Porous Medium Screen

Abstract

Certain aspects and embodiments of the present invention are directed to a porous medium screen that can be disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation. The porous medium screen can include a porous medium and a retaining structure. The porous medium can be a material having one or more pores. The one or more pores can be adapted to allow a fluid to flow through the porous medium and to prevent one or more particles from flowing through the porous medium. The retaining structure can be adapted to retain the porous medium in a position circumferentially surrounding a section of a tubing string and to prevent expansion of the porous medium. The retaining structure can include a shroud and one or more stoppers. The shroud can be adapted to circumferentially surround the porous medium. Each stopper can be adapted to circumferentially surround the section of a tubing string at an edge of the porous medium.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the foam comprises a continuous material and wherein each of the one or more pores comprises empty space within the continuous material. 
     
     
         3 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the porous medium comprises a carbon foam. 
     
     
         4 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the porous medium comprises a silicone foam. 
     
     
         5 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the porous medium comprises a metal foam. 
     
     
         6 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the porous medium comprises a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         7 . The porous medium screen of  claim 10 , wherein the retaining structure comprises a shroud adapted to circumferentially surround the porous medium and to prevent radial expansion of the porous medium, the shroud comprising a plurality of strands, each of the plurality of strands adapted to be coupled to at least another one of the plurality of strands, each of the plurality of strands comprising a non-permeable rigid material. 
     
     
         8 . The porous medium screen of  claim 7 , wherein the retaining structure further comprises a stopper at one or more edges of the porous medium, the stopper comprising an additional non-permeable rigid material, the stopper adapted to prevent axial expansion of the porous medium. 
     
     
         9 . The porous medium screen of  claim 8 , wherein the stopper is adapted to circumferentially surround the section of the tubing string. 
     
     
         10 . A porous medium screen configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the porous medium screen comprising:
 a porous medium comprising a foam having one or more pores adapted to allow a fluid to flow through the porous medium and to prevent one or more particles from flowing through the porous medium; and   a retaining structure adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the fluid-producing formation to the porous medium and further adapted to retain the porous medium in a position circumferentially surrounding a section of a tubing string disposed in the fluid-producing formation and to prevent expansion of the porous medium, wherein the porous medium screen is configured to be coupled to the section of the tubing string.   
     
     
         11 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A porous medium screen configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the porous medium screen comprising:
 a porous medium comprising a foam having one or more pores adapted to allow a fluid to flow through the porous medium and to prevent one or more particles from flowing through the porous medium; and   a retaining structure adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the fluid-producing formation to the porous medium and further adapted to retain the porous medium in a position circumferentially surrounding a section of a tubing string disposed in the wellbore through the fluid-producing formation, wherein the retaining structure comprises:   a shroud adapted to circumferentially surround the porous medium and to prevent radial expansion of the porous medium, the shroud comprising a plurality of strands, each of the plurality of strands adapted to be coupled to at least another one of the plurality of strands, each of the plurality of strands comprising a non-permeable rigid material, and a stopper at one or more edges of the porous medium, the stopper comprising an additional non-permeable rigid material, the stopper adapted to circumferentially surround the section of the tubing string and to prevent axial expansion of the porous medium.