Sand Consolidation Operations, Challenges and Remedy

Abstract

Abstract Sand consolidation as a sand control method has been applied in the oil industry for nearly eight decades. Chemical sand consolidation has evolved since its first application in the early 1940s. Despite the failures recorded and its limitations in application in some oil and gas wells, this method has recorded some remarkable successes both as a primary and a remedial method of sand control in the petroleum industry. This paper presents the operation constraints in sand consolidation since its first use in the industry, the selection criteria and remedy. It also considers the types of resins which have been used over the years: highlights of sand consolidation methods in high clay content formations and the problem of long shut-in time for sufficient consolidation strength in reservoirs with either relatively low or high bottom-hole treatment temperatures. Moreover, recommendations on the way forward to manage these operational problems are elucidated.