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Collaborating Authors
Screen selection
Unraveling the Myths Associated with Selecting Standalone Screens and a New Methodology for Sand-Control Applications
Chanpura, Rajesh A. (Schlumberger) | Mondal, Somnath (University of Texas at Austin) | Sharma, Mukul M. (University of Texas at Austin) | Andrews, Jamie S. (Statoil) | Mathisen, Anne-Mette (Statoil) | Martin, Frederic (Total) | Marpaung, Fivman (Total) | Ayoub, Joseph A. (Schlumberger) | Parlar, Mehmet (Schlumberger)
Abstract Many completion engineers use laboratory sand-retention testing as a tool to select a screen for standalone sand-control applications, some focusing on prepack and others on slurry testing. Those who use slurry tests for screen selection typically do so based on the conventional wisdom that slurry testing is more challenging; thus, it represents the worst-case scenario for sand production. Furthermore, the general belief in the industry has been that metal-mesh screens with a "pore structure" are better for sand retention compared with wire-wrap screens (WWS) of slot geometry, although they are more prone to "plugging." These are just a few of the many myths that exist in screen selection for standalone screen (SAS) applications. Recent papers on modeling of sand retention by screens of various geometries, and supported by laboratory experiments, provided the tools for predicting sand production in both prepack and slurry conditions, as well as allowing for a systematic performance comparison of various screens using the entire particle-size distribution (PSD) of formation sands (Chanpura, Fidan et al. 2011; Chanpura, Mondal et al. 2012; Mondal, Sharma, Chanpura et al. 2011; Mondal, Sharma, Hodge et al. 2011). In this paper, we discuss and challenge many myths in screen selection for SAS applications and substantiate our findings with modeling and experimental data. The conditions under which a slurry or a prepack test would be more conservative are identified, highlighting the mechanisms of sand retention (size exclusion or bridging dominated). We demonstrate the current thinking that prepack tests are always more conservative from a sand production standpoint is incorrect. We also show that the concept that metal-mesh screens are always superior for sand retention than WWS is incorrect, highlighting the factors that affect sand production through various screens (open flow area (OFA), wire thickness, fraction of bridging-size particles in the formation sand etc.). Finally, a methodology for screen selection in SAS applications is proposed.
- North America > United States > Louisiana (0.30)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.28)
- Well Completion > Sand Control > Screen selection (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Flow Assurance > Solids (scale, sand, etc.) (1.00)
New Analytical and Statistical Approach for Estimating and Analyzing Sand Production Through Wire-Wrap Screens During a Sand-Retention Test
Chanpura, Rajesh A. (Schlumberger) | Fidan, Selcuk (Stanford University) | Mondal, Somnath (University of Texas at Austin) | Andrews, Jamie S. (Statoil) | Martin, Frederic (Total) | Hodge, Richard M. (ConocoPhillips) | Ayoub, Joseph A. (Schlumberger) | Parlar, Mehmet (Schlumberger) | Sharma, Mukul M. (University of Texas at Austin)
Summary A slurry-type sand-retention test (SRT) that simulates gradual rock failure around the wellbore has been used widely in the industry to evaluate the performance of sand-control screens for standalone-screen (SAS) applications. Using the test results, screen selection is achieved generally on the basis of the relative ranking of screen performances rather than absolute performance. Chanpura et al. (2011) highlighted recently the drawbacks of the current practices in slurry-type SRT procedures and proposed a new testing and interpretation methodology. Mondal et al. (2011) proposed simulation methods and results that, to the best of our knowledge, modeled screen performance numerically for the first time and presented comparisons to physical experiments. However, the approach used by Mondal et al. (2011) considers cases in which hole collapse occurs on wire-wrap screens (WWSs) and simulates "prepack" testing as opposed to the slurry-type tests considered in this work. In this paper, we present an analytical and a numerical [Monte Carlo (MC)] approach for the prediction of sand production through sand screens with slot geometry. We show that the proposed methods can estimate both mass and size distribution of the produced solids in a slurry-type SRT, taking into account the full particle-size distribution (PSD) of formation sand for WWSs. Simulations show that once the slot opening is covered by particles larger than the slot opening, sand production becomes negligible unless there is a true "fines" problem, which is characterized by a bimodal size distribution. The effect of slot-size variation in screen coupons on sand production demonstrates the importance of proper quality control or at least accurate determination of slot sizes in these tests. The proposed methods can be used to estimate sand production in slurry-type SRTs for different screen sizes and thereby can enable screen-size selection on the basis of a defined acceptable level of sand production. Final screen selection can be confirmed through an SRT.
- North America > United States (1.00)
- Europe (0.67)
- Well Completion > Sand Control > Screen selection (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Flow Assurance > Solids (scale, sand, etc.) (1.00)