The paper addresses issues related to selection of sand control systems applied when producing heavy oil from unconsolidated rocks. A sharp productivity reduction was noticed during the operation of wells with filters. A methodology accounting for subsurface features has been developed for laboratory testing of well-completion systems to reduce uncertainties. Damage related to undesirable drop in flow rate was analyzed. As a result, corrections were promptly introduced to the size of filters used in well completions, which led to increased productivity of newly commissioned wells.

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