Evaluation of Sand Screen Performance using a Discrete Element Model

Abstract

Abstract Sand screens, including wire wrapped sand screens and slotted liners are often installed in sanding prone wellbores to control sand production. The selection of optimal sand screen aperture for a given sand body is critical to minimize sand production while maintaining well productivity. Laboratory sand retention tests were developed over 10 years ago to provide a basis for sand screen selection. Unfortunately, these experiments have a number of limitations. For example, the results can be substantially different depending on how the tests are conducted and data interpreted. This can lead to different (sometimes wrong) sand screen types and screen opening size recommendations. This paper presents an initial investigation of the sand production problem from wire wrapped screens and slotted liners, through the use of discrete element model (DEM) for the solid flow with or without fluid flow coupling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The focus is on some key design and/or operating parameters affecting sand retention over the sand screen, such as the screen opening size, initial solid concentration, fluid flow velocity as well as particle shape.