Sand Control in Corrosive and Erosive Downhole Conditions at High Temperatures

Abstract

Abstract In many sandstone reservoirs, the production of sand presents a major obstacle to well productivity. The petroleum industry spends millions of dollars each year to prevent and repair sand control problems including reduced production rates, sand bridging, erosion of equipment and sand disposal and removal. Conventional Sand Screen Systems currently available on the market and manufactured mostly by service providers and are predominantly metallic in construction; these conventional screens have limitations on sustaining high downhole velocities resulting commonly in downole erosional failure and premature loss of downhole sand control. Erosional failure can commonly be associated in applications where high gas rate are anticipated. Commonly, these applications also combine with these higher gas rates, higher downhole temperature, pressure and sour well enviroments which magnify the corrosion-erosional issue with time. Lower erosion resistance leads to premature failure of sand screen resulting in sand production and frequent workovers/intervention. A higher cost and deferred production ensues for the well owner. Worse still, wells with failed sand control can become marginal or uneconomical to produce at these lower rates. Sand production can at times result in operational failure of well control equipment resulting in a higher HS&E risk. Well intervention especially offshore/subsea provokes a higher risk and cost associated and should be avoided through competent technical specification of technology equipment suitable for these applicational environment. If a material change from metal can be made to offer the resistance to erosional and corrosional failure, risk from loss of sand control and reduced economic return on well investment can be mitigated. Ceramic Sand Screen Systems which offer a material change where brought to the market in 2010 and offer a unique sand control solution which are ideal for such well conditions. Ceramics are more than 50 times harder than steel and are universal corrosion resistant to various acids and bases even at higher temperature. This paper introduces the material change from metallic to ceramic technology, testings, and some successful field case studies.