New Model for Predicting the Rate of Sand Production

摘要

A number of robust predictive methods for establishingrnsanding thresholds have been developed over the past decade.rnHaving identified when the onset of sanding occurs, recentrnresearch efforts have focused on determining the rate at whichrnsand will be produced once these thresholds are exceeded. Inrnthis paper a new analytic model for predicting the rate ofrncontinuous (steady-state) sand production is described. Thisrnsanding rate model is consistent with the threshold predictionrnmodel, and utilizes as its basis the non-dimensionalizedrnconcepts of loading factor (near-wellbore formation stressrnnormalized by strength) and Reynold’s number (a function ofrnpermeability, viscosity, density and flow velocity).rnInterpreted this way, the results of laboratory sand productionrnexperiments are used to derive an empirical relationshiprnbetween loading factor, Reynold’s number and the rate of sandrnproduction. A second empirical sand production ‘boost factor’rnincorporates the effects of water production. The derivedrnmodel is compared with field data from a total of six wellsrnfrom two fields, for a wide range of flowing conditions. Thernpredictions are a good match to the field data, typicallyrnoverestimating the field-measured data by a factor of less thanrnfour. However, as the model is for continuous sanding only,rnthis degree of overprediction is considered acceptable for fieldrnapplication, as it provides some compensation for short-livedrntransient sand production at rates higher than steady-staternvalues.