SPE 508

REMEDIAL SAND CONTROL TECHNIQUES:

This paper describes some of the sand problems as they exist in
the Harbor Area of the Wilmington Field and the steps that have been taken
to eliminate or remedy them.
Producing sands in the Wilmington Field are generally poorly
sorted and unconsolidated to easily friable.
Fluid migration to the well bore brings the unconsolidated fines
and silts with it, some of which are produced with the fluid, and some of
which are left in the well bore.

These fines and silts have acted as the

propping agents for the coarser grains of sand.

These in turn migrate to the

well bore, having lost their supports, and cause the well to sand up.
Several remedial operations that have been used in eliminating or
significantly reducing the sand problems in this area are discussed.

Plastics,

plastic coated walnut shells and Ottawa sands, of various grades, were used
in these operations.
CASE 4F1

In this remedial operation we used plastic as the plugging agent.

Prior to undertaking this operation the well was producing 102 BID net of
24 gravity oil.

The completion consisted of a 6-518" prepacked liner with

64 feet and 452 feet of 2 x 60 mesh perforations, separated by a blank interval,

open to production.

A C.P. nipple was installed in the liner at the top of

top perforations for purposes of cementing and plasticizing the blank liner
annulus to the shoe of the water string.

This was done when the liner was

run in the hole and prior to placing the well on production.

The well pro-

duced satisfactorily, but with increasing sand problems, from March 1959 to
July 1961, when remedial operations were started.

During a routine production

operation prior to remedial work, investigation showed that the tubing had
been sand blasted, thus indicating the point of sand entry_

-2A production rig was moved over the well, the oil in the hole was
displaced with oil base fluid, and the hole cleaned out to bottom.
A 6-5/8" straddle tool with a four foot net span and a plug ca.tcher
above one joint of tubing was run in the hole on 2-1/2" tubing to approximately ten feet above the perforations.
tested with 1200 psi pressure.
C.P. holes and closed.

The straddle tool was blanked and

The tool was opened, then lowered over the

The rate and pressure at which fluid could be pumped

to the formation was established.

to check the total displacement.

A trial plug was pumped down the tubing

This was a necessary step in the opera.tion,

in order to prevent overpumping of the plastic.

Approximately 85 gallons (2 drums) of solvent were pumped down the
tubing followed by a rubber plug followed by the calculated amount of plastic,
followed by another rubber plug.

This was followed by the calculated volume

of oil base fluid required to bump the second plug.

The tool was opened and

pulled up three feet, and an additional three or four cubic feet of displacing
fluid was pumped in to clear the tool of plastic.
slowly. to prevent swabbing of the hole.

The tubing was pulled out,

After twelve hours a 5-1/4" bit wa.s

run on tubing and the excess pI a.stic cleaned out of the liner.

A straddle

tool was rerun on tubing and the C.P. holes tested with pressures ranging
from 500 psi to 1000 psi.

The straddle tool was pulled out and the hole was

cleaned out to bottom with a bit.

Tubing, pump and rods were run and the

well was returned to production.

Since August 1961, the well has produced satisfactorily, with only
minor sand problems and production at 49 B/D net of 23.6 gravity oil.

-3CASE 112

In this remedial operation plastic coated walnut shells and Ottawa

sand were used to remedy the sand entry problem.
Pr ior to remedial a.ction the well was producing 40 B/D net of
19.5 0 gravity oil cutting M.ei

Ntll!e!'.

The completion consisted of a 6-5/8" liner with one 3/8" jet

perforated hole per foot through selected intervals of 26, 23, 2 and 41
feet.

These were pump-packed with 720 sacks of 6-9 gravel and 20-40

Ottawa sand in a 25-75% ratio.

The well produced with increasing sand

problems from November 1958 until May 1959 when remedial operations took
place.
A production rig was set over the well and the liner was backscuttled to bottom and the tubing was pulled out.

A 6-5/8" retrievomatic

cementing tool was run in on tubing and set in the liner at a point halfway
between the top and bottom of the perforations.

A breakdown rate and pressure

were established at this time in the operation.

A total of 58 sacks of Ottawa sand and gravel, in a ratio of
75-25, was pumped down the tubing with oil as the carrier and displacing
fluid.

This was followed by 14 sacks plastic coated walnut shells.

placing pressures reached a maximum of 2500 psi.

released and the liner cleaned out to bottom.

Dis-

The retrievomatic tool was

The retrievomatic tool was

pulled up and reset at a position above the top set of perforations.

Again

a breakdown rate and pressure were established.

A total of 100 sacks of 6-9 gravel and Ottawa 20-40 sand, in the
same ratio, were pumped down the tubing.
and displacing fluid.
stage of the operation.

Oil was used again as the carrier

Pressures reached a maximum of 2700 psi during this

The liner was backscuttled clean and the tool reset

at the same position, above the top of the perforations.

-4Fourteen sacks of plastic coated walnut shells were pumped down the tubing.
In both stages of this operation, rubber balls were intermittently inserted
to obtain a more uniform distribution of the sand.

Sufficient time was

taken to allow the pressure to equalize before releasing the tool and pulling
out.
A 5-5/8" roller bit was run on tubing and excess sand and gravel
were cleaned out of the liner.

Tubing, pump and rods were rerun and the well

was returned to production.

The well produced satisfactorily for three years prior to being
converted to water injection, and was producing 21 B/D net of 17.4 gravity
oil.
CASE fF3

This well was producing 28 B/D net of 22.9 gravity oil, cutting
88.3% water.

The completion consisted of a 6-5/8" prepacked liner with

521 feet of 2 x 60 mesh perforations open to production.

The well had

increasing sand problems since March 1960 and in November 1961 remedial
operations were started.
A bailer was run through the tubing and the liner cleaned out
to bottom.

The oil in the hole was displaced with oil base drilling fluid

before pulling tubing.

A 6-5/8" straddle tool with a 6" net span was run in on tubing,
below a plug catcher and above I joint of tubing, to blank pipe below the
interval to be plasticized.
check the total displacement.

A trial plug was pumped down the tubing to

In order to synchronize the pumps with the

pulling up of the straddle tool, five practice runs were made prior to the
actual ope ration.

Two barrels (approximately 85 gallons) of solvent were pumped

down the tubing followed by a rubber plug followed by 100 gallons of plastic,
followed by another rubber plug.

The plastic was displaced, while pulling

up 35 feet, with 118 c.f. of oil base fluid.

The hole was cleaned out to bottom and the perforations tested
satisfactorily.

The tubing pump and rods were rerun and the well returned

to production.
Since that time, November 1961, the well has produced satisfactorily
and at present is producing 37 BID net of 23.7 gravity oil.
The average cost of these remedial operations was $8600.00.
Since being returned to production each has produced sufficiently to
recover these remedial costs.
It should be noted that there was a production loss, ranging from
25 to 50%.

This loss in production should be anticipated when performing

remedial operations with plastic, because the oil sands in the interval
treated become plugged with plastic.