Technology Focus: Sand Management and Frac Pack (October 2011)

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Technology Focus With world population increasing and industrialization demanding newer and harder-to-reach sources of hydrocarbon, the demand for energy is constantly on the rise. Development of hydrocarbons from harsh environments often leads to narrow safe drilling-mud-weight tolerances (or windows) that accompany ultradeepwater subsalt plays and high-pressure/high-temperature developments. These narrow mud-weight windows also can be found in highly compartmentalized developments that encounter severely depleted and/or unconsolidated reservoirs. Technology to tap these reservoirs must meet the growing challenging conditions and produce hydrocarbons both safely and cost effectively. Sand production and fines migration have long held the attention of industry professionals in developing a means to predict them, manage them, and devise innovative ways to avoid or minimize them by use of proper field-development practices and newer downhole completion tools and technologies. Most recently, progress was made in predicting the rates and amounts of sand produced for the purpose of optimizing sand-management strategies and choosing the correct completion/production strategy for the expected sand volumes. Every reservoir-rock formation, and corresponding field-development plan, provides a unique set of challenges with associated learning opportunities that may favor one completion method over another. The final decision of which completion method to use lies in an in-depth understanding of the geology, reservoir conditions, in-situ stresses, fluid and rock properties, equipment considerations, sand-management options, and costs. The papers selected for this feature come from varied geographical locations involving different geological settings that highlight the importance of studying the unique conditions at hand, in detail, and applying a fit-for-purpose technology to maximize production and cost effectiveness. Other interesting case and modeling studies, by no means less important, are listed in the additional-reading group. Sand Management and Frac Pack additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org SPE 139360 • “A Unique Sand-Control Screen That Enhances Productivity” by G. Woiceshyn, Absolute Completion Technologies, et al. SPE 143941 • “Formation Loading and Deformation of Expandable Sand Screens” by Colin Jones, Weatherford, et al. SPE 144047 • “Controlled Use of Downhole Calcium Carbonate Scaling for Sand Control: Laboratory and Field Results, Gullfaks” by N. Fleming, SPE, Statoil ASA, et al.