Abstract
The hydro-mechanical coupling transport process of sand production is numerically investigated with special attention paid to the bonding effect between sand grains. By coupling the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and the discrete element method (DEM), we are able to capture particles movements and fluid flows simultaneously. In order to account for the bonding effects on sand production, a contact bond model is introduced into the LBM-DEM framework. Our simulations first examine the experimental observation of “initial sand production is evoked by localized failure” and then show that the bonding or cement plays an important role in sand production. Lower bonding strength will lead to more sand production than higher bonding strength. It is also found that the influence of flow rate on sand production depends on the bonding strength in cemented granular media, and for low bonding strength sample, the higher the flow rate is, the more severe the erosion found in localized failure zone becomes.
Highlights
Sand production is commonly observed during the extrusion of hydrocarbons from reservoirs, which makes a great of trouble in oil or gas production [1]
The sand production in cemented reservoir is simulated at pore scale by lattice Boltzmann method (LBM)-discrete element method (DEM)
In order to account for the bonding effect in cemented granular media, a contact bond model is model is introduced into the LBM-DEM framework, which is validated by benchmark cases
Summary
Sand production is commonly observed during the extrusion of hydrocarbons from reservoirs, which makes a great of trouble in oil or gas production [1]. The initial sand production is evoked by localized failure near the cavity owing to concentration of external stress, which is called as mechanical instability. This localized failure zone is eroded by flow, which is named hydro-mechanical instability. These two mechanisms are often coupled with each other, which leads to the complexity of sand production. Owing to the limitation in observing and measuring the micro-information about fluid and sand grains interaction by experiment, the micro underlying physics of these mechanisms is still not clear
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