Abstract

Sand production is one of the major technoeconomical challenges in offshore clastic reservoirs to optimize production. The sanding in deep water reservoir can cause operational problems and safety hazard like well shut-in, erosion of surface facilities and adversely affect the field economics if proper completion and production planning are not done in such scenario. Sand production prediction model will act as a tool for deciding the type of completion and production strategy, which reduces the risk of sand production through the production life of the field. An integrated sand prediction model was being used to discuss the mechanism governing the sand production as well as accurate prediction of critical bottom hole pressure where sanding starts for producing wells within study area. The sand prediction model results have been used to optimize the completion strategy for upcoming wells as well as operating drawdown of producing wells. The integrated approach incorporates laboratory measurements (thick wall cylinder test), rock mechanical properties of the reservoir (rock strength), reservoir stress state, and heterogeneity of rock along with production parameters. The magnitude of sand production risk was classified (onset/total failure) by calibration with the nature of sand prediction during thick wall cylinder test and field sand production results. The model suggests the high magnitude of sand production risk increases with depletion, whereas there is sharp drop in operating drawdown of high water producing wells, as the risk of sanding production increases due to drop in TWC strength.