Screening Methodology for Downhole Sand-Control Selection

Abstract

This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 88493, "Screening Methodology for Downhole Sand-Control Selection," by Chris Farrow, SPE, Helix RDS, and David Munro and Thomas McCarthy, Woodside Energy Ltd., prepared for the 2004 SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Perth, Australia, 18-20 October. The sand-management strategy for existing Northwest Shelf (NWS) fields offshore Australia involves reactive down-hole sand control in the event sand is produced above acceptable limits. Sand-face completions for new wells consider well and system risks during the life of the development. A screening method was developed to evaluate and rank available sand-control techniques for NWS conditions. Published criteria were used in a systematic manner, allowing a consistent, balanced, and transparent view of benefits and risks across the different system aspects. Introduction The NWS gas/condensate fields (North Rankin, Goodwyn, Perseus, and Echo-Yodel) are approximately 135 km offshore from Dampier, Australia. Typically, these fields were developed without downhole sand control or specific topside sand-handling equipment. Considerable benefits have been realized in terms of development costs and production capacity as a result, with minimal sand production observed to date. However, there is uncertainty about future sand production as reservoirs deplete or water breakthrough occurs. Woodside formed an integrated sand team with the specific aim to protect against the possible effects of sand. The team developed a sand-management strategy as follows. - Manage current (low) levels of sanding by well management (including best practices for sand monitoring, drawdown, and bean up) and assess topside desanding options. - Develop a downhole plan for key existing wells. Activate this plan on a reactive basis if sand production becomes a problem. - Build system robustness against the risk of sand by considering the installation of downhole sand control in new wells. To support this strategy, a systematic approach to ranking available sand-control options (for both remedial and new-field developments) was developed and applied.