Expandable sand screen alternative to fracture-packing sand control

摘要

The techniques applied to control downhole sand production have not changed for many years. Almost every sand control solution involves the installation of a pipe-based filter that is either gravel packed or left as a "stand alone" screen. Gravel packing has evolved over more than 70 years, but still involves complex fluid and gravel pumping operations. Stand-alone screens, while being operationally very simple, do not support the formation, leading to a number of well reliability and production issues.