Abstract
Sand and fines production is one of the oldest problems in the petroleum industry and one of the toughest to solve. Today, many sand control technologies and methods exist and in certain cases some sand and fines production is manageable, while for others it cannot be tolerated at all. Also, many wells do not produce sand or fines from the onset and may not require a sand control solution until later in their lives. Chemical sand control solutions have been around for many years and have always been attractive due to their ability to be installed without any restrictions to the well bore geometry. However due to the difficulties with placement, and in many cases their association with some degree of reduction in permeability, there have been reservations regarding the use of chemical methods as a standard. This paper presents a unique chemistry that increases the maximum sand/fines free rate without a significant reduction in permeability and discusses the advanced placement techniques essential for a successful application. It includes study of two hundred and fifty wells which have been treated with zeta potential altering chemistry and presents analysis of both failed and successful applications and the lessons learned.
