G R O U P

Sand Prediction and Sand Control

Giuseppe Ripa

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 Map of Sand Producing Areas

Usually associated with younger Tertiary formations such as the Miocene or Pliocene Age Sands
Approximately 70% of the world’s oil and gas reserves are contained in poorly consolidated reservoirs where solids
production is likely to become a problem during the life of the field.
[JPT October 1998, Page 80 ]

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 Sand Problems in ENI-E&P and Sand Completions
OIL FIELD GAS FIELD GAS STORAGE FIELD

West Africa & GOM On & Off-Shore Italy On-Shore Italy

Lithology Sand Thin Sand-Shale Sand-Shale Interbeds

Interbeds

Reservoir Depth 500-4800 m 600-3500 m 1200-1700 m

Formation Sand 30-350 µm 20-150 µm 50-150 µm

Size

Permeability 200-8000 mD 20-500 mD 200-2000 mD

Completion per year Cumulative Completions

120 1800

Over 50% of the total 100 1500

production (~1700 BOED) is 80 1200

coming from reservoir 60 900
requiring sand control
40 600

20 300

0 0
1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
Year

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 Consequences of sand production
• Wellbore fill
• Equipment problems due to sand fill
• Sand erosion of downhole and surface equipments
• Sand accumulation on surface and Sand Disposal
•

• Production Loss
• Casing / Liner Collapse

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 Forces Aiding in Resisting Sand Production

• Intergranular frictional forces

and bonding (cementation) help
resist grain movement

• Capillary Pressure adds further

grain-to-grain bonding

Water-Wet
Grains
Oil Flow

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 Forces Contributing to Sand Production

• Pore pressure relieves frictional forces

• Production of wetting phase reduces

capillary pressure forces

Oil and
Water Flow

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 What causes sand production?

• Totally or weakly unconsolidated formations

• Changing stresses in the near wellbore area

• Water Production

•Overburden
•Cementing
•Capillary
•Drag

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 Sand Production Mechanism

• Primer:
– Rock shear collapse owing to
in situ stress forming “shear
band”

• Sand Production:
– Erosion of perforation tunnel
around “shear band” by the
produced fluids

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 Detecting sand production
• Erosion of Equipment Fluenta Acoustic Sand Detector
• Acoustic Detectors
• Sand Traps/Desanders

Sand Probe

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 Predicting sand production

• Experience in the area

• Offset well production data
• Drilling data
• Core sample evaluation
• Sand Flow Test
• Logs
• Computer modeling

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 Predicting Sanding Potential
SAND FLOW TEST RESULTS
BOTTOM HOLE PRESSURE (kg/cm2)

220
PERFS CLEAN-UP FINES REMOVAL CONTINUOUS
D50=40- 60 µ m SAND
D50=3 - 7 µm INFLUX
200
D50=18 µm
180
2/16"

160 3/16" 9/16" S=

4/16" 6/16" -17
140
5/16"
10/16" 11/16"
120 8/16" 12/16"
CHOKE SIZE
S=

S
100

=0
80

80

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

GAS FLOW RATE (ksm3/d)

FORMATION SAND : D50 = 22 - 44 µ m

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 What can be done about sand production?

• Rate Exclusion
– Drawdown Control
– Selective Perforations

• Mechanical Methods – “Downhole Filter”

– Slotted Liner and Screens
– Gravel Pack

• Chemical Methods
– Consolidation of the formation
– Resin-Coated Sand

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 Drawdown control

• Reduction in production rate will reduce drag forces and

drawdown to provide reduced risk of sand production
• Procedure:
– Slowly increase rate until sand
production begins to increase
– Sequentially reduce flow rate
until the sand production
declines to an acceptable level
• Attempting to establish
maximum flow rate in
conjunction with stable arch

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 Selective Perforating Practices

Once formation characteristics are known, perforating strategies

can be evaluated.

If possible, only high strength intervals can

be perforated. Low Strength
For high rate wells this will require a high Sand
shot density to prevent additional
pressure drop and associated sand
production.
However, high shot density lead to Higher Strength
Sand
perforation interaction which also
promotes sand production.

The appropriate compromise is key to success.

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 Slotted Liner and Screens

Slotted Liner Wire Wrap Dual Screen Slim-Pak Wire Mesh Screen
(3-6%) Screen (6-12%) Prepack (3-6%) Screen (3-6%) (15-30%)

Expandable Screen
(15-30%)

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 Gravel Pack

Gravel Formation
Consists of sized particles Pack Sand Sand

placed in the annular space

between an unconsolidated
formation and a centralized
screen.

Open or cased hole.

Screen

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 Chemical Methods

Consolidation of the Formation Resin-Coated Sand

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 Information for designing a sand control
FORMATION CHARACTERISTICS
Types of Clays, Mineralogy & water-sensitivity
Permeability, Heterogeneity, Height, SBHT & SBHP

FORMATION GRAIN SIZING

Sieve Analysis for gravel size selection

SLOT SIZING
Gravel Pack vs. FracPack
Slotted Liners, Screen only (wire wrapped, prepacked, etc.)

TYPE OF WELL
Producer, Injector
Deviation & Size
Off-shore, On-shore, sub-see

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 Sieve Analysis Indicates
Uniform and Non-Uniform Formations
100

90

P o o rly S o rte d S a n d
80
Cumulative Weight (%)

W e ll S o rte d S a n d

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 .1 0 0 0 0 .0 1 0 0 0 .0 0 1 0 0 .0 0 0 1

G r a in D ia m e te r (in c h e s )

Uniformity coefficient: C= D40/D90

Poorly Sorted Sand: C> 5
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 Gravel Pack Impairment: Saucier’s Results
1 .2
• D50/d50 ≤ 6, good sand control, no
1 .0 formation sand invasion of gravel
Ratio of Final Permeability to

pack sand
Initial Permeabilit (kf / ki)

0 .8

• 6 < D50/d50 ≤ 13, good sand

control, but restricted flow due to
0 .6

0 .4
formation sand invasion of gravel
0 .2 pack sand
0 .0 • D50/d50 > 13, no sand control,
formation sand passes through
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

R a tio o f M e d ia n G ra v e l P a c k S a n d D ia m e te r to

gravel pack sand

M e d ia n F o rm a tio n S a n d D ia m e te r (D 5 0 / d 5 0 )

GRAVEL PACK FRACPACK

Saucier 5-6 x D50 One size larger than Saucier’s Criteria

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 Commonly Available Gravel Sizes

Grain Median Median

U.S. Mesh Diameter Range Grain Diameter Grain Diameter Permeability
Size Range (inches) (inches) (microns) (darcies)
6-10 .1320 - .0787 .1054 2677 2703
8-12* .0937 -.0661 .0799 2029 1969
10-20 .0787 - .0331 .0559 1420 652
12-20* .0661 - .0331 .0496 1260 518
16-25 .0469 - .0280 .0388 986 391
16-30* .0469 - .0232 .0351 892 398
20-40* .0331 - .0165 .0248 630 136
30-40 .0232 - .0165 .0199 505 138
30-50 .0232 - .0117 .0175 445 100
40-60* .0165 - .0098 .0132 335 61
z1

50-70 .0117 - .0083 .0100 254 32

* stocked size

Mesh refers to the

number of openings
per linear inch
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 Screen Selection

Gravel pack and Prepack Screen

– The screen opening is typically between 50-70% of the
smallest gravel diameter
z For 20/40 mesh sand the smallest gravel is the 40 mesh which has a
D50 of 0.0165”
z 0.0165” x 70% = 0.01155” or 0.012” opening (12 gauge)

Screen Only and Slotted Liner

– Screen Opening is approximately equal to the D10

Screen Diameter
– Fishing (7” csg: IDmax= 4” screen; 9 5/8” csg: IDmax= 6” screen ...)
– ID for logging and or selective equipment

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 Screen Length - Centralizers

• Length normally 5’ above and below the perfs

• Length needs to be considered for shipments (rig basket @ 30’,

airplane @ 20’)

• Centralizer spacing to avoid any casing contact

Open hole, Bow-Spring type
Cased hole Weld-on Lug type

• Recommended centralizer OD clearance from casing ID to

be 1/8” to 1/4”

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 Gravel and Screen Summary
• Representative formation samples are required for gravel pack sand
size design
• Gravel pack sand is typically designed to be six times larger than the
formation sand at the median grain size
• Only gravel pack sand meeting API RP58 specifications should be
used
• Gravel pack sand substitutes are available for special applications
• In a gravel pack the screen serves only to retain the gravel pack sand
• Prepack screens offer “second line of defense”

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 Cased Hole Gravel Pack
1 Slurry is injected down the workstring

2 The slurry crosses over to the annulus MULTI-POSITION SERVICE

TOOL
below the packer, depositing sand GRAVEL PACK

adjacent to the screen

PACKER

FLOW SUB OR CLOSING

SLEEVE
3 The carrier fluid leaks off through the
screen and is carried back to the
surface via the washpipe and crossover BLANK PIPE

tool, crossing back over to the casing-

workstring annulus just above the
packer
SCREENS

O-RING SUB

TELLTALE SCREEN

SUMP PACKER

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 Quantum Packer Assembly
Service Tool
Quantum Packer
Circulating Ports
G.P. Extension
Ball Seat

Closing Sleeve
Crossover Ports
Lower Seal Bore
Check Valve

Indicating Collar
Indicating Collet

Safety Shear Sub

Wash Pipe
Blank Pipe

Perforations Screen

PBR

Sump Packer Seal Assembly

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 Setting the Quantum Packer

Service Tool

1. Packer at Set Depth

- Drop Ball
- Apply Pressure, set begins Quantum Packer
at 1,000 - 1,200 psi Set Position
- Pressure Test Annulus and
pull test to test set.

2. Release Service Tool

- Apply 2,200 - 2,400 psi
- Slack off 15K down Ball Seated
- Pick up on Ball Seat

3. Ball Seat Still in Place “Fluted” Crossover

Sub

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 Service Tool Operations
Blowing the Ball Seat (Opening Crossover Ports)

Pick up to the
reverse-out position

- Pressure Drill Pipe

to 3,750 - 4,000 psi
Ball Seat is
- Ball seat shifts and Shifted Open
pressure is vented
to the annulus.
Formation is isolated
from pressure spike.

- Fluids are spotted

in this position.

Collet Indicates
at Upper Packer
Seal Bore Shoulder

Collet Drags the

Port Closure Sleeve
Into Closed Position

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 Service Tool Operations
Circulating Position

To Reach Circulating Position

Circulating Ports
are Open
- Pick up 18 inches at the
tool or until collet indicator
causes 15K increase in
hook load

- Circulating ports are

now above packer bore.

- All circulating fluids must

flow through the screen,
upwrd through the wash
pipe and exit to the
annulus.

Check Valve
Allows Only
Upward Flow

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 Service Tool Operations
Reversing Out
To Reverse Out:

- Apply enough annular

pressure to overcome
hydrostatic in the pipe.
Typically 500 psi.

- Pick up service tool until

pressure falls off. This
occurs when crossover
port clears the top of
the upper packer bore.

- Continue pumping
Check Valve Closed
- Check valve prevents
slurry from entering the
inside of the washpipe.

- If annular fluid density is Lower Set of Seals

greater than the D.P. Still in Packer Bore
fluid density, 500 psi back
pressure must be trapped
on the tubing side to keep
check valve closed. Port Closure Sleeve
Is Closed

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 ICGP – General Procedure

• Well site preparation

• Casing clean-up
• Fluid filtration
• Casing perforation
• Killing and fluid loss control
• Buttomhole clean-up
• Running and setting GP assembly
• Gravel placement
• Running and setting completion string
• Well clean-up

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 Casing Cleaning

• Prior to gravel packing the casing Brine

should be thoroughly cleaned Fresh or

with a bit and a scraper to Seawater
remove any dirt or scale Gel pill

• Circulation of completion fluid,

Chemical
mud solvents, scouring material,
acid, and caustic solutions may Fresh or
Seawater
be required to fully remove these
material Caustic

• The casing should also be Fresh or

Seawater
pressure tested for leaks on older
wells Gel pill

Drilling Mud

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 Casing Cleaning – when to stop?

NTU well returns

irreducible minimum

Injection fluid

Time (hrs)
• The irreducible minimum of solids is taken as the cleanliness
value such that the level of cleanliness can only be increased
marginally over lengthy circulating times
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 Fluid Filtration

• Clean completion, workover, injection, and treatment fluids are

imperative to avoid formation damage and gravel’s permeability
reduction.
• Ideally, all solids larger than 1/6 of the average pore size of the
productive formation should be removed from fluids.

• Methods of determination
– From Kozeny: Dpore = √k
– From Coberly: Dpore = D50/6.5
– SEM measurements of pore throat diameters from closely spaced core samples

• Particle size and damage potential

– Dpart > 0.33 Dpore instant bridging of core
– 0.1 Dpore < Dpart < 0.33 Dpore invasion of core and deposition
– Dpart < 0.1 Dpore unrestricted passage

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 Filtration Systems

Maintaining the clarity of the completion

fluid can be very expensive and time
consuming. Diatomaceous earth filter in
series with a downstream absolute rated
filter have proved to be an effective and
economical fluid cleaning system.

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 System Layout

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 Perforating
• Each shaped charge exerts up to 4 million psi on the reservoir.
• This force crushes and compacts the reservoir rock and perforating
debris can plug perforating tunnels.

Result:
Limited leakoff and
poor injectivity

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 Clean Perforations

Limit damage both within and surrounding perforations

¾Low debris/carrot free charge

¾Underbalanced perforating

¾Crushed zone removal

¾Limit use of fluid-loss control material in

empty perforations

Damage Prevention is Also Critical

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 Perforation Cleaning

• Underbalanced Pressure
– selected on formation permeability and
Oil Wells
Gas Wells
• Backflow
– When perforating is performed overbalanced a
period of backflow is sometimes used to clean
up the perforations with a dedicated string

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 Perforating for Gravel Packs & Frac-Packs

• Number of perforations should be sufficient to allow unimpaired (flow maximize inflow

area)
• Large diameter charges recommended when gravel placed in tunnels
– Enhance gravel placement in tunnels
– Enhance flow of produced fluids

y Depth of penetration not critical

Various studies (SPE 71458, SPE 38633, SPE 68932) indicate that
cavity is often not formed when perforating in unconsolidated
formations. “Disturbed” zone is filled with dilated formation
material.
Need to concentrate on tunnel through casing and cement

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 Perforating for Gravel Packing

• Entry holes less than 0.6 inches result in high pressure drops.
• Benefits associated with maximized inflow area leads to need for high shot density.
• Perforations must be fully packed to prevent excessive pressure drop, and screen
plugging and/or erosion.

Linear Radial
2 20 Flow Flow

Perfs diameter (in.)

1.6 16
Effective shots per foot
Perfs Diameter

Effective spf
1.2 12

0.8 8

0.4 4

0 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Cement
Casing
SKIN Gravel Pack Sand
Screen

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 High productivity requires:
complete packing, large entry holes
Pressure Drop (psi)

Pack Permeability Flow Rate 3/8” Diameter 1/2” Diameter 3/4” Diameter
Material (mD) (bpd/perf) Perforation Perforation Perforation

Formation 1,000 1 450 190 64

Sand 10 27,760 9,280 2,091

20/40 Mesh 119,000 1 2 1 0.4

Gravel 10 55 21 6

A= Perforation Cross-Sectional Area (ft2)

β= Inertia Coefficient (ft-1)
∆P= Differential Pressure (psi)
0.888 L µ Q
2
⎡Q ⎤ K= Permeability (Darcies)
∆P = + 9.1 × 10 13 β L ρ ⎢ ⎥ L= Length Of Perforation (ft)
KA ⎣A⎦ µ= Viscosity (cp)
Q= Flow Rate (bpd)
ρ= Density Of Fluid (lb/ft3)

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 Use of Fluid Loss Control Material
in Empty Perforations

• This should be avoided whenever

possible. Casing
• Increased viscosity will decrease
leakoff rate without halting it.

• If leakoff completely stopped,

perforations will not be able to be
packed and it will be difficult to remove Filtercake
FLCM prior to prepacking.

• Spearheading acid in front of prepack

treatment may help re-establish initial
leakoff rates. Formation

Cement

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 ICGP critical issue

Ideal Wellbore
• Cased-Hole Gravel Packs still
exhibit high skins
Damaged Zone
• Improved Cased-Hole Gravel
Packing methods have helped
but have not solved problem
Actual Wellbore
• Implication is that
perforations may not be
completely filled with gravel Pumping Pressure < Fracture Pressure

and may not bypass the With Leakoff

damaged zone

Without Leakoff

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 Open Hole Gravel Pack

– Slurry is injected down the workstring

– The slurry crosses over to the annulus below
the packer, depositing sand adjacent to the
screen
– The carrier fluid leaks off through the screen
and is carried back to the surface via the
washpipe and crossover tool, crossing back over
to the casing-workstring annulus just above the
packer

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 OHGP – General Procedure

• Underreaming of the borehole

• Well site preparation
• Fluid filtration
• Killing and fluid loss control
• Bottomhole clean-up
• Running and setting GP assembly
• Gravel placement
• Running and setting completion string
• Well clean-up

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 Mechanism of Bore Hole Collapse

Clay

Filter
Pov
Fluid Loss Cake

Sand

Uncontrolled Fluid Loss Collapse due to Controlled Fluid Loss

if BRINE or HEC (linear aqueous fluid - clay improves
polymer) are used interactions Bore Hole stability

Modifications of Rock Mechanical Properties and Stress in-situ Equilibrium are

responsible for Bore Hole Collapse.
Swelling alone does not explain the behavior of this kind of rock.
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 OHGP vs. ICGP

• Due to its large flow area the OHGP has a better inflow performance than ICGP

• The difference between the OHGP and the ICGP deliverability can be negligible
at low rates but it becomes more marked at high rates

• The difference between OHGP and ICGP deliverability increases as kh

increases

• The high deliverability of the OHGP can be wasted due to completion

constraints (small tbg ID, high FTHP…): in this case ICGP can be more
convenient

• Pressure losses due to incomplete filling of perfs are negligible for high
permeability formations whereas they are extremely high in low permeability
formations

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 Important Factors for Gravel Placement

• Washpipe size
– Must keep area outside the screen larger than area inside the screen;
especially in deviated wells where is much easier to create sand bridge
• Return Flow Rate
– Sufficient to keep an annular velocity of at least 1 ft/sec at end of screen
(turbulence helps to suspend sand particles, annular velocity must kept less
than 2.77 ft/sec to minimize turbulent effects)
• Low-viscosity carrier fluids result in high-quality gravel
pack in nearly all situations
• For cased-hole completions, high fluid loss rates and
prepacking both have positive effect

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 Gravel Pack Techniques (I)
• Slurry Pack
– Cased or open hole completions
– Typically used in very high permeability formations
– The carrier fluid is viscosifed
– Sand concentrations can range from 3 to 15 ppg
• Water Pack
– Cased or open hole completions, horizontal wells
– Typically used in low permeability formations
– Brine or slightly viscosifed brine
– 2 bpm of Returns required
– Lower sand concentrations required
– Very good annular packing technique

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 Gravel Pack Techniques (II)

• High Rate Water Pack

– Water or slightly viscosifed water
– Higher rates required to fill perforations and
create numerous mini-fracs into the formation in
high permeability wells
• Typically 5-10 bpm or 1 bpm per 10 ft of
perforations
– Sand concentrations 0.5-4 ppg
– Additional Surface Equipment is required

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 Gravel Pack Techniques (III)
Frac-Packing is a general term applied to the process of
combining a hydraulic fracture with a gravel pack.

The main purpose is to provide

the optimum combination of
STANDARD FRAC-PACK productivity improvement
GRAVEL PLACEMENT GRAVEL PLACEMENT through damage bypass,
P<Pfrac P>Pfrac and well life improvement
through effective sand
control

Kd Kf

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 FracPack Technique

– Used to bypass damage in

the near wellbore area
– Mini-Frac used to gather The process of injecting a
data about the formation to slurry of gravel (proppant)
fine-tune the Frac design
– Short (10 < L < 100 ft), and a fluid into the
Wide Fracs formation, faster than the
– Tip Screen-out designed to
widen the frac and allow a formation can accept it.
high sand concentration at
the wellbore

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 FracPack: Step Rate Test

• Preliminary Test: BHP SRT

– Step Rate Test (generally with brine) Frac
• Fracturing pressure
• Propagation pressure Extended
• Closure pressure Frac
Matrix
Injection Rate

P Break
Down

P ISIP PBreakDown = 2 (ν/(1-ν))(σo-σp) + σp [mud]

Ppropag
Frictions PBreakDown = 2 ν (σo-σp) + σp [brine]
PClosure = (ν/(1-ν))(σo-σp) + σp
PNET
Pclosure
ν values: 0.28 (average)
theoretical: 0-0.5
from the lab: 0.22-0.33
Adriatic Sea: 0.25-0.35
Time σ o = sigma overburden
σ p = sigma pore
ν = Poisson’s coefficient
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 FracPack: PClosure e Leak Off

• Preliminary Test:
– Injection Test (with carrier fluid)
• leak off coefficient (from fall-off)

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 Tip Screen Out Hydraulic Fracturing

An advanced hydraulic fracturing

process designed to intentionally deplete
the pad and have the slurry bridge on
the perimeter of the fracture, locking
the fracture length and height.

Slurry injection is continued to

balloon the fracture creating a very
wide, (1”) highly conductive fracture
to by-pass near wellbore damage in
high permeability formations.

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 FracPack
Final Design and Execution

• Frac model calibration by measured data from Step Rate Test

and Injection Test (Pfrac, Pc, Ct)
• Main Treatment:
– Pumping of designed treatment
• Changing of the pumping parameters if TSO is not
achieved (pump rate reduction, open return flow)
• Fall off to close the fracture
• POOH workstring and RIH completion tubing string
• Clean up

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 Barbara C 24 Livello Q
HRWP
Tbg Pressure Annulus Pressure Mix Ratio Flow in Return
2200 11

2000 10

1800 9

1600 8

1400 7
Pressione (psi)

1200 6

1000 5

800 4

600 3

400 2

200 1

0 0
14.52.48 15.07.12 15.21.36 15.36.00 15.50.24 16.04.48 16.19.12 16.33.36
Time (hh:mm:ss)

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 Pressione (psi)

0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
07:21:41
07:23:09
07:24:37
07:26:05
07:27:33
07:29:01
07:30:29
07:31:57
07:33:25
07:34:53
07:36:21
07:37:49
07:39:17
07:40:45
07:42:13
07:43:41
07:45:09
07:46:37
07:48:05

Tbg pressure
07:49:33
07:51:01
07:52:29
07:53:57
07:55:25
07:56:53
Frac Pack

07:58:21

Eni Corporate University – Eni E&P Division

Annulus pressure
Time (hh:mm:ss)
07:59:49
08:01:17
Barbara C - W ell 24 - level O-O1
ENI - DIVISIONE AGIP, Adriatic sea,

08:02:45
Rate 08:04:13
08:05:41
08:07:09
08:08:37
Mix ratio

08:10:05
08:11:33
08:13:01
08:14:29
08:15:57
08:17:25
08:18:53
08:20:21
Page 59 of 88

08:21:49
Rev. 00 - Jan. 05/EP

08:23:17
08:24:45
08:26:13
08:27:41
Junior Production Engineering/Sand Control

08:29:09
0
2
4
6
8
10
12

Rate (bpm); Mix Ratio (ppa)

 Points to Consider When Designing a Fracture
Treatment

• The purpose of a hydraulic fracture is different in hard, low-permeability

formations than in soft high-permeability formations
– Low-perm formations require long fractures for stimulation
– High-perm formations require short fractures for damage bypass
• The goal of the fracture treatment must be considered early in
the design
• Fluid selection should match application

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 FLOW EFFICIENCY

100 Total Total

26 25
80
Range Range
Average FE %

60 70-114 Total 80-97

22
40
Range
20-90
20

0
FRAC-PACK ICGP OHGP

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 Clean Times & Performances
1.2

ICGP FracPack CF≥100%

1.0
TCP
Pseudo-PI /net pay

0.8 OHGP

CF=85-100%

0.6

ICGP

0.4

CF=30-50%

0.2

0.0

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100

Flow period (dd)

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 GRAVEL PACKING: Possible Alternatives
•ICGP (Saucier’s Criteria for gravel size, better if even smaller)
– suitable for high perm, homogenous sands
– no damage inside tunnels and into formation sand
•OHGP (Saucier’s Criteria)
– recommended for:
• high productivity wells
• laminated reservoir
– requires DIF for drilling and underreaming (no damage)
– requires stable boreholes
•ICGP-F&P (TSO, gravel selection with bigger sizes)
– recommended for laminated reservoirs
– suitable for deep damage by-pass
– TSO recommended for maximum productivity, and LONGEVITY

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 Gravel Pack Techniques (IV)

• Horizontal Gravel Packing

– Pump Rate and Fluid Velocity (2-4 bpm, 1-3 ft/sec)
– Alpha and Beta Wave Progression Through Pack
– Sand Concentration (0.5 - 2 ppg)
– Placement Procedure and Tool Configurations
– Liner / Tailpipe Ratio (> 0.80 ratio)
– Screen / Casing Clearance
– Screen / Open Hole Clearance
– Perforation Phasing
– Shunt tube technique

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 Horizontal Gravel Packing
) Typically open hole
) Must maintain adequate filter cake
) Must have ability to remove filter cake
after gravel placement

• Dune Height /Hole ID = .65 - .85

• Washpipe OD / Screen ID = .8
• Superficial Velocity 1 ft/sec - Return Rate

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 Typical Well GP Configuration

S.
V.

S. S.
V. V.
CSG size 7” CSG size 9"5/8

NO SAND CONTROL
ICGP
SHORT SELECTIVE STRING
F

V.C

ICGP ICGP
SHORT STRING

ICGP ICGP
LONG SELECTIVE STRING

CASING CASING
SHOE OHGP OHGP SHOE
LONG STRING

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 Gravel Pack Stacked Completions
RIH GUNS PERFORATING SCRAPER / RIH AND SET "D" PKR
LAYER "A" TAPER MILL WITH TUBING / E-LINE

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 Gravel Pack Stacked Completions (cont)
RIH GP ASSEMBLY PERFORM HRWP RIH PKR PLUG
LEVEL "A"

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 Gravel Pack Stacked Completions (cont)
SET PKR PLUG & RIH GUNS PERFORATE
PERFORM SAND PLUG LEVEL “B"

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 Gravel Pack Stacked Completions (cont)
RIH RET.PKR PLUG and RIH GP ASSY SET PKR PLUG &
RETRIEVE IT w PROD TBG FOR LEVEL A PERFORM HRWP

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 Unconsolidated Sands Completion Criteria
NEW WELLS
SAND CONTROL
DECISION TREE

YES MULTI-ZONE
COMPLETION

NO NO
LOWEST ZONE
COMPLETION

YES YES
D50 FORMATION
SIZE < 55 µm

NO

YES YES NO FINES MIGRATION? YES

RES. FLUID GEO-SECT. DEFINED
CONTACTS
DEFINED
NO NO

YES
MULTY-
LAYERED
NO YES
ACTIVE
NO SHALES

SHALES CAN BE NO
ISOLATED OR STABILIZED
YES
NO
PAY-ZONE > 25
ft vert

YES

OPEN HOLE CASED HOLE

COMPLETION COMPLETION

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 Open Hole Sand Control Completion
YES YES FORMATION GRAIN NO
GAUGED HOLE
SIZE - D10 > 150 microns

NO

MAXIMISE NO NO
ZONAL ISOLATION
COMPLETION ID REQUIRED

YES YES

YES CASING SHOE

APPROPRIATELY SET

NO OPERATING WINDOW
BETWEEN PORE PRESSURE
AND Pfrac > 600 psi
Available:
NO
•No damaging DIF
•Effective matrix stimulation (back-up)
YES

REMEDIAL JOB

EXPANDABLE OPEN HOLE

SYSTEM GRAVEL PACK

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 Cased Hole Sand Control Completion

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 Through Tubing Gravel Packs or Fracs
Sanded up completion Sand wash Run Screen on Coil

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 Through Tubing Gravel Packs or Fracs (cont.)
Release Screen from Coil Fracture or GP Treatment Sand wash

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 Through Tubing Gravel Packs or Fracs (cont.)
Produce Well

>50’

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 Typical Screen Dimensions
For 2 7/8” For 2 3/8”
Tubing Tubing

0.957” I.D. x 1.63” O.D.

1.38” I.D. x 2.16” O.D.

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 Flow Profiles
V Q
Q ∆P V
Fluid µ = 1 cp
Rate (Q) ∆P Through Velocity Through
BOPD Blank Pack
PSI Ft/Min
144 0.84 0.0016

288 2.83 0.0055

∆P 40/60 100’
432 5.80 0.0111

576 9.68 0.0185

720 14.4 0.0277

1440 49.8 0.0924

Settling Velocity
2160 103.4 0.196 Ft / Min

20/40 12.6
For sand production, upward annular
40/60 4.0
velocity must overcome sand settling
velocity. Maximum upward velocity
never exceeds 5% of this value in this 7 5/8”
case. Csg.
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 Definition of Sand Consolidation

• Plastic Consolidation - is a method of stopping

sand production by artificially bonding the
formation sand grains into a consolidated mass.
A liquid resin is pumped through the perforations
and into the pore spaces of the formation sand.
Excess resin is removed either by overflushing
the resin or by phase separation. The resin coats
the sand grains and then hardens to hold the
sand in place.
• Typically utilized in wells that have not previously
produced sand.

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 Conditions favoring consolidation

• Short Interval
• Lack of previous sand production
• Upper zone of multiple completion
• Limited sand production tendency
• High reservoir pressure
• Good sand quality with vertical permeability

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 Unconsolidated zone to be treated

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 Preflush Stage
Preflush fluid is applied to condition the formation to accept resin.

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 Resin Stage
Low viscosity resin with an affinity for silica surfaces coats each individual grain of
sand.

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 Spacer / Overflush Stage
A spacer fluid is pumped down to remove excess resin from sand, dilute the
resin, and carry it into the formation.

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 Catalyst Stage
The hardening catalyst is pumped through the matrix of resin-wet sand,
instantly beginning the hardening process.

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 Resin Coated Sand

• Single stage mechanical filter technique

• Thermoset resin
• Uses API specification gravel pack sand consolidated with resins
• Filters out the formation sand in the perforation tunnels and behind
casing

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 Application of Resin-Coated Sand Slurry
Liquid Resin-Coated
Cement Sheath Proppant Entering Perforation
Casing and Filling Casing

Formation Liquid Resin-Coated

Proppant During Placement
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 Sand Grains Locked Together -
Sand in Casing Then Drilled Out
Drillstring Clean Wellbore, Excess
Cement Resin-Coated Proppant Removed

Hardened Resin-Coated
Proppant
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