Prediction of Volumetric Sand Production and Stability of Well-Bore in a Niger-Delta Formation
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Date
2010-08-04
Authors
Adeyanju, Olusiji
Oyekunle, Layioye
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society of Petroleum Engineers
Abstract
Nigeria's Niger-Delta province has been identified as one petroleum system- The tertiary Niger-Delta (Akata-
Agbada) petroleum system. Almost all the petroleum resources currently are produced from the sandstone
species within the Agbada formation. Also turbidite sand in the upper Akata formation is a potential target in
deepwater offshore and currently producing interval onshore. This paper presents a mathematical model to
simulate sand production from petroleum reservoir subject to an open-hole completion. A coupled reservoir-geomechanical
model was used to predict the volumetric sand production and associated wellbore stability. The
model is based on mixture theory with erosion. The Representative Elementary Volume (REV) composes of five
phases - solid matrix, fluidized solids, oil, water, and gas phase was chosen. The model also incorporates the
reservoir drawdown pressure, rock failure criteria, rock types and field condition. Analytical solution of sand
displacement processes is also highlighted. Results show that the magnitude of sand production is strongly
affected by the flow rate, the confining pressure, the pressure drawdown and the fluid viscosity. The determined
ratio of the productivity index to the saturation of the fluidized solid can be correlated to determine reservoir
formation type during sand production, and predicting the wellbore stability. The model has a higher degree of validity for light and medium crude oil flow which possesses moderate lubricating properties, and therefore erosion
of sand particles during production highly depends on flow rate.
Description
Keywords
Wellbore stability, fluidized solid, productivity index, turbidite sand, sand production
Citation
Adeyanju, O.A. and Oyekunle, L.O.: (2010)” Prediction of Volumetric Sand Production and Stability of Well-Bore in a Niger-Delta Formation” SPE 136965-MS, Referred proceedings of the NAICE 2010 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Conference and Exhibition held at Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar, Nigeria. July 31-August, 7, 2010