Gravel Packing Sand Control Technique, Case Study, Belayim field, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Abstract

Sand production is always a challenge for oil production companies worldwide. Several factors can cause sand production, poor cementing material in the reservoir rock, high production rates which cause high draw down result in an unstable zone. The studied field is Belayim field consists of 105 wells; 90 of these wells are oil producing wells, 11 are water injection wells, two wells are dump flood wells, and two wells are water source wells.The main target was to perform a gravel pack job on a high permeability water source well to deliver a planned rate of 25,000 BOPD. The study has been done for the formation, the well was considered as a critical well because of the number of challenges and because of its importance to the company in supplying the field with the injection water After pay zone perforating, the well suffered from high losses as expected. The losses reduced by pumping several non-damaging fluid loss pills (lost circulation material) until the losses were suitable for running the gravel pack assembly in the hole. The treatment was pumped in consecutive stages of clean fluid and slurry fluid to aid in the displacement of the proppant in the well annulus and to reduce the risk of bridging.Premium screens (6-5/8 in. with 175 micron filter) were used with a 40/60 proppant. A 5inch wash pipe was used to force most of the fluid in the slurry to remain in the casing/screen annulus to Maximize sand transport, rather than leaking off through the screen and into the screen base pipe/wash pipe annulus. The gravel pack material and the treatment chemicals was successfully pumped, covering the 500 ft of screens and leaving excess volume of sand covering the blanks. The well was completed with ESP (electrical submersible pump) and producing 11,500 BWPD (barrel water per day).The injection in the field resumed after being down for five months as a result from shutting down the well.