Patent ID: 8839861

Claim:
A tubular assembly adapted for downhole use in wells, the tubular assembly comprising: an upstream manifold adapted to receive a gravel-laden slurry; a gravel packing conduit in fluid communication with the upstream manifold and extending longitudinally away from the upstream manifold; wherein the gravel packing conduit is adapted to receive at least a portion of the gravel-laden slurry including both fluid and gravel simultaneously from the upstream manifold; wherein the gravel packing conduit is adapted to be in simultaneous fluid and gravel communication with an annulus between a wellbore wall and the tubular assembly when the tubular assembly is disposed downhole in a well; wherein the gravel packing conduit is adapted to communicate gravel-laden slurry into the annulus during isolation forming operations; and wherein the gravel packing conduit is at least substantially isolated from direct fluid communication with a downstream flow path; a transport conduit in fluid communication with the upstream manifold and in simultaneous fluid and gravel communication with the downstream flow path; and a leak-off conduit; wherein the leak-off conduit is in at least partially restricted gravel-laden slurry communication with the upstream manifold; wherein the leak-off conduit is in simultaneous fluid and gravel communication with the downstream flow path in a region longitudinally spaced from the upstream manifold; and wherein the leak-off conduit is in fluid communication with the annulus through permeable media adapted to retain particles while communicating fluids providing fluid leak-off from the annulus during the isolation forming operations.