Sand Migration Research Articles

Quantitative Assessment of Sand Particulates in Gas-Water Slug Flow Using Deep Learning

Summary The weak collision response excited by micrometer-scale sand particulates is prone to overmixing with strong slug noise, significantly reducing the characterization and monitoring accuracy of sand particulate information in slug flows. Therefore, we developed a quantitative assessment method for sand particulates in slug flow that combines triaxial vibration monitoring and deep learning. First, a migration behavior characterization method of sand particulates is proposed combining nonlinear statistics, multifrequency coherence, and multiscale time frequency. The multifrequency response characteristics corresponding to the multiscale flow behavior of the sand-carrying slug flow were successfully characterized on the 2D time-frequency plane, namely, the mixed sand migration behavior [Intrinsic Mode Function 1 (IMF1)], liquid slug sand carrying (IMF2), forward liquid film and Taylor bubble sand carrying (IMF3), and reflux liquid film sand carrying (IMF4). Furthermore, the influence mechanism of gas superficial velocity (1.5–3.5 m/s), liquid superficial velocity (0.95–2.14 m/s), and sand content (0–20 g) on the triaxial vibration response of slug particulate flow with different migration behaviors is elucidated. Finally, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-gated recurrent unit (GRU)-self-attention mechanism (SATT) model for sand content assessment is developed based on the characterized multiscale migration behavior information and achieves an average recognition accuracy of 95.55% for data sets representing different sand migration behaviors in slug flow. This provides a new method for precisely identifying and monitoring sand production information of multiphase pipe flow.

A resolved CFD-DEM investigation of near-wellbore fine sand migration and production during methane hydrate extraction

Methane hydrate extraction from unconsolidated reservoirs can face challenges due to excessive sand production in the wellbore. Sand production has long been a concern in petroleum engineering and has been extensively studied by researchers. This study investigates sand production in gas-water two-phase flow through numerical simulations. The simulations incorporate the discrete element method (DEM) and resolved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model the solid-fluid interaction，which allows for simulating the particle movements and capturing the variations in hydraulic properties of the granular sample at a particle scale. Additionally, a volume of fluid (VOF) method is employed to simulate the two-phase flow. The numerical model provides insights into the gas movement process within the granular matrix and visually depicts the microscopic mechanisms of particle migration during methane hydrate extraction. The results of the study demonstrate that the model incorporating gas injection, which involves injecting a predetermined volume of gas at the inlet to the fluid model, yields a higher mass of produced sand compared to the model without gas injection. Furthermore, as the volume of gas injection increases, the produced mass initially rises and then declines. In addition, parameter analysis shows that the pattern of sand production differs between the model with a higher fines content and the model with a lower fines content. With the increase of hydraulic gradient, the produced mass increase.

Experimental evaluation of chemical sand stabilization and its optimization of composite sand control with squeeze gravel pack

Chemical stabilization is a viable solution for controlling the sand migration and production issues encountered in unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs. With numerous sand stabilizers available, screening the appropriate reagent and clarifying its utilization are crucial for enhancing sand control efficiency. This paper explores the impact of chemical sand stabilization on the expansion and diversification of sand production patterns and provides an experimental evaluation approach from an engineering standpoint. The evaluation experiments show that the sanding patterns may shift from collapse to a stabilized sanding cavity as the stabilizer content increases, and may remain relatively steady despite the increased flow rate under a high content of chemical sand stabilizer. Nevertheless, chemical stabilization has limited power to control unconsolidated sandstone, particularly in the early stages of fluid flushing when adequate support could not be provided, resulting in explosive sand production. Furthermore, their lifetime of efficacy in engineering applications is still insufficient. Based on the evaluation results, research on the construction method of mechanical-chemical sand control and parameter optimization including treatment range, dosage, and extrusion rate was established. The chemical stabilization screening method and mechanical-chemical design method presented in this work have been proven to be feasible through the successful application in the Gudong oilfield. The combination of chemical stabilization and squeeze gravel pack technology provides dual benefits of blocking coming sand near well and stabilizing weekly cemented sand far well, particularly for wells with extensive sanding history. It has a fair chance of helping with the engineering of sand management and production enhancement for unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs.

The nationwide project "Green Space" is a means of stabilizing the ecological situation

All sorts of environmental problems are being observed around the world. According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated November 23, 2023 "On measures to further increase the level of greenness in the Republic, to ensure environmental stability through the consistent implementation of the national project "Green Space"" the state of Bukhara The team of the Pedagogical Institute created a garden in the Moynaq District of the Republic of Karakalpakstan on the basis of the "Green Space" project, and about 2,000 seedlings were planted. This will have a significant positive impact on the environment in a region that has suffered from environmental problems related to the shrinking of the Aral Sea. Trees and green spaces play a crucial role in mitigating environmental problems by stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, providing habitat for animals and improving air quality. Efforts such as the Green Space project contribute not only to environmental protection, but also to increasing public awareness of the importance of preserving natural ecosystems. The roots of the saxovull are strong, one bush can hold up to 10 tons of sand and prevent landslides. The root penetrates deep into the soil and serves to strengthen the sand. According to the data, green coverings prevent sandstorms, and sand migration in the 3-year saxophone field is reduced by 55%, and by 79.5% in the 5-year period.

Numerical investigation of gas and sand production from hydrate-bearing sediments by incorporating sand migration based on IMPES method

Accurately predicting gas and sand production from oceanic gas hydrate reservoirs considering multi-field coupling effects is crucial. To address this, we first systematically summarized the multi-field coupling effect of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) during sand production and gas production. After that, we developed a thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled model that incorporates both sand detachment and sand migration (THMS) to describe the complex behaviors of fluid and solid flow. We then solved this model using the implicit pressure-explicit saturation (IMPES) method and incremental scheme for a cylindrical core and presented a detailed algorithm derivation process for reproducibility. The newly developed model was validated through comparison with available experimental data. Subsequently, several parameter effects, including outlet pressure, initial hydrate saturation, load stress, and sand detachable ratio, on the behaviors of fluid and solid flow were studied. The computation results indicate that high sand production can be induced by low outlet pressure, high initial hydrate saturation, high load stress, and high sand detachable ratio. Meanwhile, high cumulative gas production can be caused by low outlet pressure, low initial hydrate saturation, high load stress, and high sand detachable ratio.

In Situ Stress Distribution of Deep Coals and Its Influence on Coalbed Methane Development in the Shizhuang Block, Qinshui Basin, China.

The in situ stress plays a crucial role in variations in coal permeability, hydraulic fracturing behavior, and accordingly coalbed methane (CBM) productivity. As the depth increases, the effects of in situ stress will become more prominent. In the Shizhuang block, present-day stress magnitude and permeability of coals at depths >800 m were measured with multiple-cycle hydraulic fracturing and injection falloff test, respectively. The results show that most seams are under pressure reservoirs with pressure gradient <0.9 MPa/100 m. Horizontal stress magnitudes and gradients tend to increase (800-1200 m) and then decrease (>1200 m) with increasing depth. Strike-slip fault stress regimes are predominant, while seams with depth >1400 m are subjected to a normal fault stress regime. Coal permeability tends to decrease gradually with depth and tends to be convergence to 0.01 mD. Considering extremely low permeability of these deep seams, hydraulic fracturing must be applied to create seepage channels for gas and water drainage. Although the high horizontal stress difference in deep seams is favorable for the generation of longer and simple hydraulic fractures, there is no obvious relations between fracture length and gas productivity as poor-support fractures and limited sand migration distance. The current hydraulic fracturing missed the variable stress regimes and permeability at various depth, but used the similar fracturing schemes, leading to significant reduction in gas productivity with depth. Using the high viscosity fracturing fluid, great sand volume, big injection rate, and low sand concentration are recommended for hydraulic fracturing. Single-branch horizontal well with staged fracturing show better applicability for deep CBM extraction.

Experimental Study of Sand Migration under Distinct Sand Control Methods during Gas Hydrate Decomposition by Depressurization

Experimental Study of Sand Migration under Distinct Sand Control Methods during Gas Hydrate Decomposition by Depressurization

Experimental study on solid particle migration and production behaviors during marine natural gas hydrate dissociation by depressurization

Sand production is one of the main obstacles restricting gas extraction efficiency and safety from marine natural gas hydrate (NGH) reservoirs. Particle migration within the NGH reservoir dominates sand production behaviors, while their relationships were rarely reported, severely constrains quantitative evaluation of sand production risks. This paper reports the optical observations of solid particle migration and production from micrometer to mesoscopic scales conditioned to gravel packing during depressurization-induced NGH dissociation for the first time. Theoretical evolutionary modes of sand migration are established based on experimental observations, and its implications on field NGH are comprehensively discussed. Five particle migration regimes of local borehole failure, continuous collapse, wormhole expansion, extensive slow deformation, and pore-wall fluidization are proved to occur during depressurization. The types of particle migration regimes and their transmission modes during depressurization are predominantly determined by initial hydrate saturation. In contrast, the depressurization mainly dominates the transmission rate of the particle migration regimes. Furthermore, both the cumulative mass and the medium grain size of the produced sand decrease linearly with increasing initial methane hydrate (MH) saturation. Discontinuous gas bubble emission, expansion, and explosion during MH dissociation delay sand migration into the wellbore. At the same time, continuous water flow is a requirement for sand production during hydrate dissociation by depressurization. The experiments enlighten us that a constitutive model that can illustrate visible particle migration regimes and their transmission modes is urgently needed to bridge numerical simulation and field applications. Optimizing wellbore layout positions or special reservoir treatment shall be important for mitigating sand production tendency during NGH exploitation.

Study of Water–Sand Inrush through a Vertical Karst Conduit Uncovered through Tunnel Excavation

The existence of karst compromises the safety of underground engineering, especially during tunnel excavations. Karst conduits are uncovered through tunnel excavations, which may lead to a water–sand inrush disaster. Taking a vertical karst conduit as an example, the process of water–sand inrush through a karst conduit could be viewed as being similar to the process whereby a water–sand mixture flows through the discharge opening of a storage bin. In this study, based on force analysis of a non-aqueous sand body above a karst conduit, the limiting diameter of the karst conduit under force equilibrium was obtained. Considering the effect of water on aqueous sand bodies, the criterion of water–sand inrush was established. We aimed to study water–sand migration and inrush through vertical karst conduits in order to obtain the distribution of the water pressure near a vertical karst conduit, and to explore the relationship between the conduit size, water pressure, and water–sand flow rate; therefore, a simulated testing system for analyzing water–sand inrush through a vertical karst conduit was developed. When the water pressure in the testing chamber was close to the critical head pressure of the water–sand inrush, the water–sand inrush exhibited a pattern of instability—migration—deposition—stability. When the water pressure in the testing chamber exceeded the critical head pressure, the water–sand flow increased first and then stabilized over time. With the increase in the set values of the water pressure and conduit size, the steady flow of the water–sand mixture increased gradually. When the karst conduit was opened suddenly, the actual water pressure in the testing chamber decreased significantly, due to the water–sand mixture flowing out of the testing chamber and the water supply lagging behind. With the stabilization of the water–sand flow, the actual water pressure gradually tended towards stability, but it was still lower than the initial set water pressure. When the karst conduit was opened, the values of the water pressure monitored by the pore pressure gauges all clearly decreased. With the stabilization of the water–sand flow, the water pressure gradually became stable. With the increase in the distance between the pore pressure sensor and the karst conduit, the water pressure values all increased gradually. These test results are significant for further studies of the formation mechanisms of water–sand inrush through vertical karst conduits.

The fusion of deep learning and acoustic emission response methods for identifying solid particles in annular multiphase flows

Annular flows carrying sand are common flow patterns in high-production gas-bearing wells. The real-time monitoring of sand particle information in the annular flows of wellheads is critical for efficient commercial production. In this study, an experiment was designed to monitor sand production in annular multiphase flows, and methods were proposed to identify sand using empirical mode decomposition (EMD), the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT), statistical analysis, and deep learning methods. Corresponding sand migration behaviours near pipe walls were observed by acoustic emission (AE); the behaviours included sand carried by the gas core (IMF1), forward liquid film (IMF2) and reverse liquid film (IMF3). Furthermore, relationships between the AE response and gas superficial velocity (14–18 m/s), liquid superficial velocity (0.00366–0.01351 m/s), and mean particle size (150–380 μm) were proposed, and the AE responses of different sand migration patterns were verified. Finally, CNN, LSTM, and CNN-LSTM deep learning models were constructed to identify particle sizes based on the optimized sand-carrying information. The accuracy of the CNN-LSTM model was 6.44% and 18.9% higher than that of the CNN model and the LSTM model, respectively, which significantly improved the accuracy of particle size identification in annular particle flows. Therefore, this research provides an efficient method for the intelligent identification of sand in multiphase annular flows.

Sand Consolidation Using Enforced Calcium and Magnesium Fluoride Precipitation

Abstract Sand production is a common problem that interrupts hydrocarbon production from unconsolidated formations. Different chemical and mechanical methods are used to prevent solid production either by consolidating the sand particles or installing downhole screens. This study presents a novel approach for sand consolidation using enforced calcium and magnesium precipitation. The used chemicals are ammonium hydrogen fluoride, calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide solutions. In this work, different measurements were carried out to assess the performance of the new consolidation method. Also, the impact of soaking the consolidated sand in freshwater, toluene, and HCl was examined. The rock mineralogy was determined before and after each soaking treatment using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique was used to evaluate the pore system at different stages. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique was used to examine the morphology and chemistry changes after each chemical treatment. Finally, the rock strength was measured before and after the treatment using a scratch test. Results indicate that the proposed chemical method can significantly improve the sand consolidation and increase the rock strength to 34 MPa (4931 psi). Soaking the consolidated sand sample in water and toluene showed minor alterations in the rock properties. However, using HCl lead to increasing rock permeability due to mineral dissolution. The strength measurements showed that the consolidated sand can withstand the water and toluene treatment, and the rock strength was reduced by less than 10%. Overall, a new chemical treatment is presented to improve the sand consolidated utilizing enforced calcium and magnesium precipitation. The consolidated sand sample showed very reasonable rock strength which can prevent sand migration.

Gas hydrate dissociation by depressurization along with ice occurrence and sand migration

The extraction efficiency and safety of hydrate reservoirs are important for the industrialization of hydrate energy production. In this connection, various depressurization schemes with different amplitudes, rates and modes have been tried in field production tests. In this work, production profiles of laboratory-scale hydrate-bearing sediments were simulated through different depressurization schemes at a constant ambient temperature of 275.45 K. The results show that there are the freezing - melting behavior (FMB) and isothermal stage in the system with the depressurization amplitude (ΔP) range of 1.27–2.67 MPa, but not in the system with a ΔP of 0.83 MPa. In addition, the lower final outlet pressure and the higher depressurization rate increase the ice content and the ice duration of the system. Based on this, the linear equation of beginning freezing time of system (each observation point) can be obtained by fitting. According to the maximum ice content of system (0.06–3.56 E−4m2) under deep depressurization mode, the function of ice content of the system with the ΔP and the production time can be obtained. Moreover, the effects of FMB and sand detaching behavior were analyzed on pore fluid migration. FMB can temporarily block 0–66.56% of the migration space of pore fluid (MSPF). It can be revealed that the pore water velocity of observation points in the absence of FMB increases first and then steadily declines over time. But the former stage due to FMB can be divided into a slight decrease/increase and a sharp increase. Meanwhile, it can be found from the sediment components that the behaviors of skeleton sand detaching and hydrate dissociation can expand the MSPF, with contribution percentages of 0–13.49% and 86.51–100%, respectively. Finally, the high depressurization rate can advance the peak of gas production and water production by 14–22 min and 13–17 min, respectively. The high ΔP can improve the production rate peaks of gas and water about 34–59% and 17.4–41%, respectively, and advance the peak of sand production by 19–60 min. The findings of this work clearly illustrate the importance of the depressurization scheme for the extraction of hydrate resources and provide a basis for the best production scheme.

Experimental study of the critical sand starting velocity of gas-water-sand flow in an inclined pipe

The purpose of this paper is to study the critical sand starting velocity and transformation law of flow pattern based on gas–water–sand three-phase flow in an inclined pipe. Firstly, the indoor simulation experiment system of gas–water–sand three-phase flow was used to test the conversion law of flow pattern based upon the different gas void fraction. Secondly, the influence of slug bubbles on sand migration was investigated according to distinctive hole deviation angles, gas void fraction and sand concentration. Finally, the critical sand starting velocity was tested based on dissimilar hole deviation angles, gas void fraction, sand concentration and sand particle size, and then the influence of the above-mentioned key parameters on the sand starting velocity was debated based on the force analysis of the sand particles. The experimental results illustrated that when the gas void fraction was less than 5%, it was bubbly flow. When it increased from 5% to 30%, the bubbly flow and slug flow coexisted. When it was between 30% and 50%, the slug flow and agitated flow coexisted. When it reached 50%, it was agitated flow. Providing that the hole deviation angle was 90°, the phenomenon of overall migration and wave-like migration on the surface of sand bed was observed. On the contrary, the phenomenon of rolling and jumping migration was recognized. The critical sand starting velocity was positively correlated with the hole deviation angle and sand particle size, but negatively associated with the gas void fraction and sand concentration. This research can provide a certain reference for sand-starting production in the field of petroleum engineering.

An experimental study on hydrodynamic process, beach profile, and sand migration in swash zone under action of dam-break bore

This study makes an experimental study on hydrodynamics and sediment driven by dam-break waves in swash zones of three sandy beaches. The experiment adopts three beaches: a 1:10 uniform-sand beach, a 1:10 non-uniform-sand beach, and a 1:35 non-uniform-sand beach. This paper reports its measurements on swash water depth, morphology, bedload, and migration of sand particles. It also analyzes the hydraulic jump and sandbar, sorting and sedimentology characteristics, and fractal dimension of bedform. The analysis indicates that the uniformness of sand particle sizes plays an important role in hydrodynamic behaviors, bedform evolution, bedload transport, and migration of sand particles. The fractal dimension of beach profiles lies between 1.15 and 1.25 after swash action, despite changes in bed profiles.

Self-aggregating behavior of poly(4-vinyl pyridine) and the potential in mitigating sand production based on π-π stacking interaction

Unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs are most susceptible to sand production that leads to a dramatic oil production decline. In this study, the poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (P 4 VP) incorporated with self-aggregating behavior was proposed for sand migration control. The P 4 VP could aggregate sand grains spontaneously through π-π stacking interactions to withstand the drag forces sufficiently. The influential factors on the self-aggregating behavior of the P 4 VP were evaluated by adhesion force test. The adsorption as well as desorption behavior of P 4 VP on sand grains was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and adhesion force test at different pH conditions. The result indicated that the pH altered the forms of surface silanol groups on sand grains, which in turn affected the adsorption process of P 4 VP. The spontaneous dimerization of P 4 VP molecules resulting from the π-π stacking interaction was demonstrated by reduced density gradient analysis, which contributed to the self-aggregating behavior and the thermally reversible characteristic of the P 4 VP. Dynamic sand stabilization test revealed that the P 4 VP showed wide pH and temperature ranges of application. The production of sands can be mitigated effectively at 20−130 °C within the pH range of 4–8.

Evolution and composition of cliff-top barriers at the northern shore of San Matías Gulf, Patagonia, Argentina

Patagonia is a key place to analyze the climatic trends (waves and winds) of the Southern Hemisphere. The northern coast of the San Matías Gulf (“Bahía Sin fondo” for the original Spanish descriptions) is characterized by an attached sand barrier developed on top of former cliffs. Morphological features are indicating changes in the regional slope when the sea level drowned the depression of the gulf. An original eastern slope was progressively replaced by slopes towards the south. The availability of sand during the transgression and maximum sea level was directed to the east due to the dominant westerly winds. Sand dunes accumulated on top of former cliffs and today –due to coastal erosion-, remain as cliff-top dunes. A conceptual model for the formation of these cliff-top barriers is described in relation to the fluctuation of the sea level and the sand migration, which was studied through mineralogical analysis comparing the different environments: cliff, beach, and dunes. Their composition explains the sediment transport shift and is locally associated to the Río Negro Formation deposits and regionally to Andean Cordillera volcanic sources.

Thermal conductivity of planetary regoliths: The effects of grain-size distribution

The thermal properties of a planet's regolith are of primary importance in solar system exploration. Thermal conductivity and the related parameter thermal inertia are often used to decipher the regolith's structure, grain size, and areal distribution. In this work we utilize a guarded-heat-flow apparatus to measure the thermal conductivity of mono-dispersed and bimodal size populations of regolith analogs (borosilicate-glass beads and terrestrial soils) under a range of interstitial gas pressures from 10−5 to 103 mb, at 20 °C. From these measurements we further develop a physically based analytical model for use as a predictive tool for planetary research.While our results for mono-dispersed grains agree well with previous studies, our findings for bimodal grain-size mixtures do not. Our results demonstrate that the functional dependence of thermal conductivity on interstitial gas pressure closely follows that of the fine-grained component of the mixture, but uniformly offset to higher conductivity values depending only on the volume fraction of the coarse component. The grain size of the coarse fraction plays no role. The reason for the difference with previous studies appears to be related to limitations with the transient-heated-wire method in previous work. Our results suggest that, on Mars, large quantities of coarse grain material, such as sand or cobbles, could be hidden in regional dust deposits. Additionally, variations in the thermal properties of aeolian dune fields may result from differences between age-related dust infiltration and self-cleansing sand migration, rather than any real differences in local grain size. On Earth, at high gas pressures, grain size mixtures result in higher thermal conductivity than any component alone, consistent with field observations.

Sand Migration Simulation during Gas Production from Gas Hydrate Reservoir at Kuparuk 7–11–12 site in the Prodhoe Bay Unit, Alaska

Sand Migration Simulation during Gas Production from Gas Hydrate Reservoir at Kuparuk 7–11–12 site in the Prodhoe Bay Unit, Alaska

Microcosmic Characteristics of Hydrate Formation and Decomposition in the Different Particle Size Sediments Captured by Cryo-SEM

Sand production and sand control studies in non-diagenetic reservoirs are the weak point in the conventional petroleum industry. However, natural gas hydrate (NGH) mainly exists in non-diagenetic strata, and sand production occurs during exploitation, which restricts the safe and sustainable production of NGH. To study the microcosmic characteristics of sand production, the hydrate decomposition behaviours in the sediments were captured by the Cryo-SEM method. The micromorphology of different particle sizes of sand samples containing NGH (the sand median diameter d50 is 150, 87, 55, 38, 24, and 13 µm) and the microcosmic processes of NGH decomposition were observed. Then, the microcosmic characteristics of sand production, during the decomposition process, were analysed. (1) The gas hydrate decomposition increases pore space and reduces reservoir strength; the expansion action of the decomposition of water and gas, the softening action of the decomposition of water, and the compression action by overlying stress (crustal stress) promoted sand production, deformation, and subsidence of the NGH reservoirs in the mining process. (2) The decomposition of NGH has a more significant impact on sediments with smaller particle sizes. (3) The particle size of NGH may be larger than the particle size of the mud in the reservoirs, and acting as “gravel” plays a particular role in sand control. Therefore, the particle size of NGH cannot be ignored in the design of sand control. (4) It has been revealed, and verified, that sputtering (splashing) is a unique process of sand production caused by NGH decomposition. In other words, the rapid expansion of the volume of the decomposed gas and water from NGH leads to the eruption and sputtering of hydrate particles, providing the driving force for sand migration, which is a different process of sand production than in conventional oil and gas.

Experimental study of gas-liquid-sand production behaviors during gas hydrates dissociation with sand control screen

Sand production is a great challenge for gas hydrates production, and the use of sand control screen can relieve that. However, the use of the sand control screen could also change the gas/water production behavior, thereby affecting the gas production efficiency. In this study, the experiments of methane hydrate dissociation by depressurization with different mesh sizes of sand control screen (100 mesh, 200 mesh, 300 mesh, and 400 mesh) were conducted in a novel hydrate simulator. The gas-liquid-sand production behaviors during hydrate dissociation with different mesh sizes of sand control screen were analyzed. The experimental results showed that the absence of the sand control screen resulted in an obvious subsidence of the hydrate-bearing sediments due to large amount of sand production. The use of the sand control screen could prevent the sand migration from the hydrate reservoir to the production well, thereby reducing the risk of pipeline blockage and the subsidence of the sediments. The increase of the mesh size of the sand control screen reduced the total amount and the medium particle size of the sand production. However, the existence of the sand control screen also improved the resistance of fluid flowing from the hydrate reservoir to the production well, thereby decreasing the gas production rate. Compared to the average gas production rate without sand control screen, the average gas production rate at depressurization stage (DS) with the sand control screen was reduced by 76–96%. The larger the mesh size of the sand control screen, the greater the flowing resistance. Therefore, it's necessary to combine the sand control effect and gas production rate to select an appropriate mesh size of sand control screen. In this study, the particle size of the quartz sand used to simulate the hydrate-bearing sediments was 200–400 mesh, and the most appropriate mesh size of sand control screen was around 300 mesh. The results of this study are of great significance for developing the sand controlling strategy and the efficient production of gas hydrates.