Sanding Problems in Injection and Production Wells of Waterflood Projects

Abstract

Sanding problems associated with oil production in waterflooding operations have been a common phenomenon at water breakthrough especially when producing from chalk and weak consolidated sand formations (Han & Dusseault, 2002). This topic have been researched extensively because of the severity of the potential damage that could be caused by sand erosion (Fjaer, 2008, Chapter 10; Skjaerstein, Tronvoll, Santarelli, & Joranson, 1997). On the other hand, until very recently sanding in water injectors did not receive the same attention from operators and researchers, as it was not seen possible given the pressure gradient imposed during injection (Morita, Davis, & Whitebay, 1998; Frederic J. Santarelli, Sanfilippo, Embry, White, & Turnbull, 2011). Sanding, however, is now consider as a major contributor to injectivity decline or the sudden and complete injectivity lost observed in some water injectors (F.J. Santarelli, Skomedal, Markestad, Berge, & Nasvig, 2000). The aim of this paper is to review the main mechanisms contributing to sanding in production and injection wells of waterflooding operations and to present available solutions and practices to prevent or reduce the effect of the problem.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90332 © 2018 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa, November 4-11, 2018