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Title:
WIRE-WRAPPED SCREEN WITH MULTI-WIRE WRAPPING AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING WIRE-WRAPPED SCREENS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/000071
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Sand control assemblies, or screens, with multi-wire wrapping and methods of manufacturing multi-wire wrapped screens are described. Two wires are wrapped concurrently around a base tube using supports arranged on the base tube, to form a wire-wrapped screen having a plurality of slots of selected sizes between adjacent wrappings. The wires are fed at an angle and a mechanical gauge is placed during wrapping between the one end of the wrapped loops and the feed wire to maintain a predefined slot width between them.

Inventors:
VAN PATERGEM RONALD (US)
Application Number:
PCT/CA2018/000128
Publication Date:
January 03, 2019
Filing Date:
June 22, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
PACKERS PLUS ENERGY SERV INC (CA)
International Classes:
B07B1/46; B07B1/18
Domestic Patent References:
WO2017130102A12017-08-03
Foreign References:
US20090008085A12009-01-08
US20100258300A12010-10-14
US20170122081A12017-05-04
US3709293A1973-01-09
US5095990A1992-03-17
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
DIACONESCU, Aprilia U. (CA)
Download PDF:
Claims:
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A sand control assembly comprising:

base tube;

a support; and

a plurality of wires supported by the support and wound together to form a wire-wrapped screen having a plurality of slots of selected sizes between adjacent wrappings, wherein the support spaces the wire-wrapped screen from the base tube.

2. The sand control assembly of claim 1 , the plurality of slots comprising a first slot and a second slot, wherein the first slot has an outer opening closer to the support than an outer opening of the second slot.

3. The sand control assembly of any of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wires cooperate to form a longitudinal channel.

4. The sand control assembly of claim 3, wherein a slot of the plurality of slots is located at a center of the longitudinal channel.

5. The sand control assembly of any of claim 3, wherein the longitudinal channel comprises channel sidewalls sloped away from the slot and having a maximum slope angle between 5-80 degrees.

6. The sand control assembly of any of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wires comprise wires having different cross-sectional profiles.

7. The sand control assembly of claim"! , wherein the support comprises a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal ribs oriented along the length of the tube.

8. The sand control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a plurality of substantially helical ribs.

9. A method of manufacturing a sand control device comprising:

feeding a feed wire onto a rotating base tube with a linearly moving feeder; and maintaining a slot width between the feed wire and a prior roll using a mechanical gauge.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising angling the feed angle of the feed wire to maintain contact between the feed wire and the mechanical gauge.

11. The method of any of claim 9, wherein the mechanical gauge has a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the feed wire.

12. The method of any of claim 9, wherein the mechanical gauge is formed of a non- conductive material.

13. The method of any of claim 9, wherein the mechanical gauge is formed of a ceramic material.

14. The method of any of claim 9, wherein the mechanical gauge is formed of one or more materials to reduce friction between the mechanical gauge and the wire being wrapped.

15. A method of forming a wire wrapped assembly for sand control comprising:

providing a base tube; and

simultaneously wrapping a plurality of wires about the base tube to form a wire-wrapped screen having a plurality of slots of selected sizes between adjacent wrappings, wherein the support spaces the wire-wrapped screen from the base tube.

16. The method of any of claim 15, wherein wrapping a plurality of wires about the base tube comprises maintaining one or more desired slot widths using one or more mechanical gauges.

17. The method of any of claim 15, wherein wrapping a plurality of wires about the base tube comprises placing the plurality of wires to form a longitudinal channel.

18. The method of any of claim 15, further comprising selecting the outer profiles of the plurality of wires such that the plurality of wires form a desired shape.

Description:
WIRE-WRAPPED SCREEN WITH MULTI-WIRE WRAPPING AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING WIRE-WRAPPED SCREENS

Related Patent Application

[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial Number 62/524,981 , filed 26 June 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Technical Field

[0002] Embodiments described herein relate to well screen devices and methods for removing particulates from hydrocarbons produced from a formation. More particularly, embodiments described herein relate to sand screens with multi-wire wrapping. Even more particularly, embodiments herein relate to screens with multi-wire wrapping shaped to induce the formation of stable sand arches and prevent erosion. Embodiments described herein further relate to methods of manufacturing multi-wire wrapped screens.

Background

[0003] Since its inception, the oil industry has faced the perennial problem of sand production (or "sanding"). When sanding occurs, sand particulates can contaminate the production fluid, erode production equipment, block flow passages and result in other deleterious consequences. Consequently, many well operators employ sand control techniques to reduce sanding.

[0004] Sand control techniques often rely on subsurface sand control devices to prevent formation sand from entering the well. These devices typically include a perforated base tube and a screen disposed around the circumference of the pipe. The screen serves to screen out solids, such as production sand, before fluid enters the production tubing through the base tube. In some installations, the screen is used in conjunction with a surrounding layer of aggregate (a "gravel pack") to prevent production sand from entering the well. It is noted that in some cases the base tube is not perforated, in which case the fluid travels between the inner surface or the wire and the outer surface of the base tube through a flow control device into the base tube.

[0005] One type of screen commonly used in sand control devices is a wire- wrapped screen. In wire-wrapped devices, a wire is wrapped around the perforated base tube to form a slot between the adjacent loops through which fluid can pass to reach the pipe. Generally, the slot width, i.e., the gap, between adjacent loops of the wire being wrapped is not consistent due to various factors, such as variations in thickness of the wire, angle at which the wire is fed, and speed fluctuations between the linear moving parts and the rotating parts of the wire wrapping machine. In addition, the speed of manufacturing and the type of sand screen manufactured in conventional systems are limited due to use of a single wire that has a predefined shape.

[0006] Conventionally, sand screens are manufactured by wrapping a wire around a set of ribs that installed across a length of an outer surface of a base tube. The gap between the two consecutive loops (slot width) may be kept to a minimum based on a minimum size of the sand particle to be filtered by the sand screen. During the manufacturing, the wire is wrapped by feeding the wire onto the rotating base tube's surface and welding the wrapped loop on the ribs by resistance welding. The slot width of the slot formed between rolls of the wire is governed various factors, such a rotational speed of the base tube, linear movement of the wire feed system, feed rate of the wire, and thickness of the wire.

[0007] Conventional sand screens manufacturing techniques do not provide sand screens with consistent slot width across the length of the sand screen, and with conventional systems, it can be very difficult to keep the slot width within the specified tolerances (typically +0.001" and -0.002"). Slot width may vary due electrical fluctuations that affect the feed rate of the wire or the rotational speed of the base tube. Moreover, the slot width is also affected by inconsistent wire thickness. Further, in order to ensure a quality of the sand screen manufactured, expensive quality checking equipment, such as laser scanners are constantly used to monitor the slot width. Usage of such scanner also adds to the manufacturing costs. Moreover, wrapping of a wire around the base tube is a time-consuming task.

[0008] Also, wires used to make conventional wire-wrapped screens are either circular or-more typically-keystone, house, or triangular shaped, with a flat outer surface and short radiuses on the edges. Over a period of time, the sand bridge formed on the flat wire-wrapped screen can break down resulting in flow of sand along with the production fluids into the slots created by the wire-wrapped screen. As a result, one or more particles may get lodged into the slots and then accumulate in the sand control device thereby choking the sand control device. Consequently, traditional wire-wrapped sand screens are prone to plugging or otherwise impeding flow over time. Besides lodging of particles within the slots, other mechanisms or combination of mechanisms including but not limited to plugging of the sand bridge are possible.

[0009] Moreover, many formations, even if they are not producing

significant amounts of sand, may produce small particles, including "fines" (particles that are typically smaller than 44 microns in diameter). These small and fine particles can typically pass through the screen. As they do so, the particles may erode the wire. In some cases, particles impacting the screen at certain velocities can also cause erosion.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

[00010] The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearer impression of the invention, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein identical reference numerals designate the same components. Note that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. [00011] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a well system.

[00012] FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C are views of one embodiment of a well screen assembly.

[00013] FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a set of wires that can be used to form a screen with enhanced sand bridging.

[00014] FIG. 3B shows an example of the dimensions for the wire-wrapped screen of the embodiment of FIG. 3A

[00015] FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C are diagrammatic representation of additional embodiments of sets of wires that can be used to form a screen with enhanced sand bridging.

[00016] FIG. 5A is a diagrammatic representation of example embodiments of the wire profiles and FIG, 5B is a diagrammatic representation of example hybrid-keystone wire profiles.

[00017] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of manufacturing a screen using mechanical gauges.

[00018] FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of manufacturing a screen using mechanical gauges.

Detailed Description

[00019] This disclosure and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting

embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques, components and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the disclosure in detail. Skilled artisans should understand, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while disclosing preferred embodiments, are given by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions or rearrangements within the scope of the underlying inventive concept(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure.

[00020] Embodiments described herein relate to sand control devices and methods for removing sand from hydrocarbons produced from a formation. More particularly, embodiments described herein provide a sand screen formed of multiple wires. According to one embodiment, a sand control device comprises a wire-wrapped screen disposed about a perforated liner. The wires form a plurality of helical slots between adjacent rolls of the wires. The radially outer surfaces of the wires may be shaped to promote the formation of sand bridges and, more particularly, in some embodiments, sand arches. In one embodiment, the outer surfaces of the adjacent wires are shaped to form longitudinal channel adapted to promote the formation of stable sand arches.

[00021] The wire-wrapped screen may be made by forming loops of wires around a perforated liner in a manner that slots of predetermined sizes are formed between the loops to provide flow channels. The width of the slot is kept such that it prevents large sized sand particles from entering the sand control device. In addition, outwardly facing surfaces of the wire may

cooperate to form a depressed profile, as opposed to flat shaped outer radial surface of conventional wires, to reduce break down of sand bridges that form on the screen.

[00022] In accordance with one embodiment, the outer surface of the wire- wrapped screen is shaped to promote earlier formation of sand bridges than conventional wires, providing sand control earlier in the life of the well.

Furthermore, the wires may be shaped to control where natural compaction occurs. By providing a shape that promotes more stable bridges and managing zones where natural compaction happens, embodiments described herein can provide for increased production for the same filtration while also extending the life of the screen.

[00023] FIG. 1 illustrates an example well system 60 comprising a

production string 62 including a plurality of well screen assemblies 75. The well system 60 is shown as being a horizontal well, having a wellbore that deviates to horizontal. Production string 62 extends from a wellhead, through the wellbore 64 and into the subterranean zone of interest. A portion of wellbore 64 may be cased while another portion can be completed open hole. In some instances, the annulus between the production string 62 and the open hole portion of the wellbore 64 may be packed with sand packing 66. In other embodiments, packing is not used.

[00024] The production string 62 is used for producing fluids (e.g., oil, gas, and/or other fluids) from the subterranean zone to the surface and can include packers, production ports and other tools. In particular, production string 62 includes one or more well screen assemblies 75. The well screen assemblies 75 and sand packing 66 allow communication of fluids between the

subterranean zone and production string 62. The sand packing 66, when provided, provides a first stage of filtration against passage of particulate and larger fragments of the formation into the production string 62. The well screen assemblies 75 provide a second stage of filtration and are configured to filter against passage of particulate of a specified size and larger into the

production string 62.

[00025] Although shown in the context of a horizontal well system 60, well screen assemblies 75 can be provided in other well configurations, including vertical well systems having vertical or substantially vertical wellbore, multilateral well systems having multiple wellbores deviating from a main wellbore and/or other well systems. Also, although described in a production context, well screen assemblies 75 can be used in other contexts, including injection, well treatment and/or other applications.

[00026] Well screen assemblies may have a variety of configurations. FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C (collectively FIG. 2) illustrate an embodiment of a well screen assembly 80, which can be an example of the well screen assembly 75.

[00027] Referring to FIG. 2, the well screen assembly 80 comprises a wire- wrapped screen 90 disposed about a base tube 82, which may be a

perforated base tube as illustrated in FIG. 2B, or an unperforated base tube. The base tube 82 includes a set of supports 94 arranged on the peripheral surface of the base tube 82. Screen 90 can screen out particulates prior to production fluid flowing into pipe 82 through apertures 84 or otherwise flowing into the base tube.

[00028] Screen 90 comprises a pair of wires 100a, 100b (collectively wires 100) wound together around the longitudinal support ribs 94 (see FIG. 2B) that space the wires 100 from base tube 82. Wraps of the wires 100 cross the longitudinal support ribs 94 form a tubular grid. According to one embodiment, the wires may be substantially parallel for a majority of wraps though may converge over one or more end wraps at each end of screen 90.

[00029] Although shown with a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal support ribs 94 oriented along the length of the screen 90, the supports 94 can be differently arranged. For example, in some instances, supports 94 can be substantially helical at a lesser pitch than the wrapping of the outer wires 100. In the example of FIG. 2A, the perimeter of wire-wrapped screen 90 exhibits a substantially circular geometry, but could have other shapes (e.g., polygonal and/or other shapes). As discussed below, wires 100 can be configured to promote stable sand arch formation and reduce erosion.

[00030] Wire wrapped screen 90 may be coupled to base tube 82 in a variety of manners. According to one embodiment, for example, wire-wrapped screen 90 may be coupled to base tube 82 using a direct wrapping process. With direct wrapping, supports 94 are placed on base tube 82 and wires 100 are wrapped directly over supports 94. Wires 100 may be bonded (e.g., welded, brazed, and/or otherwise bonded) or otherwise coupled to supports 94 at intersection points. In particular, a bonding method that requires heat (e.g., welding, brazing) can be used to couple wires 100 to supports 94.

When wires 100 cool down, the diameter of screen 90 will shrink, creating a friction fit between supports 94 and the base tube 82. In another embodiment, supports 94 may be integral with or bonded to base tube 82 and wires 100 can be bonded or otherwise coupled to supports 94.

[00031] In another embodiment, wire-wrapped screen 90 can be formed as a slip-on screen. In such an arrangement, the end wraps of wires 100 and the ends of supports 94 can be bonded or otherwise coupled to mounting rings and the mounting rings can be bonded or otherwise coupled to the outer surface of base tube 82.

[00032] FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a cross-section of wires 100a and 100b of screen 90, the screen having an inner side 104 and an outer side 106 (also referred to herein as 'top side'). As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, each wire 100a, 100b may be wrapped about a base tube (e.g., base tube 82 in FIG. 2) any number of times. In FIG. 3, three wrappings or rolls 102a1 , 102a2 and 102a3 of wire 100a and three wrappings or roll 102b1 , 102b2 and 102b3 of wire 100b are illustrated. The n th adjacent rolls of wire 100a and 100b can be considered a dual wire roll 103 (e.g., rolls 102a1 and 102b1 form dual wire roll 103-1 as illustrated in FIG. 3A). The wires 100a and 100b can be spaced to form a first slot 140 between adjacent wires in a dual wire roll 103 and slot 142 between adjacent dual wire rolls 103. When wires 102a and 102b are wrapped about the base tube, slots 140 and 142 may be helical slots. [00033] FIG. 3A illustrates the profiles of wires 100a, 100b (i.e., the cross- section orthogonal to each wire's longitudinal axis 101a, 101b). In the embodiment illustrated, wires 100a, 100b have a height from an inner surface 111a, 111b to a corresponding outer surface 112a, and a width from a side flank 108a, 108b to corresponding a side flank 109a, 109b that extend between the inner surface 111a, 111b and outer surface 112a, 112b. Inner surfaces 111a, 1 1b may form flat, radiused or otherwise shaped noses that extend between side flanks 108a, 109a and 108b, 109b, respectively. Outer surfaces 112a, 112b extends laterally between opposite side flanks 108a, 109a and 108b, 109b respectively. In the embodiment illustrated outer surfaces 112a, 112b meet taller side flanks 108a, 108b at outer corners 115a, 115b (radially further away from the base tube than corresponding corners 116a, 116b) and meet shorter side flanks 109a, 109b at radially inner corners 116a, 116b (radially closer to the base tube than

corresponding outer corners 115a, 115b). The corners 115a, 115b and 116a and 116b may be sharp corners, rounds, chamfers or have other desired profiles.

[00034] As can be noted, wires 100a and 100b may be shaped such that adjacent "n" wrappings (e.g., rolls 102a1 and 102b1) form a first slot 140 and an adjacent "n" and "n+1" wrappings (e.g., rolls 102b1 and 102a2) form a second slot 142. In other words, there is a first slot 140 between the wires that form each dual wire roll 103 (e.g., wires 100a and 100b) and a second slot 142 between adjacent dual wire rolls 103-1 , 103-2, 103-3. Particularly, in the embodiment illustrated, wires 100a and 100b are configured such that adjacent "n" wrappings of wire 100a and 100b form slot 140 between adjacent inner corners 116a, 116b and adjacent dual wire rolls 103 form slot 142 between outer corners 115a, 115b.

[00035] The slot widths of slots 140, 142 can be selected based, for example, on the particle size distribution of sand in the formation in which wire-wrapped screen 90 will be used and whether the sand is well sorted or poorly sorted.

Formation sand sampling techniques and sieve analysis techniques can be used to determine the grain diameter for cumulative percentage weight, such as d5, d10, d40, d50, d90, d95, as is known in the art. The Society of Petroleum Engineers has published a number of methods for selecting a slot width for conventional wire-wrapped screens based on grain diameters using, for example, the Sorting Coefficient (Sc) (d10/d40), the Uniformity Coefficient (UC) (d40/d90) or other parameters.

[00036] The outer surfaces 112a, 112b of wires 100a and 100b can be

inwardly radiused and cooperate to form a u-shaped channel 110 with slot 140 open at the center of the basin of the channel 110. The outer surfaces 112a,

2b can be shaped to promote sand bridges and more particularly sand arches over slots 140 and 142. To this end, channel 110 has sidewalls 114 (e.g., sidewalls 114a and 114b) that, moving laterally from the center of channel 110 to the side flanks 108a, 108b extend outward. Put another way, in the configuration illustrated, sidewalls 114a, 114b slope inward from corners 115a, 115b and away from slot 142 toward an apex (deepest portion) of each curve. The portions of sidewalls 14b and 114a adjacent to a portion of slot 142 can cooperate to direct sand away from that portion of slot 142 and into channel 110 allowing sand to accumulate into a base for arch formation. It can be noted too that sidewalls 114a, 114b may slope away from corners 116a, 116b as well to direct sand away from slot 140. In another

embodiment, slot 140 is open at the apex of channel 110's basin.

[00037] According to one embodiment, sidewalls 114a, 114b may be formed by curves, the radius of the curves is selected to control the maximum slope of sidewalls 114a, 114b and depth of channel 110. In the curved sidewall embodiment of FIG. 3A, the sidewalls have a maximum slope angle a proximate to the corners 115a, 115b with side flanks 108a, 108b (proximate to slot 142). The maximum slope angle a of sidewalls 114a, 114b can be selected as needed or desired. According to one embodiment, the maximum slope angle of sidewalls 114a, 114b can be between 5° - 80°, and preferably 30° - 80°, though higher or lower maximum slope angles may be used in various embodiments. Even more preferably, the maximum slope angle a of sidewalls 14a, 114b may be 25° - 55°. In some embodiments, angle a is approximately 35°. In some embodiments, the sidewall shape can be selected so that the maximum slope angle a is approximately the angle of repose of the sand (formation sand, gravel pack aggregate or other particles) that will be screened out by the screen. The shape of channel 110, maximum slope angle and other characteristics of the wires 100a, 100b, including but not limited to width, height, side flank taper angle 128, can be optimized based on the size of particles, sphericity of particles, moisture, slot width size, flow velocities and other factors.

[00038] In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, wires 100a, 100b may have the same profile shape, but are installed in reversed orientations from each other to create the configuration of FIG. 3A.

[00039] Other examples of wires are illustrated in FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C. The dimensions provided in these embodiments are provided by way of example and not limitation and wires may have a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, the two wires may cooperate to form a chevron- shaped (v-shaped) channel 110, a square channel 110 or other shaped channel with a slot 140 between the two wires. Furthermore, it should be noted that, while the wires in each dual wire rolls 103 of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 4C have the same shape, but reversed orientations, in other embodiments, the wires may have different shapes from each other, including different outer surface profiles.

[00040] In some embodiments, both wires may have a flat outer profile, for example as described and illustrated in the patent application

WO2017130102 (Van Petegem Ronald and Banerjee Sudiptya), entitled "Device and Method for Sand Control with Enhanced Sand Bridging", assigned to

Packers Plus Energy Services, Inc., herein incorporated by reference. This International Patent Application illustrates examples of keystone or house- shape wires that may be conventional wires, reproduced here as FIG. 5A and 5B. In addition, the shape, dimensions and angles of the wire can be optimized based on the spacing between wraps, sphericity of sand (formation produced sand, gravel pack aggregate or other particles), sand size and size distribution, moisture, angle of installation and other factors.

[00041] However, such a flat-surfaced dual wire screen may not achieve the same benefits of increased sand bridging provided by the shaped profiles but will still benefit from increased manufacturing speeds as discussed below and the ability to have slots with different slot widths.

[00042] According to one embodiment, a wire may be shaped when the wire is formed, during wrapping or through a post-wrapping process. The wire may be formed from materials suitable for use as a sand screen in a hydrocarbon well. Materials include, but are not limited to, 304, 304L, 316, 316L and 321 , 410 stainless steels, Alloy 400, Alloy 600, Alloy C- 276 alloys or other materials including materials with a coating to reduce erosion and/or corrosion.

[00043] Embodiments described herein may be used in a variety of well screen devices including, but not limited to, slip-on wire wrapped screens, tightly fit or direct wire-wrap screens, gravel packs, single or multi-screen prepacks and other devices known in the art. For example, the various embodiments of well screen assemblies described in the above-references application WO2017130102, which is fully incorporated as part of this disclosure, can use dual wire wrapped screens as described above. By way of example, but not limitation, well screen assembly 500 of WO2017130102 could be reconfigured with a dual wire wrapped screen.

[00044] Additional embodiments of manufacturing of the wire-wrapped screens is explained with respect to FIG. 6 and 7.

[00045] FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a system for manufacturing a wire-wrapped screen that addresses some of above problems. The embodiment of FIG. 6 uses a mechanical gauge 250 for wrapping the wire around the base tube 202 to maintain a predefined slot between the adjacent loops. The thickness of the mechanical gauge governs the slot width.

[00046] According to one embodiment a base tube 202, which may be a perforated base tube as illustrated in FIG. 6 or an unperforated base tube, is mounted to a pipe rotating device as is known in the art. A feed wire system (not shown) feeds the wire 200 onto longitudinal supports 204 that spaces the wire 200 from base tube 202. Wire 200 may be a conventional wire or other wire with a flat outer surface or may have a depressed or otherwise shaped outer surface. As the pipe rotates, the feed wire system moves in direction D1 to create the wrapped wire 210. Wraps of the wires 200 cross the longitudinal supports 204 to form a tubular grid. Although shown with a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal supports 204 oriented along the length of the screen, the supports 204 can be differently arranged. For example, in some instances, supports 204 can be substantially helical at a lesser pitch than the wrapping of the outer wires 200. A welder (e.g., a resistance welder) may apply current to the wrapped wire to weld wrapped wire 210 to supports 204.

[00047] The mechanical gauge 250 moves with the feed wire system and is installed in such a manner that a first surface 262 of the mechanical gauge abuts with a surface of the prior roll of wrapped wire facing a direction D1 while the obverse second surface of mechanical gauge 250 abuts a surface 201 of the feed wire 200 facing opposite to the direction D1. The feed wire system may be configured to slightly angle wire 200 opposite of D1(i.e. in direction D2) to maintain contact between the surface 201 of the feed wire 200 at the portion currently being laid down and the second surface of mechanical gauge 250. That is, according to one embodiment, the wire 200 is fed at an angle and away from the direction D1 (toward the prior wrapped loops) with respect to the base tube 202. As a result, the feed wire is pushed against the mechanical gauge 250's surface thereby preventing any variation in the slot width that may otherwise arise due to slack in the feed wire 200 (possible through electrical fluctuations or any other reason).

[00048] As the base tube 202 rotates and wrapping operation progresses in the direction D1 , the mechanical gauge 250 moves along with the feed wire 200 to ensure the gap between the wrapped loops and the feed wire 200 is maintained. Owing to the mechanical gauge 250 being continually in contact with the prior roll of wrapped wire 210 and the incoming feed wire 200, the separating distance between each adjacent roll of the wrapped wire remains approximately consistent throughout the length of the screen. In effect, the thickness of mechanical gauge 250 maintains a desired

separating distance between the feed wire 200 and the adjacent wire loop. The desired separating distance can be based on the minimum size of sand particles that need to be filtered.

[00049] According to one embodiment, the hardness of the mechanical gauge 250 is greater than the hardness of the feed wire 200. As a result, the surface of the mechanical gauge abutting the feed wire provides a machining that smoothens the surface of the feed wire 200 in case the thickness of the feed wire varies. In another example, the mechanical gauge 250 may be made of an electrically non-conductive material to prevent shorting between the feed wire 200 and a prior wire loop being welded onto the base tube. In one embodiment, mechanical gauge may be formed of a ceramic material.

[00050] By placing a fixed size gauge 250 inside the slot during the welding process, the slot size is dictated by the gauge 250 and no longer sensitive to variations in speed or electricity or tolerance within the machines. If the wire 200 has variations in thickness and/or is tilted, the system can still push the feed wire 200 against the gauge 250 and therefore maintain the required slot tolerance. [00051] FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of another embodiment of a system for manufacturing a wire-wrapped screen. The embodiment of FIG. 7 uses mechanical gauges 350a, 350b for wrapping dual wires 300a and 300b around the base tube 302 to maintain a predefined slot between the adjacent loops. The thickness of the mechanical gauges 350a, 350b governs the slot widths.

[00052] According to one embodiment the base tube 302, which may be a perforated base tube as illustrated in FIG. 7 or an unperforated base tube, is mounted to a pipe rotating device as is known in the art. A feed wire system is adapted to feed wires 300a and 300b onto longitudinal supports 304 that spaces the wires 300a, 300b from base tube 302. Wires 300a and 300b may be conventional wires or other wires with a flat outer surface or may have depressed or otherwise shaped outer surfaces to create a desired shape, such as illustrated in FIG. 3A and 3B. In some embodiments, wires 300a and 300b have different outer surface profiles. As the pipe rotates, the feed wire system moves in direction D1 to create dual wrapped wire 310. Wraps of the wires 300a, 300b cross the longitudinal supports 304 to form a tubular grid. Although shown with a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal supports 304 oriented along the length of the screen, the supports 304 can be differently arranged. For example, in some instances, supports 304 can be substantially helical at a lesser pitch than the wrapping of the outer wires 300a, 300b. A welder (e.g., a resistance welder) may apply current to the wrapped wire 310 to weld wrapped wire 310 to supports 304.

[00053] The mechanical gauges 350a, 350b are coupled to the feed wire system or other device and are adapted such that a portion of first gauge 350a rides between one flank of wire 300a and wire 300b and second gauge 350b rides between the other flank of wire 300a and wire 300b. The mechanical gauges 350a and 350b move with the feed wire system and are installed in such a manner that one surface 362 of the mechanical gauge 350a abuts with a surface of the feed wire 300a facing a direction D1 while the opposite surface abuts a surface of the feed wire 300b facing the direction D2. In addition, one surface 372 of the mechanical gauge 350b abuts the surface of prior wrapped wire facing a direction D1 and the opposite surface abuts a surface of feed wire 300a facing the opposite of D1.

[00054] The feed wire system may be configured to slightly angle wires 300 toward direction D2 (opposite of D1) to maintain contact between the surface of the feed wires 300a and 300b at the portion currently being laid down and the abutting surfaces of gauges 350a and 350b.

[00055] That is, according to one embodiment, the wires 300a, 300b are fed at an angle and away from the direction D1 (toward the prior wrapped loops) with respect to the base tube 302. As a result, the feed wires 300a and 300b are pushed against the mechanical gauge 350s' surfaces thereby preventing any variation in the slot widths that, may otherwise arise due to slack in the feed wires 300a, 300b.

[00056] As the base tube 302 rotates and wrapping operation progresses in the direction D1 , the mechanical gauges 350 move along with the feed wire 300 to ensure the gap between the prior roll and feed wire 300a and the gap between feed wire 300a and feed wire 300b are maintained. Owing to the mechanical gauges 350a and 350b being continually in contact with a roll of wrapped wire 310 and the incoming feed wires 300a and 300b, the separating distance between each adjacent roll remains approximately consistent throughout the length of the screen. In effect, the thickness of mechanical gauges 350a and 350b maintain a desired separating distance between the feed wires 300a and 300b and the adjacent wire loops. The desired separating distances can be selected based on the minimum size of sand particles that need to be filtered. In some embodiments, gauges 350a and 350b may have different thicknesses.

[00057] According to one embodiment, the hardness of the mechanical gauges 350a, 350b is greater than the hardness of the feed wires 300a, 300b. As a result, the surface of the mechanical gauges abutting the feed wires provides a machining that smoothens surfaces of the feed wires in case the thickness of the feed wires varies. The mechanical gauges 350a, 350b may be made of an electrically non-conductive material to prevent shorting between the feed wires 300a, 300b and a prior wire loop being welded onto the base tube 302. In one embodiment, mechanical gauges 350a, 350b may be formed of a ceramic material.

[00058] By placing a fixed size gauge 350a, 350b inside the slots during the welding process, the slot sizes are dictated by the gauges 350a, 350b and are not sensitive to variations in speed or electricity or tolerance within the machines. If the wires 300a, 300b have variations in thickness and/or are tilted, the system can still push the feed wires 300a, 300b against the gauges 350a, 350b and therefore maintain the required slot tolerance.

[00059] By wrapping in two or more wires simultaneously, more advance

shapes can be created to potentially enhance the characteristics of the screen (e.g., provide enhanced flow & filtration, reduce erosion & plugging, and provide other benefits). Wires of different cross-sectional design can be used to achieve different types of slot width as well as surface profiles formed by the wrapped wires. Furthermore, by wrapping multiple wires concurrently around the base tube, the time required to wrap the wire is reduced. The twin (or more) wire feeds may be provided by way of a mechanical wire feed. Since two (or more) wires are wrapped around the base tube simultaneously, time needed to the wrap the wires around the base tube is reduced.

[00060] Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive of the invention. Rather, the description is intended to describe illustrative embodiments, features and functions in order to provide a person of ordinary skill in the art context to understand the invention without limiting the invention to any particularly described embodiment, feature or function. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, while the invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth.

[00061] Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the invention.

[00062] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "a specific embodiment" or similar terminology means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment and may not necessarily be present in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", or "in a specific embodiment" or similar terminology in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any particular embodiment may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the invention.

[00063] In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment may be able to be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, components, systems, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention. While the invention may be illustrated by using a particular embodiment, this is not and does not limit the invention to any particular embodiment and a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments are readily understandable and are a part of this invention.

[00064] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, product, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, product, article, or apparatus.

[00065] Furthermore, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and/or" unless otherwise indicated. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and Bis false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and Bis true (or present), and both A and Bare true (or present). As used herein, a term preceded by "a" or "an" (and "the" when antecedent basis is "a" or "an") includes both singular and plural of such term, unless clearly indicated otherwise (i.e., that the reference "a" or "an" clearly indicates only the singular or only the plural). Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.