Geomechanics for Sanding Evaluation and Sand Control Selection

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Disciplines: Completions | Reservoir

Course Description

Many oil and gas fields produce sand and solids. Sanding or solids production has multiple adverse effects on well productivity and integrity and can pose a high HSE risk. The source of solids or sands within the produced fluids is often the disintegrated formation grains resulted from downhole mechanical failure of formation rocks under the production conditions. Sanding has a geomechanical root and it can be managed: “avoided/mitigated/controlled/handled”. Effective sand management calls for “multidisciplinary action” and starts with a robust understanding of field geomechanical conditions. Advanced analytical and numerical geomechanical analyses can identify the likelihood of sanding over well life, the likely sand-producing zones, the timing (or formation pressure condition), and the severity of sanding. Such analysis will provide inputs and insights to completion engineers for fit-for-purpose sand management decisions.

This short course on “Geomechanics for Sanding Evaluation” is designed to provide geoscientists and engineers with the basics of petroleum rock mechanics and the use of well logs, core measurements, drilling, and production information for geomechanical modelling, with a particular focus on the application of reservoir geomechanics in sand production prediction and sand management decisions.

Learning Level

Intermediate

Course Length

1 Day

Why Attend

This multi-disciplinary course combines technical skills in several subsurface and well engineering disciplines to provide geomechanics solutions to field scale and individual well problems. A fundamental knowledge of petroleum geomechanics is a key part of good field development planning because geomechanics often underpins optimised engineering with track records in significant project cost savings. This course will provide the basic understanding and insights to assess the likelihood of sand and solids production. The course participants will realise how the systematic and judicious applications of geomechanics in sanding evaluation and sand management practices can reduce costs and risks and enhance well productivity. The course participants will learn about: 

• The fundamentals of petroleum related rock mechanics and its applications
• How to build a field calibrated Geomechanical model: the data you need, data QC and the standard workflows for the modelling of pore pressure, in situ stresses, rock mechanical properties
• Physics of sanding, effect of rock strength, in situ stresses, depletion, drawdown, well trajectory and perforation orientation and water production on sanding, 
• Sand production prediction methods: data requirements, typical outputs, merits and limitations of common empirical, analytical and numerical sanding prediction methods, model calibration and field observations.  
• Overview of sand control options and procedure of selecting a sand control system 
• Case studies and field proven examples  

Who Attends

Well construction, petroleum and completion engineers who need to know more about the cause of sanding and decide between open or cased hole sand control completion options. Geologists, geophysicists and petrophysicists who want to learn about geomechanical assessment for well completion and sand control decisions. Geomechanics engineers who want to learn about sanding evaluation methods and workflows, quality of input parameters including rock strength and stresses, sanding model calibration and communication of results with completion engineers and production technologists.

Special Requirements

Scientific calculator, Laptop

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be received no later than 14 days prior to the course start date. Cancellations made after the 14-day window will not be refunded. Refunds will not be given due to no show situations.

Training sessions attached to SPE conferences and workshops follow the cancellation policies stated on the event information page. Please check that page for specific cancellation information.

SPE reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule courses at will. Notification of changes will be made as quickly as possible; please keep this in mind when arranging travel, as SPE is not responsible for any fees charged for cancelling or changing travel arrangements.

We reserve the right to substitute course instructors as necessary.

Instructor