❑ Once the destabilizing forces overcome the
formation strength, the rock will fail.
❑ Sand production will follow if sand can be
transported.
1
❑ Overburden
❑ Friction
❑ DifferentialStresses
❑ Cementing Material, Degree of Consolidation
❑ Fluid Viscosity, Production Velocity, Drag Forces
❑ Capillary Forces, Water Production
2
❑ Time Dependence
▪ decreasing reservoir pressure increases the
overburden stress on the grains
❑ Fluid Flow
▪ fluid velocity and viscosity contributes to the
pressure drop near the wellbore (drag force)
▪ production induces stress on the formation sand
▪ induced stress > formation stress sand
production
3
•Geological Factors
•tertiary age reservoirs, usually shallow depths
unconsolidated
•Impairment on Natural Consolidation
•high compressive strength
•internal pore pressure supports the overburden
' = - P
4
•Mutiphase Flow
• Water production may dissolve natural
cementing materials weakening the
intergranular bonds;
• Water production may mobilize fines
resulting in plugging of the pore
structure.
5
❑ Fines – solids with about 44 microns
❑ Fines are most probably produced in every well.
❑ Fines are not controlled. They can be dissolved.
❑ Sand can not be dissolved. Needs to be
controlled.
6
❑Sand bridges
❑Sand erosion
❑Casing / Liner failure
❑Sand disposal
7
❑ Screenless
❑ With Screen
8
❑ In-situ consolidation
Use of resins to consolidate formations.
❑ Resin-Coated Gravel
Injection of pre-coated gravel.
9
❑ Gravel Pack
❑ Frac& Pack (Frac-n-Pack, Frac-Pack,
StimPAC*)
* - mark of Schlumberger
10
SPE 39437, Tiffin at al Criteria
❑ D10/D95<10, D40/D90<3, sub 325 mesh <2%,
Screen
❑ D10/D95<10, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <5%,
Premium Screen
❑ D10/D95<20, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <5%,
Gravel Pack
❑ D10/D95<20, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <10%,
Screen Large G P
❑ D10/D95>20, D40/D90>5, sub 325 mesh >10%,
GP Horizontal
11
Hungo-2 Cummulative Grain Size
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
Cumlative (%)
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
10000 1000 100 10 1
44 m
Grain size (m)
12
1st: select fluid system
least damaging, economical, efficient
2nd: select gravel and screen or slotted liner
size and type
3rd: NODAL analysis:
evaluate effect on well productivity
4th: Re-select fluids and gravel if necessary
14
Always
• In OH; clean mud cake prior running screen
• In CH; ensure that all perforations are open
and clean
• Clean tubing prior to any pumping
15
Cased Hole Considerations
Reliable drilling Isolate production
and completion from undesirable
methodologies zones
Requires efficient
perforation
Poor perforation
system
pack may lead to
low productivity
Easier workover
compared to EGP
16
Open Hole Considerations
Can be Underreamed, No damage due to
increasing wellbore poor perforation pack
area efficiency
Hole stability is a Water production
concern while drilling control may become
and completion impractical
17
Fluid may leak to the
formation, may be circulate
back to the surface or both.
When pumping slurry, gravel
will be placed inside
perforation tunnels and
annular casing-screen.
18
Fluid may leak to the formation, may
be circulate back to the surface or
both.
When pumping slurry, gravel will be
placed in the annular formation-
screen.
Accessories : Lower and Upper
Telltale.
19
Fluid may leak only to the
formation.
Fluid may travel through inside
the screen.
When pumping slurry, gravel
will be placed inside perforation
tunnels and annular casing-
screen.
20
New wells (never produced sand)
0.25 ft3 / ft
“Old” wells (already produced sand)
0.50 ft3 / ft
21
Organic solvents (pipe dope)
Acid (rust and scale)
1,000 gal of DAD* or CLEAN SWEEP*
Acid must be reversed to surface
Scrubber slurries: 6 to 10 lbm/gal sand in viscosified
brine ahead acid clean-up.
22
Non damaging aqueous fluids: 2-3% KCl or NH4Cl +
clay stabilizer
Cleanliness: all fluids should be filtered
Gels: viscous enough for placement, thin to move
to wellbore (breakers) HEC, Xanthan,
PERMPAC*
New fluids: improved leak-off, reduced permeability
damage
23
> 50 cP @ 170 sec-1 inhibits leakoff
SandCADE* - selection of correct fluid viscosity
(511 sec-1 to simulate leakoff)
Rule-of-thumb: maximum 50 cP @ 170 sec-1,
downhole conditions
Comparison of viscosities only at same shear rate
and temperature
24
• Trend in industry: low concentration in low
viscosity
• For high concentration: for over 10 lbm/gal US
20/40, minimum of 65 lbm HEC per 1000 gal brine
• In Coil Tubing, reduce concentration to
< 10 lbm/gal
25
• Size of gravel is selected based on size of
formation grains
• The sizing criterion is selected based on
field experience
• “Saucier” criterion is the most used one
CRITERION
formation
gravel
26
“Saucier” Method: median grain for gravel is 5 or 6 times
median grain size for formation sand.
(D50)g = 5 or 6 x (D50)f
Coberly Method: uniform sands. Gravel too large to
prevent fines.
Stein Method: uniform sand.
Schwartz Method: reduces probability of fines
27
Sand - Gravel - Screen
28
Slotted Liners Wire Wrapped
Screens
low cost enhanced control
robust large flow area
un-restricted flow
small fluid area cost can be high
pressure loss across welding might corrode
slots
slots erosion
primary control only
29
difficult diversion of fluids
difficult transport of gravel in high angles
reduced pipe strength (with screens)
no isolation of intervals (unless zone isolation
is used)
difficult to locate damage screens
30
D10/D95<10, D40/D90<3, sub 325 mesh <2%, Screen
D10/D95<10, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <5%, Premium Screen
D10/D95<20, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <5%, Gravel Pack
D10/D95<20, D40/D90<5, sub 325 mesh <10%, Screen Large
GP
D10/D95>20, D40/D90>5, sub 325 mesh >10%, GP Horizontal
31
Hungo-2 Cummulative Grain Size
100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
Cumlative (%)
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
10000 1000 100 10 1
44 m
Grain size (m)
32