New Criteria for Gravel and Screen Selection for Sand Control

Abstract

Guidelines for sand control completion technique and gravel size selection are presented. These new criteria are based primarily on reservoir sand size distribution. Emphasis is on formations with very high fines content and a wide distribution of grain sizes. Upon failure and/or particle movement, these formations can exhibit very high skins and reduced production capacity with traditional control methods. Guidelines are also discussed for formations with little fines and a very uniform grain size distribution. Proposed criteria are based on field experience and experiments conducted with reservoir cores from different sand formations worldwide. Experiments were conducted by "packing" different gravels at the effluent end of core plugs and surging fluids through the plugs and gravel. Cases are presented where traditional methods would lead to an overly restrictive gravel pack and advantages are obtained with use of larger gravel. P. 201

Planning and Conducting Well Tests in Deep and Ultra-Deep Water to Mitigate Potential Risks and Justify Expense for the Operator

“…In such cases, complex and expensive sand-control systems have been used in conjunction with the testing operation. Tiffin et al (1998) offered an industry-accepted sand-control selection guideline based on reservoir sand size to determine an appropriate completion method, as shown in Figure 6. Further study into sand management through the understanding of reservoir conditions is also found in Slayter et al Wells in unconsolidated reservoirs have been successfully tested using controlled flow rates to prevent or delay sand production.…”

“…3.8 Light the burner pilot, and turn on the air compressor and the water screens, if available. 3.9 Remove all low-range pressure gauges from the choke manifold and install a high-range gauge. Set the adjustable choke on 16/64 in.…”

Design and Implementation of a Sand-Control Completion for a Troublesome Shallow Laminated Gas Pay—A Case Study

“…Other indicators that would impact the sand-control design have been suggested by George King et al in SPE 39437. 1 The King et al approach suggests evaluating a sorting coefficient and percentage of fines (sub 44 micron particles) in the formation sample to assist in selecting the sand-face completion. Sorting coefficient (defined as D10/D95) gives a broader evaluation of the sand-size distribution, and in the F13-6, core was in the range of 2.5 to 130, further confirming that the Shallow Clastics formation is composed of highly non-uniform sandgrain sizes.…”

Liquid Screen: Pickering Emulsion Templating as an Effective Route for Forming Permeable and Mechanically Stable Void-Free Barriers for Hydrocarbon Production in Subterranean Formations

“…Gravel packing is a well-known technique for sand control, whereby unconsolidated fines produced from the soft formation are filtered away from the production fluids (Penberthy and Shaughnessy 1992;Saucier 1974;Powell et al 2006;Tiffin et al 1998). Unconsolidated fines are highly challenging, as they are expensive to dispose of and can cause erosion of surface equipment, casing failure, clogging of production pipes, and production loss (Penberthy and Shaughnessy 1992; Sparlin and Hagen 1985).…”

“…However, gravel packs can be problematic. Bridging of sand particles within the gravel pack can create voids, which can result in mechanical failures or significantly reduce the effectiveness of gravel packs to restrain fines from flowing along with the hydrocarbons produced (Suman 1974;Tiffin et al 1998;Powell et al 2006).As an alternative, this paper presents a pioneering method to prepare void-free and mechanically sound permeable barriers in subterranean formations as an alternative to gravel packing. The method of preparation involves the curing of Pickering water-in-oil medium-or high-internal-phase emulsions containing monomers in the annular space between a rock formation and pipe.…”