Refining the grip on nature's fine grains--Complementary tools, approaches enhance tried-and-true sand control methods

摘要

Drawing on proven methods and technologies, the latest developments in the realm of sand control strategically capitalize on and enhance what is known to work. The challenge to control unconsolidated sand in the reservoir is met with a portfolio of evolving solutions that are producing better, faster and cheaper results. Mindful of risks and costs, the industry cautiously approaches sand control, managing complexity while reducing nonproductive time (NPT). "The current thinking in deepwater is selecting the cased-hole completion technique and the processes that not only provides the best, fastest completions but also one that provides the least amount of risks because the daily costs of operating in deepwater for some of these rigs range from $500,000 to a million dollars per day offshore," Bryan Stamm, technology manager of Schlumberger sand management services, said. "It's not often that the new technologies are actually the game-changers, but it's properly managing the packaging of the existing technologies."