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The Impact of Sand Control Techniques on the Efficiency of Horizontal Wells

Article · July 2011

DOI: 10.2118/150810-MS

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SPE 150810

The Impact of Sand Control Techniques on the Efficiency of Horizontal

Wells
Joseph. A., Arinze, .U., Ajienka, J.A and Ikeh, L, Department of Petroleum & Gas Engineering, University of
Port-Harcourt, Nigeria

Copyright 2011, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition held in Abuja, Nigeria, 30 July - 3 August 2011.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

ABSTRACT software using the principle of nodal

The production of formation sand into a well analysis. For the Nodal analysis, the effect
is one of the oldest problems plaguing the of skin, reservoir pressure, gravel pack
oil and gas industry. This is because of its length and gravel pack permeability was
adverse effects on the well productivity and investigated on the performance of the
equipment. In order to ensure safe gravel pack and stand-alone screen
operation of facilities, reduce formation completions techniques only. The results
damage and enhance productivity, showed that, the expandable sand screen
operators spend millions of dollars on sand proved to be a better sand exclusion
control techniques. Some of the most technique in terms of performance followed
common sand exclusion techniques used by stand-alone screens and then the open-
for horizontal completions in Niger Delta hole gravel pack.
include: the open-hole gravel pack (OHGP),
stand-alone screens (SAS) and expandable INTRODUCTION
sand screen (ESS).
This work involves a comparative analysis Production of formation sand is normally
of the different horizontal sand exclusion associated with shallow, geologically young
techniques. In this work, evaluating the formations that have little or no natural
impact of sand control techniques on the
cementation to hold the individual sand
production performance in horizontal wells
is evaluated. Some performance indicator grains together. Therefore, when the
tools such as the well inflow quality wellbore pressure is lower than the
indicator (WIQI), performance efficiency, reservoir pressure, drag forces are applied
completion efficiency, quantity of sand to the formation sands because of fluid
produced and the production decline rate production. Produced sand has essentially
after installation of the sand control no economic value. Formation sand not
technique was used to compare the flow
only plug wells, but also erodes equipment
performance of wells equipped with these
sand control techniques. The analysis and settle in surface vessels. Controlling
involves the use of analytical models and formation sand is costly and usually
2 SPE 150810

involves either slowing the production rate produced sand due to increasing drawdown
or using sand exclusion techniques. and production rate, the well would be shut-
in and a mechanical or chemical sand
Maximizing well productivity is pursued by control technique would be applied
many ways: through sand management (Penberthy et al. 1997). Afterwards, the well
(Mathis 2003, Oyeneyin et al, 2005), sand will be returned to production. Little has
and water management (Nguyen et al, been done on the impact of sand control
2007), by using suitable completion fluids to techniques on the efficiency of horizontal
prevent well completion damage (Milhone, wells. However, this work will be dealing
1983), by ICD screens implementation with this problem from the perspective of
(Fernandes et al, 2006; Wibawa et al, 2008) comparing some of the sand control
or during drilling operations using techniques applied in horizontal wells. The
sophisticated tools in horizontal well degree of severity varies from surface
placement technology (Altman et al, 2007). equipments and tubing damage in terms of
Perforation of cased and cemented corrosion and tubing failure to sanding up of
horizontal sections did not appear as an the production tubing resulting to production
economical alternative and, consequently, loss. Therefore, the need to know the most
open-hole completion with sand control viable sand control method to apply in
techniques was the path to follow for horizontal wells during completion becomes
horizontal wells. Tiffin, et al (1998) defined necessary.
a criterion for screen type selection, which
moved from the “traditional” drawdown In this work, some sand control techniques
guidelines to downhole velocity limits (stand alone screen, expandable screen
across the annulus packed area, and the and gravel packing) being used by
screen. The Tiffin, et al’s work focused on operating companies in the Niger Delta was
case studies of failed completions and what compared with respect to their performance
remedial or surveillance action should have when applied in horizontal wells. Data
been taken. The authors offered a simple obtained is used to evaluate flow efficiency
method to optimize and safely operate sand and quantity of sand produced for each
control wells (cased-hole FP and cased- technique in order to minimize corrosion
hole GP completions) based on a function problems, damage to tubular and
of flux through the screen. Bennett et al production loss.
(2000) stated that, for offshore wells with
water depths greater than 500m, open-hole Factors to be considered in the selection
gravel packs with premium screens are and design of a sand control technique
recommended. This guideline is based on Several factors affect the selection and
the concept that, for long life cycle wells, design of a given sand control technique.
additional barriers to prevent production These include: reservoir temperature and
interruption and avoid or postpone fluid properties; sand control material;
workover jobs should be considered. reservoir permeability; the length of the
completion interval; and the ratio of net to
When a well is completed without any sand
gross pay thickness along the section. More
control measures and after some time
so, the number and distribution of reservoir
3 SPE 150810

intervals to be completed; the most completed (initially, after workover, re-

predominant drive mechanism and the completion or stimulation). This is obtained
production rate are others to be considered by carrying out BHP survey immediately
as well. after completion or re-entry. The well inflow
quality indicator is determined by
Well Performance Indicators comparing PIactual to PIideal. WIQI measures
Modeling well performance, including how good a well is producing.
frictional pressure drop, is critical in
(2)
determining the appropriate sand control
technique. Some of the useful well
Where the PIactual and PIideal for a steady-
performance indicators considered
state radial flow system are defined as
includes:
shown below:
Productivity Index (PI)
.
(2)
PI is defined as the potential production
rate per unit of drawdown. It is the inverse
of the slope of the IPR curve as shown
below: .
(3)
(1)
P
Where:
The productivity of an oil well is quantified q = production rate (Stb/d)
by the productivity index. In general, the Pl Pr = reservoir pressure (psi)
Pwf = well flowing pressure (psi)
will remain constant over a range of K = permeability (mD)
production rates, i.e. the IPR will be a H = thickness (ft)
straight line as long as the flowing bottom- ∆ = drawdown (psi)
hole pressure Pwf is greater than the bubble = viscosity (cp)
point pressure (Pb). Below Pb, the inflow B = formation volume factor (rb/stb)
performance relationship will become a Re = reservoir radius (ft)
curve and rate dependent. Rw = well radius (ft)
Sc = Completion skin
The Well Inflow quality indicator (WIQI)

The Well Inflow Quality Indicator (WIQI) is

Decline rate
another relative index for deciding the
efficiency with which a well has been drilled The decline rate of production can be
and completed. This is defined as the ratio defined as a decay constant of any
of the actual productivity index of a well to production unit. It is the rate at which
its productivity index if there were no skin. production drops across a specific time
period, probably in days, months or in
It is a diagnostic parameter which gives an
years. The decline rate of a well indicates
indication of how good a well was
how good a sand control completion
4 SPE 150810

technique is performing over some period progressive increase while that of well1
of time. In this work, an exponential decline doesn’t follow a regular pattern. The
pattern is assumed and used to calculate increase in the decline rate could be as a
the decline rate for each well. The result of formation impairment due to poor
exponential decline is defined as: installation job as shown in Table 4 and 5
and Figures 1 to 3.
(4)
Tables 6 and 7 for WELL 3 and 4 had an
(5) initial average sand cut of about 18.8 and
25.8lbm/1000bbl respectively. After the
Whereas, the annual effective decline rate installation of SAS, the sand cut drastically
is given as: dropped to 0.54 and 1.26lbm/1000bbl
respectively. From Figure 4 through 6, the
(6)
flow efficiency from both wells improved
significantly in the first year of installation
1 (7)
and then gradually declined following
Where qi = initial production rate depletion of the hydrocarbon.
qt = production at time (t)
From Figures 7 through 8 for WELL5 and 6
t = time (yrs)
also shown in Tables 8 and 9 was initially
α = instantaneous decline
having average sand production of 32.74
B = effective decline rate
and 29.54lbm/1000bbl respectively before it
was recompleted with open-hole gravel
Results and Discussion
pack (OHGP). After the OHGP installation,
A total of six wells were investigated of
sand production was dropped to 1.42 and
which two wells were completed with each
1.68lbm/1000bbls. The production decline
of the sand control methods under study.
rate decreased after the completion job
The analysis involves the quantification of
while the well inflow increased by about
the sand produced, the determination of the
42%.
decline rate and the well inflow quality
indicator. The average decline rate, WIQI and sand
In WELLS 1 and 2, the average sand production across the six wells is as shown
production before the installation of the in Figures 10 through 12. It was observed
expandable sand screen are 30.12 and that for all the exclusion techniques
27.12lbm/1000bbl whereas after investigated, the ESS performed best
installation, sand production drastically followed by SAS and then OHGP in
reduced to 0.6 and 0.4lbm/1000bbls reducing the sand cut, increasing the flow
respectively. The flow efficiency (WIQI) efficiency and decreasing the decline rate
improved considerably and decreased for all the wells. This could be attributed to
annually in an acceptable manner in both its ability to adjust to changes in the
wells. installed environment following its elastic
property.
However, the production decline rate for
well2 after installation showed a More so, the effect of the installation of
OHGP and SAS on the reservoir pressure,
5 SPE 150810

skin and permeability was also investigated CONCLUSION

using well performance software. It was
observed that there was insignificant In lieu of the results obtained in this study, I
changes as a result of varying gravel pack can conclude that there is no perfect cure
permeability on the performance of the well for sand production in our oil wells. The
whereas there will be relatively no best we can achieve is to minimize the
production if the reservoir pressure is below quantity of sand produced thereby reducing
1700psia for OHGP as shown in Fig. 13 the chances of downhole equipment failure,
and 14 respectively. For the SAS, lower corrosion of surface equipments and
skin and higher permeability values gave plugging. If proper steps are taken, any
higher productivity and vice-versa. This is sand control technique will be adequate to
shown in Figs. 15 and 16. mitigate sand production problems in a well.
In choosing an appropriate sand control
The inflow result was further confirmed technique for a well, proper analysis should
using the prosper9.2 simulator for nodal be carried out on the particle size
analysis. The results obtained showed that distribution, sand failure characteristics of
the absolute open flow for the well the producing formation and the reservoir
completed with standalone screen is higher characteristics. From the comparison
than that of the well completed with open- carried out on the sand control techniques,
hole gravel pack. The sensitivity plot for the the expandable sand screen gave a better
open-hole gravel packed well shows that performance followed by the standalone
the higher the gravel pack permeability the screen and finally the open-hole gravel
lower the pressure drop due to gravel pack. pack.
The open hole gravel packed well showed a
decrease in inflow as the reservoir pressure RECOMMENDATIONS
increases since there is no skin present but In as much as we desire to minimize the
there was no effect on the inflow at varying quantity of sand produced, we also hope to
gravel pack permeability. The well achieve maximized production. Therefore it
completed with standalone screen showed is necessary to run analysis on the sand
an increase in inflow as the skin reduces at control technique to be installed as it
a constant reservoir pressure. At constant affects:
skin value of 75, there was an increase
inflow with increasing reservoir i. The nature of the wellbore and
permeability. The sensitivity plot for the well completion requirement.
showed that the pressure drop due to total
ii. The reliability of the sand control
skin as a result of completion skin, damage
technique.
skin etc. increases as the reservoir
pressure increases. There was no nodal iii. The effect of the sand control
analysis carried out for the expandable technique on production.
sand screen.
iv. The economics involved in installing
the sand control technique.
6 SPE 150810

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7 SPE 150810

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Fig. 3 Sand production before and after installation

of ESS

Fig.1: Production decline rate before and after

installation of ESS

Fig.4: Decline rate before and after installation of

SAS

Fig.2 Well inflow quality indicator before and after

installation of ESS

Fig.5: Well inflow quality indicator before and after

installation of SAS
8 SPE 150810

Fig.6: Sand production before and after installation

Fig.9: Sand production before and after installation
of SAS
of OHGP

Fig. 10: Average sand production of the sand exclusion

Fig.7: Decline rate before and after installation of techniques after installation
OHGP

Fig. 11 Average production decline of the wells

completed with these sand control techniques
Fig.8: Well inflow quality indicator before and after
installation of OHGP
 9 SPE 150810

Fig. 16: Effect of Varying reservoir performance on a

SAS completion
Fig. 12: Average well inflow quality indicator of the
wells completed with these technique

Fig. 14: Effect of varying reservoir pressure on

OHGP completion

Fig. 13: Effect of Varying gravel pack permeability in

an OHGP completion

Fig. 15: Effect of varying skin on SAS completed well

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