A systematic approach to sand management
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abstract
A four-step sand management solution has been developed to handle the sanding process in oil well industry. Prediction and planning is the first step, under which reservoir measurements are used to predict if and when sanding might occur. The predictions are used to determine the best completion techniques needed to protect against sand production for the life of the well. Prevention involves achieving the optimum balance between sanding prevention and production optimization, thus eliminating the approaches of the past. Flowrates and drawdown pressures are monitored and controlled in the third step during reservoir depletion to prevent mechanical failure that could initiate sand production. Remediation is the last step in which early treatment is implemented to control sanding after initial production is detected. A unique feature of the prediction technique is its ability to account for the scale effects imposed by different borehole and perforation diameters and sand grain sizes.
