Sanding evaluation and real-time sand management decisions in high-rate gas wells, Ichthys Field, Browse Basin Australia
Abbas Khaksar A * , Ahmadreza Younessi A and Inyau Bada BA Baker Hughes, Perth, WA, Australia.
B Inpex, Perth, WA, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 63 S198-S203 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22180
Accepted: 10 March 2023 Published: 11 May 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.
Abstract
This paper demonstrates the workflow of an integrated petrophysical, geomechanical sanding assessment and cement bond log evaluation to define a simple cut-off for reliable sand production assessments and well completion decisions. This workflow provides valuable insights for timely and fit-for-purpose sand management strategies particularly at early field life where the commonly used sanding prediction methodologies cannot be calibrated with field data because of the lack of sanding observations. The successful application of this methodology is shown in the Ichthys gas field, Browse Basin, with high rate and long high-angle producers with subsea wellheads and a long pipeline to an onshore plant. Advanced geomechanical analysis combing analytical and numerical sanding methodologies are used to define a single property cut-off for well-life sand-free production. The availability of such a simple cut-off has assisted the well construction engineers to follow a quick, cost-effective, simplified but thorough approach for sand production assessment and completion selection as opposed to being empirical, or too time consuming. The field first came on stream in July 2018. The workflow has been used in development wells and its validity and sand control decisions are confirmed, as to date all wells are producing sand-free. A similar workflow is being developed for the secondary target at some 400–500 m deeper for the subsequent phases of field development.
Keywords: Brewster Formation, depletion, geomechanics, Ichthys Field, real-time decision, rock strength, sanding evaluation, sand control.
Abbas Khaksar is a Global Geomechanics Advisor and Subject Matter Expert for sand production prediction with Baker Hughes. He is based in Perth, Australia and has 28 years of work experience. Abbas has been with Baker Hughes since 2009 and previously worked for Helix-RDS, Geomechanics International (GMI), University of Adelaide and Iran Geological Survey. He holds a PhD in Rock Physics, MSc in Petroleum Geophysics from the University of Adelaide and BSc in Mining from Tehran University. He is a member of SPE and American Association of Rock Mechanics. Abbas was a SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2019–2020 on ‘Use of geomechanics for sanding prediction and sand management’. |
Ahmadreza Younessi holds a BScin Mining (2004), MSc in Rock Mechanics (2006) from Amir Kabir University, and PhD in Petroleum Engineering (2012) from Curtin University. He has worked as a Geomechanics Consultant since 2006. He joined Baker Hughes Geomechanics Team in 2012. Since then, he has been involved in numerous projects including 1D and 3D geomechanical modelling, wellbore stability analysis, near-real-time analysis, sand production prediction, sanding rate quantification, compaction and subsidence analysis, 4D geomechanical modelling and fault reactivation analysis mainly in Asia-Pacific region. He is the Regional Advisor in 3D/4D geomechanical modelling applications. He also actively contributes to technology and software development. He has more than 20 publications in peer- reviewed journals, SPE papers and conference presentations. He has served on technical committees in several SPE conferences and technical workshops. |
Inyau Bada is a Senior Production Technologist with INPEX Australia based in Perth since late 2015. He started his career in Oil and Gas in 1989 with Shell in Sarawak, Malaysia. He has more than 30 years of work experience, mainly as a Production Technologist and for a short period as a Completion Engineer. He worked for PDO Oman in 1999. He returned to Shell in 2003 and was there until 2005. He then worked for Woodside Energy based in Perth from 2005 for 10 years as Senior and Principal Production Technologist prior to moving to INPEX. |
References
Gui F, Khaksar A, van der Zee W, Cadogan P (2016) Improving the Sandng Evaluation Accuracy by Integrating Core Tests, Field Observations and Numerical Simulation. Paper presented at SPE APOGCE, Perth, Australia.Gui F, Khaksar A, Cadogan P, Arndt S (2017) Numerical Sanding Risk Assessment Considering Cement Bond Coverage. Paper presented at 51st US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, California, USA.
Khaksar A, Taylor PG, Fang Z, Kayes T, Salazar A and Rahman K (2009) Rock Strength from Core and Logs: Where We Stand and Ways to Go. SPE 121972. Paper presented at SPE EUROPEC/EAGE Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Rahman K, Khaksar A, Kayes T (2010) An integrated geomechanical and passive sand-control approach to minimizing sanding risk from openhole and cased-and-perforated wells. SPE Drilling & Completion 25, 155–167.
| An integrated geomechanical and passive sand-control approach to minimizing sanding risk from openhole and cased-and-perforated wells.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Younessi A, Gui F, Asadi MS, Khaksar A (2018) Calibration of Sand Production Prediction Models at Early Field Life in the Absence of Field Sanding Data. Paper presented at SPE APOGCE, Brisbane, Australia.
