Experimental study of sand production processes near an orifice

Experimental study of sand production processes near an orifice K. Yim; K. Yim University of Waterloo, Ont., Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar M. B. Dusseault; M. B. Dusseault University of Waterloo, Ont., Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar L. Zhang L. Zhang University of Waterloo, Ont., Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering, Delft, Netherlands, August 1994. Paper Number: SPE-28068-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/28068-MS Published: August 29 1994 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Yim, K., Dusseault, M. B., and L. Zhang. "Experimental study of sand production processes near an orifice." Paper presented at the Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering, Delft, Netherlands, August 1994. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/28068-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE/ISRM Rock Mechanics in Petroleum Engineering Search Advanced Search AbstractAn experimental study was performed using Ottawa sand and a produced sand. A 3-D semi-analytical flow model was developed to analyze the experimental data. The results show that the ratio of sand grain size and outlet hole size, grain size distribution, and angularity are the most important factors affecting the sand arch stability. Pressure increase mode and pressure magnitude also affect arch stability.1. INTRODUCTIONWhen oil or gas is produced from poorly consolidated sediments, solids co-production often occurs. Solids co-production may cause equipment wear, waste disposal problems, and lead to safety reduction; thus, incentives exist to understand sand arch mechanics to help stop or control solids inflow. Sand arch stability studies date to Terzaghi, 1936, in his trap door experiment where he demonstrated stable arching. Hall and Harrisberger (1970) experimentally studied arches in relation to maximum sand-free production rates in oil wells. Stein et al. (1973, 1976) assumed the maximum flow rate an arch can withstand is proportional to the sand shear modulus. Studies were done at the Colorado School of Mines on arching and its relation to flow rate and confining stress level (Tippie et al., 1974). Tixier et al. (1973) approached sanding predictions using mechanical property log (acoustic log) interpretation.Bratli and Risnes (1981) did tests to study sand arch failure; they used pressurized air as the flowing medium in the laboratory. The relationship between flow rate and applied pressure from an external source was studied, and real cavities in several stages of the tests observed. Risnes et al. (1981) analyzed in situ data for sand production obtained from tests in a well in a poorly consolidated (uncemented?) sand. The well was heavily perforated with no special sand control measurements. Sand influx was measured by increasing the choke size stepwise, and recording the amount of sand produced.Dusseault and Santarelli (1989) developed conceptual models to describe sanding processes at microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic levels. Santarelli et al. (1990) used log and core analyses to predict sanding problems, achieving some success in materials which are lightly cemented.Many numerical and analytical sand production studies have been published; despite identification of some mechanisms, laboratory and parametric results, a full understanding of sand production is not yet available (Dusseault and Santarelli, 1989).Some experiments on arching were performed. During the tests, continuous cavity evolution from initiation to collapse was observed. Pressures in the specimens were measured at different flow rates, applied pressures, and outlet sizes. A 3-D pressure distribution model for steady-state flow in the specimen was developed and used to analyze pressure measurements. The relationships among sand arch stability and applied pressure, outlet size, and grain size of sand particles will be presented.2. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUSThe test device is a Lucite cylinder pressure cell (Figure 1). At the top, there is a big hole to introduce sand and fluid, and a small hole for pressure. Applied pressure is monitored from a gauge between the cell and pressure supply. There are three pressure measurement tubes placed at points of interest in the cell through the top and connected to a pressure transducer. In the cell bottom, there are two outlets for outflow of fluid or slurry: one is at the centre, the other at one side. This latter hole allowed observation of processes of cavity formation and collapse. All tests reported are with the hole at the side because of the difficulty of operating with the centre hole, and the lack of a visual picture.P. 339 Keywords: hole size, sand control, sand production process, pressure drop, flow assurance, outflow, specimen, experimental study, outlet size, cavity Subjects: Flow Assurance, Formation Evaluation & Management, Solids (scale, sand, etc.), Sand Control This content is only available via PDF. 1994. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.