Abstract
A new method to prevent sand permeation from unconsolidated or poorly consolidated reservoir formations has been developed. The Quasi Natural Consolidation (QNC)-method involves a controlled in situ precipitation of calcium carbonate scale on sand grains. Experiments show that calcium carbonate forms bridges between sand grains and strengthens the unconsolidated sand pack. The QNC-solution contains Ca2+, urea and urease. When this single-phase solution is injected into the sand pack, calcium carbonate precipitates at a rate which is dependent on the urease concentration and temperature. A series of batch experiments have been carried out in order to establish the optimum solution chemistry/composition for sand consolidation. Consolidation experiments have shown that this method is applicable in the temperature range from 25 °C to at least 65 °C. An untreated sand pack collapsed at a water flow velocity of < 0.01 cm/s (Q/Atot). However, after two QNC-injections at either 25, 50 or 60 °C the sand packs could withstand a water flow velocity >0.38 cm/s without producing sand. The permeability dropped about 25% from the initial ~10 Darcy. Uniaxial strength tests showed that up to 10.56 MPa could be obtained after four injections. Consolidation was obtained also with presence of oil in the sand pack, although with a somewhat reduced efficacy of the treatment. Permeability measurements indicate that the relative water permeability is reduced more than the relative oil permeability after treatment.