1

Primary funding is provided by

The SPE Foundation through member donations
and a contribution from Offshore Europe

The Society is grateful to those companies that allow their
professionals to serve as lecturers

Additional support provided by AIME

Society of Petroleum Engineers
Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl
Advancement in Sand Control
Fluid Technology

Bala Gadiyar
Schlumberger



2
Introduction
Sand control, fluid need and selection
Challenges
Technologies
Gaps
Remarks
Lecture Outline
3
What is Sand Control
Unconsolidated formations typically are weak
Sand control goal is to produce hydrocarbons
without formation sand
Many (if not most) offshore projects require
sand control
Downhole filter screen or screen and gravel
pack
4
Screen Formation
Sand Control Completion Types
5
Gravel Pack
Cased Hole
Frac - pack Gel Gravel Pack Water Pack STIMPAC
($200-$1500K) ($150-$500K) ($300-$2000K)
Technical Limit (Length) Technical Limit ( Length) Technical Limit ( Length)
1000+ ft 1000+ ft 400 ft per zone
Gel Gravel Pack Water Pack STIMPAC
($200-$1500K) ($150-$500K) ($300-$2000K)
Technical Limit (Length) Technical Limit ( Length) Technical Limit ( Length)
1000+ ft 1000+ ft 400 ft per zone
Sand Control Completion Types
6
Gravel Pack
Open Hole
Stand Alone Screen
Open Hole Gravel Pack Animation
7
Why do we Need Fluids?
Cased Hole
Control losses post perforation and/or
completion
Create desired fracture geometry in frac-
pack completion
Transport proppant
Deploy chemicals to mitigate fines
migration and/or scale inhibition
8
Why do we Need Fluids?
Open Hole
Displacement and wellbore cleanup
Well control and stability
Transport proppant
Filtercake cleanup
Friction reduction and/or shale
stabilization


9
Selection Criteria
Bottom hole
temperature (cool-
down temperature
for frac-pack)
Brine density well
control
Compatibility of
viscosifier with
brine, additives

10
Good
Bad
10
100
1000
10000
1 10 100 1000
V
i
s
c
o
s
i
t
y

(
c
P
)
Shear Rate (s
-1
)
54 150 220
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
S
e
t
t
l
e
d

S
a
n
d

(
%
)
Time (min)
Fluid A
180 degF
170 degF
160 degF
Selection Criteria Contd
Friction in critical
flow path
Need for filtercake
cleanup
Environmental
Availability and cost
11
Brines
12
8.4 9.4 10.4 11.4 12.4 13.4 14.4 15.4 16.4 17.4 18.4 19.4
Zinc Bromide
Cesium Formate
Calcium Bromide
Potassium Formate
Sodium Bromide
Calcium Chloride
Sodium Formate
Sodium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Ammonium Chloride
Maximum Density (ppg)
Fluids
13
Brine; Gravel Pack
Linear Gel; Gravel Pack

Viscoelastic Surfactant; Gravel Pack; Frac-pack
Crosslinked gel; Frac-pack
Viscosity
Fines migration
Frac-packing long intervals
GoM ultra deepwater HPHT wells
Fresh water availability in offshore areas
Overcoming potential low fluid efficiency of
conventional frac fluids
Rig based frac-pack in Darcy permeability formation

Cased Hole Challenges
14
Challenges in Open Hole High Rate
Water Pack
Excessive Fluid Loss
Exceeding Frac
Pressure
Premature
screenout
incomplete pack
C
h
a
l
l
e
n
g
e
s

I
s
s
u
e
s

15
Challenges in Open Hole High Rate
Water Pack
C
h
a
l
l
e
n
g
e
s

Failure of Well Bore Integrity
Reactive Shales
Shale collapse
inability to run screens or
incomplete pack
Shale dispersion High
skin gravel pack
I
s
s
u
e
s

16
Screen
Screen
Fines Migration Background
What are fines?
Formation material < 44 m
Particles that can flow through pore network
Concerns of fines migration
Productivity decline due to plugging of proppant pack
Erosion to downhole/surface hardware
Surface facility upset
Fines migration mechanism
Fluid velocity
Change in chemistry pH, salinity
Two phase flow (onset of water)


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Frac-Pack
High perforation density
12 to 21 spf
Production from:
Fracture
Offset perforations not
aligned with fracture
Significant production -
offset perforations in high
perm formation
Fines migration more
critical near wellbore

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Surface modification agent (SPE
39428) and nano particles (SPE
115384)
Slurry stages proppant is treated
Fly paper concept - capture fines at
fracture face/proppant pack interface

Zeta potential (SPE 106112)
Alters particle charge
Remedial treatment

Fines Migration Solutions
19
Polymer chemistry entire job (SPE 143947)
Addresses fines migration near wellbore and
fracture
Stabilizes fines by agglomeration in the formation
Liquid form operationally simple

Fines Migration Solutions - Contd
20
Offshore Adriatic, Italy
dry gas
Depleted, high fines (up to
30%), water
Untreated frac-pack well
drastic decline in 2 years
2 wells (7 zones) treated
frac-pack
Producing fines free 19
months
No productivity decline
Case History: Polymer Chemistry
21
Untreated Frac-Pack Well
Production decline due to fines migration
No industry standard
Some ignore temperature
Fines Migration Lab Testing
Pump A
(fluid)
Pump B
(confining)
Hassler Cell
Rosemount
Synthetic sand pack Hassler cell
Controlled rate and temperature
Synthetic sand pack - clear cylinder
Room temperature
No control on rate
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Deep wells (> 25,000 ft) and reservoir
pressure > 20,000 psi
Long interval length (> 500 ft)
Multi-zone
Require high pump rate (> 50 bpm) for
frac-pack
Surface treating pressure may exceed
15,000 psi
Lower tertiary Gulf of Mexico

Ultra-deepwater HPHT Wells
23
Solution for high rate frac-pack
Chemistry: NaBr based borate
polymer crosslinked system
Increases hydrostatic pressure
Some fluids can be delayed
lower friction
Maximum density 12.5 ppg and
temperature 350
O
F
Yields higher viscosity
compared to non-weighted fluid


High Density Frac Fluid
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SPE 112531
11 jobs; fluid density 11.5
ppg
TVD: 23,800 26,800 ft
Reservoir pressure:
18,807 19,890 psi
Pump rate: 15 45 bpm
Reduction in surface
treating pressure
between 22 40%

Case History
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Freshwater availability offshore/remote areas
Non-productive time
Chemistry: Borate crosslinked system
Mitigate scaling by incorporating scale inhibitor
Limited scale inhibitors are compatible
Hinders breaking
Good buffering required
Tailored as per seawater composition



Seawater Frac Fluid
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Application: Darcy permeability formation
Conventional frac fluid low fluid efficiency
High temperature borate crosslinked fluid
Partially neutralized degradable fluid loss
Reduction in spurt and wall building coefficient
Static test - 190
O
F, 1 Darcy, 1000 psi differential



Higher regain permeability - faster cleanup


High Efficiency Frac Fluid
Fluid Cw (ft/min
1/2
) Spurt (gal/100 ft
2
)
Conventional 0.00342 57.98
High Efficiency 0.00149 35.88
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Challenges in Open Hole High Rate
Water Pack
Excessive Fluid Loss
Exceeding Frac
Pressure
Premature
screenout
incomplete pack
C
h
a
l
l
e
n
g
e
s

I
s
s
u
e
s

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SPE 123155
Chemical solution low frac gradient
wells
Operationally easy, less complex, and
reliable
Compatible with both mono and
divalent brines up to 12.5 ppg
Alpha wave height not affected
Non-damaging
Cost effective technique compared to
alternatives
Friction Reducer
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Understanding friction pressure
behavior in critical flow path helps
in determining:
Appropriate fluid selection
Pump rate
Open hole length that could be
packed without exceeding
fracturing pressure
Friction Pressure Characterization
Field Scale
3.5 Pipe
2.875 Pipe
5.5/4 &
5/3.5 Annuli
Shunt tube
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Friction Reducer in 9.2 ppg Brine
Friction reduction achieved between 20 to 65%
Friction reduction depends on flow rate
Increasing friction reduction with increased flow
rate

Annulus Straight Pipe

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No friction reducer
Friction
reducer
Fracture pressure
Simulation of Bottom Hole Pressure
Simulations show frac pressure can
be avoided with the addition of
friction reducer as well
as maintaining desired wave height.
Assumed well profile
Well Characteristics:
MD 13,040ft
TVD 9,400ft w/ 2,000ft
OH
5.5 screen & 3.5 WP
8.6 OH diameter
11.0ppg CaCl
2

rate 6bpm w/ 1ppa
33
Challenges in Open Hole High Rate
Water Pack
C
h
a
l
l
e
n
g
e
s

Failure of Well Bore Integrity
Reactive Shales
Shale collapse
inability to run screens or
incomplete pack
Shale dispersion High
skin gravel pack
I
s
s
u
e
s

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SPE 103156
Minimize shale destabilizing effects
with water based fluids
Reduce risks associated with
reactive shale
Compatibility all brines and
common viscosifiers
Non-damaging
Field practice - Incorporate in
screen run-in and gravel pack fluids

Shale Stabilizer
35
SPE 103156
Simulates shale reactivity under gravel pack
conditions
Dynamic Flow Through Test
X
X X
XX
X X X X
36
X
X X
XX
X X X X
X
X X
XX
X X X X
Case History
Successfully completed 14 wells
OH length: 157 to 1181 ft
Only 2 wells with clean sand and less
than 15% shale
12 wells with shale streaks between
20% and 60% (79 to 492 ft)

Field trial: 2 wells water-packed
(a) KCl w/o shale stabilizer
Premature screenout
(b) Shale stabilizer
Complete pack



Streaks of highly reactive shale
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Performance Indicators
Ability to run screens to TD
100% pack efficiency
Return brine turbidity

Low Viscosity Oil Based Fluid
SPE 110440
Alpha/beta gravel pack in sensitive
shale environment
Invert emulsion (oil external)
Near Newtonian behavior
Viscosity < 10 cP
Density: up to 10.5 ppg
Temperature: up to 250
O
F
No swapping of fluids
Higher friction than brine
Economical only if fluid is recycled
38
8.5 open hole 1223 ft
5.5 (250 micron) premium screen
BHT 170
O
F
Pack efficiency of 107%
Skin of 0
Case History
Pump Rate
39
High pressure effects
High temperature and density viscous
gravel pack fluids
Gravel pack fluids for arctic conditions
Next generation fluid loss pills
controlled break, solids free, high
temperature
Single stage consolidation fluid


Technology Gap
40
Proper engineering guidelines should be
used in the decision making for
developing and selection of fluids
Fines migration has been a recurring
theme in cased hole and several
solutions have been developed
addressing the problem in a different
manner
Remarks
41

Solutions for the open hole challenges
have been developed and successfully
implemented in the field
The industry has put in efforts to develop
fluid technology to address most
challenges and there are still some that
remain


Remarks - Contd
42
43
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44

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Backup Slides
45
Fluid Requirements
Compatibility: formation rock and fluids
Controllable rheological properties
Fluid loss within reasonable range (frac-
pack)
Fast breaking and good cleanup
Low friction pressure
Good proppant suspension
Simple to prepare, QC, and pump

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Holy grail of sand control
Eliminates hardware and
reduces pumping equipment
Goal: glue/bond sand grains to
increase strength
Limited applications in cased
hole marginal reserves, low
cost
Chemistries: mainly resins
Multi-stage treatment

Consolidation
47
Placement/diversion
Limits to small interval
length (< 20 ft)
Dependency on overflush
volume affects strength
No clear technical
guidelines on drawdown
limit
Single stage treatment
does not exist
Consolidation - Issues
48
General Qualification Process
Open Hole Gravel Pack Fluids
Rheology profile from low to high shear
rate
Optimization of viscosifier concentration
Identifies any incompatibility between
additives
Sand settling
Evaluate sand suspension of carrier fluid
Fluid-fluid compatibility
Design of spacer chemistry for mud
displacement
Emulsion tendency
Filtercake cleanup
Breaker performance (reaction rate and %
cleanup)
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General Qualification Process
Frac-Pack Fluids
Dynamic break/rheology
Optimization of polymer and breaker
concentration
Shear history simulate wellbore
conditions
Fluid behavior under changing shear
rate and temperature
Core regain permeability
Assess extend of formation damage due
to fluid invasion
Proppant pack conductivity
Fluid-fluid compatibility
Emulsion tendency

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