to wit a slotted steel tube known as a u201c base pipe u201d 122 overlapping layers of filtering membrane i e u201c an intermediate filter media u201d 124 and a pre slotted steel plate 126 wrapped around the base pipe 122 and the filter media 124 the filter media 124 allows hydrocarbons to invade the wellbore but filters sand and other unwanted particles from entering the sand screen joints 120 are configured to be expandable expansion is achieved either by using a compliant expander tool by passing a tapered cone through the inside of the joint 120 or by using an expander tool that incorporates both features such as tool 200 shown in fig5 during the expansion process both inner 122 and outer 126 layers of the joints 120 are plastically deformed to achieve the desired dimension the overlapping filter membranes 124 slide over one another to accommodate the increase in diameter third a bottom connector 130 is provided in the ess u00ae 100 the bottom connector 130 has a top end 132 that connects to the bottom of the sand screen joint 120 the bottom connector 130 provides a positive location for receiving the expander tool 200 after the expansion process is completed in one arrangement the expander tool 200 remains in the wellbore after the expansion process is completed with the working string being detachable from the expander tool 200 in one aspect the bottom connector 130 connects at a lower end 134 to a shoe assembly seen at 180 in fig6 b in operation the sand screen 100.