Premium Sand Screens: Premium Performance at a higher cost.

The photo above shows a sample of a premium screen used for sand control. Premium screens stand out because they surpass the effectiveness of any other type of screen:

• Better resistance to erosion
• Lower tendency to plug due to fines bridging.
• Up to 30% of the mesh area is open to flow, compared to 12% for wire meshes, 6% for pre-packed meshes, and 3% for slotted liners.

• Lower pressure drop during production
• Recommended for horizontal wells due to their high torque resistance and ability to rotate if necessary.

The key to the superior performance of premium meshes lies in their layered construction, with each layer having a specific task:

Outer layer: Redirects the flow to reduce erosion in the intermediate layer.

Intermediate layer: Acts as the filtering medium, primarily designed to contain sand grains when the well is flowing. The throat opening of this medium is designed based on the formation's particle size distribution. In the case of the screen shown above, it contains both woven mesh and wire mesh.

?Inner layer: The base that supports the rest of the screen. It also has perforations that evenly receive production from the intermediate layer.

Conclusion:

It is essential to collaborate with petroleum engineers, reservoir experts, and sand control specialists to identify the most suitable sand control method for your specific well and reservoir conditions. If your well's flow capacities, expected lifespan, and economic considerations permit, investing in premium screens can prove to be a valuable choice.

Read more: https://petrowiki.spe.org/PEH:Sand_Control