Sand screen for downhole operations

Abstract

A sand screen includes a tubular having an outer surface, and a plurality of filter features arranged on the tubular and defining a plurality of openings. Each of the plurality of filter features is defined by a plurality of louvers having an angled surface portion that extends axially along the tubular.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sand screen comprising:
 a tubular having an outer surface; and   a plurality of filter features arranged on the tubular and defining a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of filter features being defined by a plurality of louvers having an angled surface portion that extends axially along the tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The sand screen according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of louvers include a plurality of raised portions that define a corresponding plurality of openings. 
     
     
         3 . The sand screen according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of raised portions extend at an angle of between about 5° and about 45° relative to the outer surface of the tubular. 
     
     
         4 . The sand screen according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of raised portions extend at an angle of between about 15° and about 30° relative to the outer surface of the tubular. 
     
     
         5 . A sand screen comprising:
 a tubular having an outer surface; and   a plurality of filter features arranged on the tubular and defining a plurality of openings, the plurality of filter features being defined by a wire wrap having an outer surface portion having a compound surface including an angled surface portion that extends axially along the tubular.   
     
     
         6 . The sand screen according to  claim 5 , wherein the compound surface of the outer surface of the wire wrap includes an outer surface portion having a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the second angled surface portion extending at an angle of between about 5° and about 45° relative to the first angled surface portion. 
     
     
         7 . The sand screen according to  claim 6 , wherein compound surface of the outer surface of the wire wrap includes an outer surface portion having a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the second angled surface portion extending at an angle of between about 15° and about 30° relative to the first angled surface portion. 
     
     
         8 . The sand screen according to  claim 6 , wherein the wire wrap includes an inner surface portion, a first side extending between the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion, and a second side extending between the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion. 
     
     
         9 . The sand screen according to  claim 8 , wherein the first side includes a first angled surface section and a second angled surface section distinct from the first angled surface section, and the second side includes a third angled surface section and a fourth angled surface section distinct from the third angled surface section. 
     
     
         10 . A method of screening downhole fluids comprising:
 directing the downhole fluids axially along a sand screen;   passing the downhole fluids across a plurality of filter features that extend angularly outwardly of and axially along the sand screen;   establishing a selected fluid velocity of the downhole fluid based on at least an angle of the plurality of filter features and particulate in the downhole fluids; and   guiding a portion of the particulate through openings defined between the plurality of filter features while excluding another portion of the particulate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over louvers defined by raised portions that extend outwardly from an outer surface of a tubular at an angle of between about 5° and about 45°. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over raised portions that extend outwardly from an outer surface of a tubular at an angle of between about 15° and about 30°. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids into a compound outer surface portion including an angled surface portion that extends outwardly from an outer surface of a tubular at an angle of between about 5° and about 45°. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids into an outer surface portion having a compound surface including an angled surface portion that extends outwardly from an outer surface of a tubular at an angle of between about 15° and about 30°. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over an outer surface portion of a wire wrap having a compound surface including a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the first angled surface portion being at an angle of between about 5° and about 45° relative to the second angled surface portion, the flow of fluids passing from the second angled surface portion towards the first angled surface portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over an outer surface portion of a wire wrap having a compound surface including a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the first angled surface portion being at an angle of between about 15° and about 30° relative to the second angled surface portion, the flow of fluids passing from the second angled surface portion towards the first angled surface portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over an outer surface portion or a wire wrap having a compound surface including a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the first angled surface portion being at an angle of between about 5° and about 45° relative to the second angled surface portion, the flow of fluids passing from the first angled surface portion towards the second angled surface portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein directing the downhole fluids along the sand screen includes directing the downhole fluids over an outer surface portion of a wire wrap having a compound surface including a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, the first angled surface portion being at an angle of between about 15° and about 30° relative to the second angled surface portion, the flow of fluids passing from the first angled surface portion towards the second angled surface portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein passing the downhole fluids across the plurality of filter features creates a bean-up protocol establishing a tangential flow that passes into openings of the sand screen. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the tangential flow directs fines in the downhole fluid into openings and excludes larger particles from the openings without creating an impermeable filter cake at the sand screen.