ABSTRACT A series of experiments were conducted to determine the utility of a Flexible Sand Barrier (FSB) (helically wound flexible metal tubing) as a permeable casing within horizontal boreholes. These experiments focused on its production capacity and filtering capability. A test cell was developed which allowed testing over a range of pressure drops with or without a gravel pack. Laboratory in flow tests indicated 0.10 to 0.21 m3/d per meter (0.2 to 0.4 bbl/d per foot) of FSB in a 30 psi (0.21 MPa) reservoir with 1.0 Pa s (1000 cp) oil. Several configurations of the product from various manufacturers were compared and a suitable candidate was chosen for field testing which is underway.