The Use of Expandable Sand Screen to Prolong ESP Runlife in a Mature Field with Severe Sand Production Problems

摘要

In Repsol YPF Maxus SES, South Business Unit (SBU),rnhydrocarbon recovery is mainly from two reservoirs. One ofrnwhich is the Talang Akar Formation (TAF), a typical sandrnstone. Since production started in the late 70's, these reservoirsrnhave depleted considerably. From experience, these sandrnstones produce sand because of unconsolidation, whichrnbecomes more critical with the onset of declining reservoirrnpressure. The entire field is drained utilising ElectrornSubmersible Pump (ESP). Sand production compromisesrnproduction, through failures of this artificial lift system.rnThe conventional way to reduce or eliminate this problem isrnby installing a sand control solution. Historically the popularrntechnique of sand control is gravel packing and whenrncombined with fracture stimulation of the productive layers, itrncan lead to improved inflow performance. Unsatisfactoryrnresults have been obtained through gravel packing withrnconsiderably high damage / skin factors being observed.rnThe new leading edge technology in sand control, ExpandablernSand Screen (ESS) can address these problems, improvingrnreservoir / completion inflow performance. Field tests inrndiffering environments have shown very encouraging resultsrnin both open and cased hole applications.rnFor short interval, cased hole applications, as required by thernSBU, the cost is competitive with frac pack solutions.rnPlacement of proppant in the perforation tunnels or possiblerncavities behind the casing decreases the likelihood ofrnperforation tunnel collapse / plugging, after the ESSrninstallation. By installing this sand control solution, it isrnanticipated that ESP runlifes will be prolonged and thereforernconsiderably improving operating field costs.