Development and Field Applications of an Aqueous-Based Consolidation System for Proppant Remedial Treatments

Villesca, Josue; Loboguerrero, Santiago; Gracia, Jesse; Hansford, Ann; Nguyen, Philip; Rickman, Richard Dale; Dusterhoft, Ron

doi:10.2118/128025-ms

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…ABR is the latest development in resin consolidation technology (Villesca et al 2010). With an ABR fluid system, a waterbourne epoxy resin is mixed with a curing agent before pumping downhole.…”

Section: Spe-178994-msmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel Aqueous-Based Consolidation Restores Sand Control and Well Productivity: Case History from East Malaysia

Riyanto

Saleh

Goh

et al. 2016

SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

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The integrity of sand control method is often compromised as wells get older and the field becomes more mature. An operator in East Malaysia pursued a cost-effective alternative remedial sand-control solution to restore the functionality of its sand control completion and provide unhindered oil production in a well. The well, located offshore Sarawak Malaysia, was a single string oil producer completed in 1987 with gravel pack and screens. It was a producing well for several years until the gravel pack completion failed and the well started to produce excessive sand. The well was beaned down (BD) to achieve an acceptable sand production limit by the operator of below 15 pound per thousand barrels (pptb). The initial remedial sand control measure was to install a thru-tubing screen, hung inside the production tubing. The thru-tubing screen failed to control the formation sand and a second 200 micron thru tubing screen was installed. That screen managed to control the sand production at acceptable levels but induced significant pressure drop, which reduced the oil production from the optimum level of production.Workover (WO) operations would involve pulling the existing completion, and re-gravel packing the zone would be costly. In addition to cost, induced mechanical skin in a gravel pack might not be lower than thru-tubing screen application. Chemical consolidation treatments using solvent-based resins historically have been used successfully as alternatives to remedial sand control, although their application, has typically been limited to short intervals.An aqueous based consolidation resin was developed that provides some advantages compared to conventional solvent based resin systems. The aqueous based resin system uses an internally cured water-based epoxy resin. Unlike the solvent based resin systems, which have a low flash point, the aqueous base consolidation resin system is not flammable. It is safer and less complex operationally. The consolidation-fluid mix can also be foamed for diversion purposes to treat wells with relatively large variations in permeability over longer zones compared to the solvent based resins. This paper describes the treatment background, engineering approach, laboratory testing, fluid design stages, quality assurance/ quality control (QA/QC) procedures, and the treatment execution for the chosen well. The field trial showed no sand was produced after treatment. In fact, the production rate was twice that of the production rate with the thru tubing screen in place. The promising result from this well creates new opportunities for simple, environmentally acceptable, and cost-effective remedial sand-control solutions for the operator.

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Section: Spe-178994-msmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A resin accelerator was necessary to speed up the curing process and shorten the well shut-in time. The accelerator is recommended for reservoirs with bottom hole temperature (BHT) at 160°F or below (Villesca et al 2010).…”

Section: Laboratory Testing For Fluid Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Aqueous-Based Consolidation Restores Sand Control and Well Productivity: Case History from East Malaysia

Riyanto

Saleh

Goh

et al. 2016

SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Waterborne emulsion or microemulsion-type systems are becoming more standard in the coating industry as a means of eliminating the use of solvents and instead using water as the emulsion carrier (Haggerty et al 2009;Villesca et al 2010). A new concept was evaluated where a low concentration (less than 10% by weight) of small micron and submicron particles or droplets of consolidating material was dispersed in brine.…”

Section: Abc Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foaming Aqueous-Based Curable Treatment Fluids Enhances Placement and Consolidation Performance

Nguyen

Rickman

2012

SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control

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Conventional solvent-based resins (SBRs) have often been used to resolve solids-production problems in producing wells by coating the particulates, such as formation sand, fines, and proppant, with a curable resin to hold the grains together without reducing the treated pack's permeability. However, the SBRs have low flashpoints that can present safety issues during storage, handling, and well-completion operations. These resin systems have been typically applied in short intervals of less than 30 ft and have had limited success in longer intervals. With the recent development and applications of aqueous-based resins (ABRs), these drawbacks have been overcome. Because solvent-based chemicals are replaced with aqueous brines as carriers in treatment fluids, ABRs have high flashpoints, similar to those of water. Additionally, because ABRs are aqueousbased fluids, they can be foamed so that the operator may simply bullhead the fluid directly into the wellbore to treat long intervals without requiring a rig or zone isolation packers.This paper presents the results of laboratory experiments aimed at understanding and quantifying the performance of ABR treatment fluids in consolidating weakly or unconsolidated formation sands or loose proppant packs. Consolidation strengths and scanning electron micrographs of the treated formation sand or proppant packs were analyzed to identify the mechanisms behind the treatment fluids in providing cohesion between particulates and how the pore channels within a pack matrix remain open, minimizing permeability loss. Both foamed and nonfoamed ABRs were determined to provide effective consolidation levels to the treated formation sandpacks, regardless of whether foamed or not, aqueous post-flush fluid was applied. However, only foamed ABRs allowed resin to remain on the proppant after the treated pack was overdisplaced with nitrogen gas or a nonaqueous fluid, resulting in high consolidation strength and retained permeability.Foaming ABRs enhances the effectiveness of their placement into formation intervals by providing an effective means for diversion and better coverage, and extending treatment-fluid volume. When applied using bullheading or coiled tubing, potential applications of ABR systems include primary or remedial treatments of weakly or unconsolidated formations for sand control or fines stabilization and remedial treatments of propped fractures for proppant-flowback control.

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“…A summary of the laboratory and field trial lessons learned and recommendations is given in Villesca et al (2010).…”

Section: Lessons Learned and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Field Applications of an Aqueous-Based Consolidation System for Remediation of Solids Production

Villesca¹,

Hurst²,

Bern³

et al. 2010

Proceedings of Offshore Technology Conference

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Premature failure of downhole and surface equipment can be caused by the production of formation fines, sand, and/or proppant. This leads to increased production costs associated with frequent workovers to remove fill, replacement of downhole equipment, and surface-equipment overhauls. In addition, production rates are often decreased to minimize solids production and can also compromise ultimate reservoir recovery.Conventional resin-consolidation systems have been successful in preventing solids production in short, homogenous intervals. However, resin consolidation in longer intervals has resulted in erratic success because of the lack of complete and uniform treatment of the entire interval length. Any untreated length of interval has the propensity to produce solids, resulting in a failed treatment.This paper presents the results of laboratory development and field testing of a new water-based resin-consolidation system applicable for proppant flowback and sand consolidation as well as field trials for proppant-flowback applications. This new system benefits from effective and efficient treatment of significantly longer intervals and improved health, safety, security, and environmental compatibility (HSSE) compared to conventional consolidation systems.

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Development and Field Applications of an Aqueous-Based Consolidation System for Proppant Remedial Treatments

Cited by 9 publications

References 7 publications

Novel Aqueous-Based Consolidation Restores Sand Control and Well Productivity: Case History from East Malaysia

Novel Aqueous-Based Consolidation Restores Sand Control and Well Productivity: Case History from East Malaysia

Foaming Aqueous-Based Curable Treatment Fluids Enhances Placement and Consolidation Performance

Development and Field Applications of an Aqueous-Based Consolidation System for Remediation of Solids Production

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