Session Chairpersons:

The aim of this session is to share and discuss experiences around reduction and/or elimination of sand production in oil and gas wells. Speakers will be discussing the description of original installed sand face completion design for wells to recover reserves in their assets, performance of those designs throughout well life cycle, encountered issues related to unwanted sand production and as a key focus how and what remediation methods and technologies are being applied. We will also be looking at the success rate of such methods and technologies.

Session Chairpersons:

Sand production is a worldwide problem that has significant consequences on field development. The short version of sand or solids production is that the stress on the formation exceeds the formation strength and result in rock failure. However, there are many factors involved as the occurrence of sanding or solids production in wells depends on the field geo-mechanical parameters, reservoir rock characters, well operations and reservoir management/performance.

In this session we will be presented methods and techniques for solving challenges of particular interest, with field-proven examples from the region and elsewhere.

Session Chairpersons:

Existing conventional sand control methodologies can range from standalone screen installation, gravel packing, sand consolidation treatment, and in some cases, frac and pack. Depending on the type of reservoir conditions, these new developments and cutting-edge technologies can be greatly beneficial.

This session will present a breakthrough in the components or modular level of the methodologies such as sand control screens, fluids and deployment method with an emphasis on the benefits in which the technology brought forward, and also any modular integration of the smart/intelligent system into conventional sandface, which provides the sand and flow control mechanisms and features.

The cutting edge technologies, as a complete system or incorporation to one or more existing system, will present an overview on providing operational simplicity, enhance productivity and essentially provide longevity of the well life in comparison to the conventional methodologies to make the well completion simpler, more robust and last longer.

Session Chairpersons:

Considering the upcoming transformation in the global energy industry, the oil and gas industry is being seriously driven by production optimisation, minimizing risks and cost reduction (both CAPEX and OPEX). With more than half of the world’s oil and gas output coming from mature assets, Artificial Lift techniques needed to recover oil from low pressure reservoirs play a pivotal role in minimizing the risks and demonstrating the valorisation of these assets. Selection, designing and implementation of Artificial Lift systems for mature fields require detailed considerations for well architecture, completion design, surface facilities and current and forecasted reservoir and produced fluids conditions. These techniques, e.g. ESPs, Gas Lift, Jet Pumps…etc., are always challenged by several techno-economic issues, which may cause production to decline or even halt over time.

Session Chairpersons:

The industry is facing new challenges in terms of energy security and reduced emissions. Sand entrained flow streams can erode production equipment and accumulate in separation vessels. A surface sand management plan can significantly improve production integrity, decrease maintenance costs, and reduce risk to personnel and the environment. In this session we are looking for innovative and proven solutions for managing sand producing wells now, and in an increasingly data intensive future. We are looking for new technology, case studies and real-life examples that have proven value to companies and the environment.

Session Chairpersons:

Digitalisation is typically about turning mountains of data into useful information.  But there are challenges in creating the mountain!  The integrity team will work with acoustic sensors to determine maximum sand production rates.  The operations team discuss with technology providers to remove sand and maintain production.  Reservoir engineers will monitor injectivity of the reservoir to ensure water injection rates, but won’t consider the effect of water quality.  But who brings them together?

Instrumentation you already have such as pressure drop rise across filters may be unused, while other instrumentation to monitor sand handling and removal may be considered an unnecessary expense.

The challenge is to connect the teams working together and connect the costs (sand removal) to the revenue generation (reliability and production)