First Successful Application of Ceramic Sand Screen in Maturing Oil Field, Offshore East Malaysia

Abstract

Abstract This paper will present the first successful application of ceramic sand screen in Malaysia. Oil production from the field has a long history beginning with the first production in 1972. A great number of sand control methods have been tested and applied in the field. Production history has showed instances of sand production contributed by factors such as in-situ stress changes, increase in water production and cascading effect from production operation activities. A few wells completed with primary sand control equipment have failed and remedial action by metallic through tubing sand screen experiencing rapid wear, forcing the operator to control sand production by beaning down the wells and closely monitoring sand production at surface overtime. Worse still, some of the wells had to be closed-in. Hence ceramic sand screen was considered as remedial sand control due to its superior durability and resistance compared to metallic sand screen. This paper incorporates sand retention tests conducted using actual core samples to customize the slot opening/size, impact test conducted using actual ceramic sand screen assemblies in a training well to look closely at the installation mode and tool assemblies, newly-developedinstallationand well unloading procedure as guidance for offshore personnel and actual field result of the wells installed with the ceramic sand screen. Through tubing remedial sand control using ceramic sand screen has successfully revived the idle wells back to production at a lower total cost, oil gain beyond the initial target and higher Return OfInvestment (ROI). It has proven to be a great new technique which enables the effective sand control in highly erosive environment and would openup bigger opportunities to unleash locked-in potential of wells with sand production problem throughout PETRONAS’ operation.