This paper provides guidance for selecting and designing optimum sand control systems for water injector wells. This guidance is based on a detailed study on issues and problems in water injection wells in the Foinaven field operated by BP.

Given openhole, stand-alone screen failures experienced on two Foinaven water injector wells, a water-injector sandface-completion study was commissioned with the following objectives: to review the issues and problems in water injector wells, propose possible solutions, and conduct engineering designs for water-injector sandface completions listed below.

  • Cased and perforated

  • Openhole stand-alone screens

  • Openhole gravel packs

  • Openhole frac packs

  • Cased hole frac packs

  • Expandable screens

The paper summarises possible causes of sand control failure in the Foinaven field water injection wells and provides potential mitigations by selecting solutions using conventional and innovative technology.

Keywords:
fracture, completion, hydraulic fracturing, water hammer, mechanism, waterflooding, sand control, hydraulic fracture, injection water, corrosion
Subjects:
Hydraulic Fracturing, Reservoir Fluid Dynamics, Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Sand/solids control, Screen selection, Frac and pack, Fracturing materials (fluids, proppant), Flow in porous media, Waterflooding, Sand Control
Copyright 2005, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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