Abstract:
A sand screen cartridge including a plurality of longitudinally extending segments together forming a tubular filtration media. An end ring engaging the filtration media.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In the drilling and completion industry, the formation of boreholes for the purpose of recovering hydrocarbons necessarily is accompanied by sand. Sand control therefore is a significant concern for operators and must be addressed in the downhole environment prior to its production with target fluids. This is because flowing sand is damaging to production equipment from the standpoint of erosion and further because it can adversely affect other equipment such as pumps, etc. Also notable is that the production of sand from the formation in which a borehole exists will tend to enlarge the borehole and increase the probability of cave ins, wash outs, etc., that would require remedial activity at not insignificant cost both in actual dollars and in lost production time. 
         [0002]    The art is therefore very concerned with sand control and has developed a plethora of types of sand screen and such to mitigate the problem. In view of ever changing conditions and techniques however, the art is always in need of and receptive to alternative arrangements. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    A sand screen cartridge including a plurality of longitudinally extending segments together forming a tubular filtration media; an end ring engaging the filtration media. 
         [0004]    A sand screen including a base pipe; a plurality of longitudinally extending segments together forming a tubular filtration media about the base pipe; an end ring engaging the filtration media and the base pipe. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a segment for a sand screen as disclosed herein; 
           [0007]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic perspective view (illustrating an end or a cross section view) of an alternate segment as disclosed herein; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a plurality of segments adjacently positioned to form a filtration media; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of an end ring as disclosed herein; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross sectional view of one embodiment of the end ring illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the end ring illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a sand screen cartridge as disclosed herein; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a sand screen having multiple stacked sand screen cartridges. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a single segment  10  is illustrated and may be a stave. In some embodiments the segments are constructed of hard erosion resistant material and may be a ceramic material. Other hard metal or plastic is also contemplated. In addition, the segments may be created from composites of the foregoing. For example, in some embodiments, the segment  10  may comprise a metal core  11  and an exterior material  13 , such as for example a ceramic coating (see  FIG. 1A ). If indeed a ceramic material is selected for any type of embodiment referenced above, the material may comprise for example Sintered Boron Carbide, Silicon Carbide, Alumina, etc. The segments may be constructed of any length limited only by practicality but in some embodiments will be 6 to 15 inches in length. 
         [0016]    Still referring to  FIG. 1 , segment  10  is an elongated member configured to extend longitudinally in a resulting filtration media  12  created by a plurality of the segments arranged together. The segment  10  in cross section is a curved trapezoid (or could simply be trapezoid) configured such that the plurality of segments together creates a tubular form (which then represents the filtration media  12 ). 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , segment  10  includes a spacer  14  whose function it is to maintain contact between adjacent segments  10  and provide for passageways  16  between adjacent segments  10  for the filtration function. Spacers will be located at each longitudinal end of each segment and may be present at more locations between each end as desired. In many cases spacer locations at the ends is sufficient but in cases where there is substantial length or in cases where it is anticipated there will be substantial side load on the resultant filtration media  12  during use, additional spacers may be desirable. Spaces may be created by adding material at each end of the segments or by removing material from sides of the segments  10  between the spacers  14 . In either case, an angle of the sides  20  of the segments  10  between the spacers  14  are selected to create passageways  16  having parallel sides, converging side or diverging sides as desired. This will mean that the spacers have a face angle that is along a radius from an axis of the resultant filtration media  12  but that the sides  20  will be at a different angle. If the sides  20  are to be parallel, the angular difference will be about 1 degree. More or less of an angle will provide the converging or diverging passageways  16 . The angular difference between spacers  14  and sides  20  can be visualized in  FIG. 1  by inspecting the shoulder at arrow  22 , which evidences an angle. 
         [0018]    Further referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , standoffs  24  are illustrated at an inside surface  26  of each segment  10 . These may be of any number (three shown) depending upon the length of the segment  10  and function to provide a drainage gap between the plurality of segments and a base pipe around which they will be positioned when the sand screen is assembled (see  FIG. 7 ). In other words, the standoffs  24  will abut an outside surface of the base pipe and ensure that the inside surface  26  of the plurality of segments  10  will remain spaced from the outside surface of the base pipe. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an end ring  28  is illustrated. There are two embodiments of end ring  28  disclosed (distinguished in the figures as  28 ′ and  28 ″), cross sections of which are presented in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 3  is representative of both embodiments simply because the distinction between the two embodiments is not visible in  FIG. 3 . The end ring has for a function to hold a plurality of segments in position with spacers against spacers and to effectively create the cartridge of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an end ring configured to terminate a filtration media without connection to a subsequent filtration media is illustrated. Visible is a body  30  having an opening  32  dimensioned and configured to slip over an end  34  of filtration media  12  (see  FIG. 2 ), thereby contacting both inside and outside diametric surfaces of the filtration media  12  to hold the segments in place. An inside diameter surface  36  of the end ring itself whether  28  or  28 ′ is closely related to an outside diameter of a base pipe to which the cartridge is designed to be mated. The body comprises a resilient material that may be monomeric, polymeric, elastomeric, resilient, and to include rubber, nitrile, etc. In an embodiment, the body should be able to flex yet still be rigid enough to support its function. In an embodiment, the opening  32  is reinforced with a reinforcer  38  that is located at a portion of the end ring that contacts either or both of the inner and outer surfaces of the filtration media and that may comprise a metal, harder plastic, such as PTFE, etc. or other relatively rigid material. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , it will be appreciated that the view is similar to  FIG. 4  except that the body  40  now has an opening  42  opposite opening  32  and may be reinforced with reinforcer  48  in some iterations. This type of end ring  28  will function to join two sections of filtration material together, i.e. two sections of  FIG. 2  joined by one end ring  28 ′. If the two sections are to be the only ones in a configuration then end rings  28  will be on either final end of the filtration media sections and an end ring  28 ′ in the middle. If there are to be more sections of filtration material, then more end rings  28 ′ will be used between each section. There is no limit to the number of sections that may be used subject only to practicality. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a cartridge  50  is illustrated. The cartridge may be assembled to a base pipe either in an OEM factory or may be shipped to the field and assembled to a base pipe remotely from the OEM factory. Further, the cartridge in some embodiments will include a shroud attached to the end rings. Although not shown in  FIG. 6 , a shroud  60  is illustrated in  FIG. 7  and will be easily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to be added to the view of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is directed to a complete sand screen  58 . It is noted that the shroud  60  is to be understood to be applicable to the cartridge of  FIG. 6  in some embodiments. In addition to the shroud  60 , a base pipe  62 , backups  64  and a three section filtration media configuration (visible through the slots  66  of the shroud  60 ) are shown. Two end rings  28 ′ and three filtration media  12  sections are just visible through the slots  66 . Shroud  60  may be welded to the backups and or to the base pipe and or may be secured to end rings by for example, swaging or other means for fixation to such end rings. Sand screens configured with multiple cartridge sections and end rings  28 ″ benefit from the flexibility the end rings  28 ″ present to the construction. Such embodiments allow the sand screen to flex around curves in the downhole environment more effectively than a single filtration media of the same overall length. 
         [0024]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). 
         [0025]    The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc. 
         [0026]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.