A sand control screen assembly includes a base pipe having multiple first openings through a thickness of the base pipe, where at least one of the first openings is characterized by a non-uniform cross-section, where each first opening has a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion, where the first portion is disposed adjacent to an inner surface of the base pipe, where the second portion is disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the base pipe, where the second portion includes multiple channels, where each channel extends outward and upward relative to the first portion, where each channel includes a wall having a side wall edge and a base wall edge, where an interface surface between the side wall edge and the base wall edge is a planar surface.