Collapse Analysis of Screens Used in Horizontal Open Hole Gravel Pack Completion

摘要

Global increase in energy demand and the lack of opportunities onshore or in shallow waters are driving production of hydrocarbons towards deep and ultra deep-water basins,where reservoirs are usually formed by weak and unconsolidated sandstones that require sand control methods to prevent damage in surface and subsurface equipments.Guidelines to select sand control systems are primarily based on sand exclusion,seeking to optimize balance between oil rate and fines production.Another aspect,often overlooked,is collapse strength of the system formed by the sand control equipment and the formation itself,subjected to mechanical loadings that change during life of the well.This contribution presents a method to evaluate collapse strength of sand control systems taking into account mechanical interaction between the formation and sand control screens.Elastoplastic models are used to represent granular materials.The most usual sand control system was studied:gravel pack with premium screens.A model to describe contact between granular materials (gravel and formation) and soil-pipe interaction is proposed.Results demonstrate that perforated base pipes used in premium screens may be oversized for applications under regular operating conditions.