Application Of Sieve/Screen Analysis In Petroleum Industry, Determine Gravel And Screen Size To Control Sand Production

Abstract

The formation sand that produced together with oil and/or gas creates a number of potentially dangerous and costly problem (Losses in production, erosion damage, sand disposal, etc). In petroleum industries which explore and produce crude oil, sieve analysis is used/applied to describe the population of formation sand grain size. Sieve analysis became the accepted method for characterizing both the formation sand and the gravel which to be used to control sand production. Gravel Pack is currently the most used and most successful method of sand control, whereas the screen will holds the gravel in place. The main objectives of this experimental study are, describing the population of formation sand, determine the uniformity coefficient, define the gravel pack size that can minimize and/or stop formation sand movement and screen gauge that be hold the gravel in place. The experimental study was started by coring job program. Core samples were taken from varies depth of two new wells, well A and well B that located in North Duri Field. Formation sand sample of well A came from the following depth; 521’, 547’, 601’ and 608’. While, formation sand sample of well B taken from; 623’, 637’, 650’, 664’, 690’ and 710’. Prior to sieve analysis each formation sand samples must be cleaned from any impurities substance by using Soxhlet extraction and Toluene used as solvent. It is then dried, grains separated with a mortar and pestle, being careful not to crush but only to separate individual grains. Then, the sand sample (from core) of known weight is passed through a set of sieves of known mesh sizes. Based on data interpretations and calculations, we got some conclusions as followed: all of the sand formation samples relatively uniform, indicated by their Uniformity Coefficient (C) less than 5, The proper gravel pack size that can stop and/or minimize sand production is +20– 40 (Comparing Total Pressure drop of varies gravel sizes - Darcy’s Law), whereas the screen gauge that used to hold gravel is 12 gauge (0,012 Inch)