Sand screen joint with producible check ball
A joint for a sand screen assembly includes a mandrel disposed inline with a screen jacket. A first passageway extends through the mandrel to an inner circumferential surface of the mandrel. A second passageway extends through the mandrel to the first passageway. A first ball or disc seat is formed in the first passageway. The joint further includes a retainer disposed in the second passageway, a shear member affixing the retainer to the mandrel, and a first check ball or disc disposed in the first passageway. The first check ball or disc is constrained by the first ball or disc seat and the retainer. A diameter of the first check ball or disc is less than a diameter of the first passageway at the inner circumferential surface.
1 . A joint for a sand screen assembly, comprising:
a mandrel disposed inline with a screen jacket, wherein a first passageway extends through the mandrel to an inner circumferential surface of the mandrel, wherein a second passageway extends through the mandrel to the first passageway, wherein a first seat is formed in the first passageway, wherein a third passageway extends through the mandrel, and wherein a second seat and a stop are formed in the third passageway;
a retainer disposed in the second passageway, wherein the retainer comprises a piston, and wherein a diameter of the piston corresponds to a diameter of the second passageway;
a shear member affixing the retainer to the mandrel;
a first check ball disposed in the first passageway, wherein the first check ball is constrained by the first seat and the retainer, and wherein a diameter of the first check ball is less than a diameter of the first passageway at the inner circumferential surface; and
a second check ball disposed in the third passageway, wherein the second check ball is constrained by the second seat and the stop.
2 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the joint is configured to release the first check ball from the first passageway into a volume defined by the inner circumferential surface, in response to the shear member breaking.
3 . The joint of claim 2 , wherein the shear member is configured to break, in response to pressure inside the volume exceeding a threshold.
4 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein a chamber is formed between a chamber surface of the mandrel and an inner surface of an outer cover.
5 . The joint of claim 4 , wherein the first seat is formed proximate to the chamber surface.
6 . The joint of claim 4 , wherein
the third passageway extends from the chamber surface to the inner circumferential surface,
the second seat is disposed proximate to the chamber surface, and
the stop is formed in the third passageway proximate to the inner circumferential surface.
7 . The joint of claim 4 , wherein the first seat is disposed proximate to the chamber surface.
8 . The joint of claim 4 , wherein the second seat is disposed proximate to the chamber surface.
9 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the second passageway comprises a piston stop configured to constrain the piston.
10 . The joint of claim 9 , wherein the retainer further comprises a rod extending from the piston and protruding through the piston stop.
11 . The joint of claim 10 , wherein the rod retains the first check ball.
12 . The joint of claim 11 , wherein the retainer further comprises a seal encircling the piston.
13 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the first passageway is uniform along a length from the first seat to the inner circumferential surface.
14 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the stop is configured to prevent the second check ball from being released into a volume defined by the inner circumferential surface.
15 . The joint of claim 14 , wherein the first passageway is parallel to the third passageway.
16 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the first seat and the second seat are disposed proximate to a chamber surface of the mandrel.
17 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the stop is formed in the third passageway proximate to the inner circumferential surface.
18 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the first passageway is parallel to the third passageway.
19 . The joint of claim 1 , wherein the first check ball is releasable.
20 . The joint of claim 19 , wherein the second check ball is non-releasable.