Abstract
A numerical model is developed to simulate fluid flow conditions around a wellbore and to evaluate mechanisms governing fluid flow, pressure gradients, rock failure and the ensuing sand production. The rock material behaviour matches sandstone described by the Drucker–Prager material failure model. Conditions for erosion are governed through two criteria: a material failure criterion described by the Drucker–Prager model and a sanding criterion expressed by an eroded solid mass generation model. The interplay between controlling operating and reservoir conditions is assessed. In addition, contributions of the following key factors to interstitial fluid velocity, plastic strain, pore pressure variation and sand production are appraised: drawdown, wellbore perforation depth, mud pressure and erosion criteria. Despite a decrease in pore fluid velocity at the vicinity of the wellbore at increasing depth, sand production increases with wellbore/perforation depth. Likewise, at constant drawdown, sand production is aggravated as wellbore/perforation depth increases. The rate of increase in the plastic zone following the onset of sand production is inconstant. Furthermore, mud pressure is demonstrated as an effective tool for attenuating sand production. An understanding of interactions between key parameters governing reservoir responses and the effect on sanding during oil/gas production is imperative if extraction operations are to be optimised.Citation
Eshiet, K. I., Yang, D. and Sheng, Y. (2019) Computational study of reservoir sand production mechanisms. Geotechnical Research, https://doi.org/10.1680/jgere.18.00026Publisher
Thomas Telford Ltd.Journal
Geotechnical ResearchAdditional Links
https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jgere.18.00026Type
Journal articleLanguage
enEISSN
2052-6156ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1680/jgere.18.00026
Scopus Count
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/