A Comparison of Methodologies for Handling Produced Sand and Solids to Achieve Sustainable Hydrocarbon Production

Rawlins, C. Hank; Hewett, Thomas J.

doi:10.2118/107690-ms

“…The produced solids are defined as inorganic, insoluble, particulate material that accompanies well fluids to the surface (Rawlins and Hewett 2007). These solids originate from natural or artificial sources.…”

Section: Produced Solids In Subsea Processingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Subsea Sand Management Challenge – What to Do with the Sand?

Rawlins¹,

Ditria²

2019

Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019

1

0

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Sand is a limiting design factor for facilities in terms of operability, throughput, and maintenance. These effects are more critical when dealing with subsea processing due to the equipment access and risk exposure. Technologies for erosion management, sand separation, and solids disposal are well proven for surface facilities. For example, the wellhead desander, located upstream of the choke, effectively separates sand from the multiphase well flow and can be marinized for subsea use. However, the crucial question is "What to do with the sand?" This white paper provides a focal point for the discussion on sand management in subsea processing. The broad categories for dealing with sand include neutralization of the effects, improvements in conventional design, and separation with disposal. These categories have been analyzed based on the conventional design, treatment of the solids, and removal of the solids. More than thirty discrete treatment routes were surveyed, including conventional production limits, flow path modification, chemical treatment, sand cleaning, mechanical attrition, slurry fracture injection, and accretion disposal. Many of these technologies have analogues in other particulate processing industries that can be adapted to upstream oil and gas production. This work is part of ongoing research in Facilities Sand Management with the goal of improving the hydrocarbon recovery through inclusionary sand production.

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“…Rawlins et al (2007) compares different methodologies for handling produced solids as they relate to sustaining production.…”

Section: Subcontractorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technologies or Intangibles: What Drives Sand-Control Selection?

Waltman¹,

Torres²,

Dusterhoft³

et al. 2010

Proceedings of Offshore Technology Conference

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Petroleum engineering has come a long way in developing the knowledge needed to select the best sand-control method to apply in formations with sand-production problems. Sand production is usually associated with younger Tertiary formations, such as the Miocene-or Pliocene-age sands. These formations occur in a number of areas, especially offshore areas like the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Brazil, and offshore Malaysia and Brunei. The majority of these areas have been produced for the last fifteen years using so-called modern sand-control methods. With these areas having a long history with sand control completions, one might think that experience combined with the latest technologies and engineering practices would lead to a simple decision process for sand-control selection.The truth is that, in many instances, intangible or nontechnical aspects have a heavy influence in the final decision of the method(s) to be used, especially when the operation is in a remote location or in an area where sand-control operations are new or not commonly performed. These nontechnical considerations include local availability of equipment, chemicals, experience, lead times, local regulations, environmental issues, existing contracts, operator preferences, special technologies, the contractor safety record, cost, and even the number of subcontractors. Furthermore, the locally accepted sand-control method might be considered the best practice or thought to have the highest success rate only because of familiarity. The technique finally selected for an expansion or new project might not be the best from a purely technical point of view once these nontechnical issues are considered. This paper presents engineering and nontechnical aspects of sand-control method selection and can be used as a reference to help decide the best sand-control method to use.

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“…Rawlins et al (2007) compares different methodologies for handling produced solids as they relate to sustaining production. Rawlins et al (2007) compares different methodologies for handling produced solids as they relate to sustaining production.…”

Section: Subcontractorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology or Intangibles, What Drives Sand Control Selection?

Waltman

¹

,

Torres

²

,

Dusterhoft

³

et al. 2010

All Days

5

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Petroleum engineering has come a long way in developing the knowledge needed to select the best sand-control method to apply in formations with sand-production problems. Sand production is usually associated with younger Tertiary formations, such as the Miocene-or Pliocene-age sands. These formations occur in a number of areas, especially offshore areas like the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Brazil, and offshore Malaysia and Brunei. The majority of these areas have been produced for the last fifteen years using so-called modern sand-control methods. With these areas having a long history with sand control completions, one might think that experience combined with the latest technologies and engineering practices would lead to a simple decision process for sand-control selection.The truth is that, in many instances, intangible or nontechnical aspects have a heavy influence in the final decision of the method(s) to be used, especially when the operation is in a remote location or in an area where sand-control operations are new or not commonly performed. These nontechnical considerations include local availability of equipment, chemicals, experience, lead times, local regulations, environmental issues, existing contracts, operator preferences, special technologies, the contractor safety record, cost, and even the number of subcontractors. Furthermore, the locally accepted sand-control method might be considered the best practice or thought to have the highest success rate only because of familiarity. The technique finally selected for an expansion or new project might not be the best from a purely technical point of view once these nontechnical issues are considered. This paper presents engineering and nontechnical aspects of sand-control method selection and can be used as a reference to help decide the best sand-control method to use.

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A Comparison of Methodologies for Handling Produced Sand and Solids to Achieve Sustainable Hydrocarbon Production

Cited by 16 publications

References 23 publications

The Subsea Sand Management Challenge – What to Do with the Sand?

The Subsea Sand Management Challenge – What to Do with the Sand?

Technologies or Intangibles: What Drives Sand-Control Selection?

Technology or Intangibles, What Drives Sand Control Selection?

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