Practical Approach for Sand-Production Prediction during Production

Abstract

Sand production becomes a serious problem during the life of a well in the Zubair reservoir. In addition to the costs associated with lost production, workover operations, and the repair of electrical submersible pumps (ESP), field operators also have to manage the separation and disposal of the sand produced with the oil. Reliable sanding prediction analysis thus provides a basis for designs that achieve appropriate sand management strategy for more than 350 wells in the field. In this study, sanding prediction analyses were conducted using a technique that combines easily measurable lab data, log data, and analytical calculations with empirical methods that are supported by the results from previously run rigorous and advanced numerical code. The application of this approach was not only able to provide results that closely matched field experience but was also able to predict correctly, to the year, the onset of sanding in wells. Using sanding analyses and sanding prediction results for the remaining life of the Zubair reservoir will have a significant impact on the economic revenues derivable from the reservoir. This study can be used in field management and workover planning to provide a cost-effective solution to the sanding problem.

Meeting Name

53rd U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium (2019: Jun. 23-26, Brooklyn, NY)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Advanced Analytics; Cost effectiveness; Electric oil well pumping; Numerical methods; Rock mechanics; Sand; Submersible pumps, Analytical calculation; Cost-effective solutions; Economic revenue; Electrical submersible pumps; Empirical method; Field operators; Sand management strategy; Sand production, Forecasting

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2019 American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jun 2019

Link to Full Text

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