New Sand Screen Increases the Reliability of Sand Control in Water Injection Wells by Mitigating Common Failure Mechanisms

Abstract

The production of both fines and matrix sand into the well bore is a common problem in water injection wells due to transient pressure and flow events. Conventional sand control techniques do not manage these transient events effectively, and the reliability of the sand control can be compromised as a result. In injection wells, a shutdown event results in a sudden stoppage of flow causing a surge which can result in powerful downhole pressure transient effects such as back-flow, cross-flow, and water-hammer. These effects can mobilize sand particles in the near-wellbore resulting in an influx of fine particles, screen plugging and erosion. Eventually, the accumulation of debris in the well can lower or block injection rates to the point where a water injector well must be repaired or replaced to maintain the injection volumes required for pressure maintenance and sweep in the reservoir. A new, sand screen compatible completion was designed with an array of integral non-return valves (NRV) to address these challenges. This paper will present an overview of the product development with computation fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, flow-loop and laboratory testing. Design considerations of any potential adverse effects of the new non-return valves, such as plugging and erosion, were studied extensively in lab tests on a series of valve designs. Non-return valve completions could have the benefit of increasing injection volumes and extending the life-cycle of water injections wells.

Erosion of sand screens by solid particles: a review of experimental investigations

“…For instance, the following studies considered changing the velocity during experiments, Deng et al (2019a), Kanesan et al (2019), Kumar et al (2018), Procyk et al (2015), Gillespie et al (2009), Liu et al (2009), Cameron and Jones (2007) and Hamid and Ali (1997). Conversely, few studies considered constant flow velocity during experiments, such as McKeon et al (2017) and Charles and Fipke (2017). The impact velocity of solid particles is a very significant parameter contributing to the erosion of impacted surfaces.…”

“…Therefore, the process of erosion at a variety of angles in the turbulent flow region cannot be precisely 2009) and Cameron and Jones (2007) conducted erosion tests on circular coupon samples of a particular type of sand screen. Conversely, some experiments were conducted on cylindrical samples, either vertically such as those by Kumar et al (2018) or horizontally such as those by Charles and Fipke (2017), Zamberi et al (2014) and Hamid and Ali (1997). Test geometry and orientation are very essential factors that affect the impact angle of solid particles during experiments.…”

“…To study the effect of sand concentration, some studies considered changing it during experiments, such as Deng et al (2019a), Kumar et al (2018), Zamberi et al (2014), and Hamid and Ali (1997). Although particles concentration is an important factor and naturally changes in reality from field observations, some studies were conducted for a particular constant concentration, such as Deng et al (2019a), Kanesan et al (2019), McKeon et al (2017, Charles and Fipke (2017), Procyk et al (2015), Gillespie et al (2009), and Cameron and Jones (2007). The data of Procyk et al (2015) have been plotted to show the effect of particle concentration at a constant flow velocity, as shown in Fig.…”