at least the first, second and fourth openings, the actuatable device operably associated with the second opening initially prevents fluid flow through the second opening and is actuatable to allow fluid flow through the second opening, thereby transitioning the fluid flow from the third flow path to the second flow path, the actuatable device operably associated with the first opening initially prevents fluid flow through the first opening and is actuatable to allow fluid flow through the first opening, thereby transitioning the fluid flow from the second flow path to the first flow path and the actuatable device operably associated with the fourth opening initially prevents fluid flow through the fourth opening and is actuatable to allow fluid flow through the fourth opening to provide a fourth flow path that bypasses the first, second and third flow restricting devices.