TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThe Xijiang field lies offshore China in the South China Sea and is operated by Phillips China Inc. The reservoir is unconsolidated and requires sand-control, however conventional sand-control techniques are complex when applied to multi-lateral well completions. The expandable sand control system offers an alternative, which combines a larger final wellbore diameter and zonal isolation whilst being simpler to install in multi-lateral well completions.The field is, now mature and water-cuts have increased, making the use of horizontal well technology attractive in order to enhance the production rate, minimize drawdown and maximise the recovery by deferring water coning. Furthermore, the limited remaining reserves and drilling slot constraints meant that multi-lateral wells were the most attractive option for further development of the remaining reserves and improving ultimate recovery.

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