Numerical Investigation of Sand-Screen Performance in the Presence of Adhesive Effects for Enhanced Sand Control
- Authors
- Siti Nur Amira Shaffee (Imperial College London and PETRONAS) | Paul F. Luckham (Imperial College London) | Omar K. Matar (Imperial College London) | Aditya Karnik (Imperial College London and Robert Gordon University) | Mohd Shahrul Amir Zamberi (PETRONAS)
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2118/195686-PA
- Document ID
- SPE-195686-PA
- Publisher
- Society of Petroleum Engineers
- Source
- SPE Journal
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 05
- Publication Date
- October 2019
- Document Type
- Journal Paper
- Pages
- 2,195 - 2,208
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1086-055X
- Copyright
- 2019.Society of Petroleum Engineers
- Disciplines
- Keywords
- adhesion, discrete element method, computational fluid dynamics, particle-laden flows, sand control
- Downloads
- 11 in the last 30 days
- 90 since 2007
- Show more detail
- View rights & permissions
| SPE Member Price: | USD 12.00 |
| SPE Non-Member Price: | USD 35.00 |
Summary
In many industrial processes, an effective particle-filtration system is essential for removing unwanted solids. The oil and gas industry has explored various technologies to control and manage excessive sand production, such as by installing sand screens or injecting consolidation chemicals in sand-prone wells as part of sand-management practices. However, for an unconsolidated sandstone formation, the selection and design of effective sand control remains a challenge. In recent years, the use of a computational technique known as the discrete-element method (DEM) has been explored to gain insight into the various parameters affecting sand-screen-retention behavior and the optimization of various types of sand screens (Mondal et al. 2011, 2012, 2016; Feng et al. 2012; Wu et al. 2016).
In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of particle filtration using a fully coupled computational-fluid-dynamics (CFD)/DEM approach featuring polydispersed, adhesive solid particles. We found that an increase in particle adhesion reduces the amount of solid in the liquid filtrate that passes through the opening of a wire-wrapped screen, and that a solid pack of particle agglomerates is formed over the screen with time. We also determined that increasing particle adhesion gives rise to a decrease in packing density and a diminished pressure drop across the solid pack covering the screen. This finding is further supported by a Voronoi tessellation analysis, which reveals an increase in porosity of the solid pack with elevated particle adhesion. The results of this study demonstrate that increasing the level of particle agglomeration, such as by using an adhesion-promoting chemical additive, has beneficial effects on particle filtration. An important application of these findings is the design and optimization of sand-control processes for a hydrocarbon well with excessive sand production, which is a major challenge in the oil and gas industry.
| File Size | 1 MB | Number of Pages | 14 |
References
Addai-Mensah, J., Bal, H., and Yeap, K.-Y. 2008. Polyelectrolyte Enhanced Flocculation, Particle Interactions and Dewaterability of Fine Gibbsite Dispersions. APJ Chem Eng 3 (1): 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/apj.110.
Ballard, T. J. and Beare, S. P. 2012. An Investigation of Sand Retention Testing With a View to Developing Better Guidelines for Screen Selection. Presented at the SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control, Lafayette, Louisiana, 15–17 February. SPE-151768-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/151768-MS.
Bellarby, J. 2009. Sand Control. In Well Completion Design, Developments in Petroleum Science Series, Vol. 56, ed. J. Bellarby, Chap. 3, 129–239. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Burtseva, L. and Werner, F. 2007. Modeling of Spherical Particle Packing Structures Using Mathematical Tessellation. Integration The Vlsi Journal (March): 1–29. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2664.7840.
Burtseva, L. and Werner, F. 2015. Modeling of Spherical Particle Packing Structures Using Mathematical Tessellation. Technical Report, Faculty of Mathematics, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2664.7840.
Chanpura, R. A., Hodge, R. M., Andrews, J. S. et al. 2010. State of the Art Screen Selection for Standalone Screen Applications. Presented at SPE International Symposium and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control, Lafayette, Louisiana, 10–12 February. SPE-127931-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/127931-MS.
Chen, J., Wang, Y., Li, X. et al. 2015. Erosion Prediction of Liquid-Particle Two-Phase Flow in Pipeline Elbows via CFD/DEM Coupling Method. Powder Technol 275: 182–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/2Fj.powtec.2014.12.057.
Chokshi, A., Tielens, A. G. G. M., and Hollenbach, D. 1993. Dust Coagulation. Astrophys J 1 (2): 1689–1699. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004.
Climent, N., Arroyo, M., O’Sullivan, C. et al. 2013. Sensitivity to Damping in Sand Production DEM-CFD Coupled Simulations. AIP Conf. Proc. 1542 (1): 1170–1173. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4812145.
Crowe, C. T., Schwarzkopf, J. D., Sommerfeld, M. et al. 2011. Multiphase Flows With Droplets and Particles. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.
Cundall, P. A. and Strack, O. D. L. 1979. A Discrete Numerical Model for Granular Assemblies. Géotechnique 29 (1): 47–65. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1979.29.1.47.
Derjaguin, B. V., Muller, V., and Toporov, Y. P. 1975. Effect of Contact Deformations on the Adhesion of Particles. J Colloid Interface Sci 53 (2): 314–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(75)90018-1.
Di Felice, R. 1994. The Voidage Function for Fluid-Particle Interaction Systems. Int J Multiphas Flow 20 (1): 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-9322(94)90011-6.
Di Renzo, A. and Di Maio, F. P. 2004. Comparison of Contact-Force Models for the Simulation of Collisions in DEM-Based Granular Flow Codes. Chem Eng Sci 59 (3): 525–541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2003.09.037.
Dong, K. J., Yang, R. Y., Zou, R. P. et al. 2006. Role of Interparticle Forces in the Formation of Random Loose Packing. Phys Rev Lett 96 (14): 145505. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.145505.
Dong, K. J., Yang, R. Y., Zou, R. P. et al. 2012. Settling of Particles in Liquids: Effects of Material Properties. AIChE J. 58 (5): 1409–1421. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.12682.
Dong, K. J., Zou, R. P., Yang, R. Y. et al. 2009. DEM Simulation of Cake Formation in Sedimentation and Filtration. Miner. Eng. 22 (11): 921–930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2009.03.018.
Feng, Y., Choi, X., Wu, B. et al. 2012. Evaluation of Sand Screen Performance Using a Discrete Element Model. Presented at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Perth, Australia, 22–24 October. SPE-158671-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/158671-MS.
GhasemiKafrudi, E. and Hashemabadi, S. H. 2016. Numerical Study on Cuttings Transport in Vertical Wells With Eccentric Drillpipe. J Pet Sci Eng 140 (April): 85–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2015.12.026.
Hund, D., Antonyuk, S., and Ripperger, S. 2017. Simulation of Bridging at the Static Surface Filtration by CFD/DEM Coupling. EPJ Web Conf 140: 09033. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714009033.
Johnson, K. L. 1985. Contact Mechanics. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Johnson, K. L., Kendall, K., and Roberts, A. D. 1971. Surface Energy and the Contact of Elastic Solids. Proc Math Phys Eng Sci 324 (1558): 301–313. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1971.0141.
Larsen, O. S., Fjellstad, V., Mathisen, A. M. et al. 2012. New Sand Retention Test Setup Exhibits No Plugging Tendencies With Various Screen Types Using Non-Uniform Test Sand. Presented at the SPE International Symposium on Formation Damage Control, Lafayette, Louisiana, 15–17 February. SPE-151346-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/151346-MS.
Li, J., Webb, C., Pandiella, S. S. et al. 2003. Discrete Particle Motion on Sieves—A Numerical Study Using the DEM Simulation. Powder Technol 133 (1–3): 190–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0032-5910(03)00092-5.
Liu, W., Chen, S., and Li, S. 2017. Influence of Adhesion on Random Loose Packings of Binary Microparticle Mixtures. AIChE J. 63 (10): 4296–4306. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.15775.
Liu, W., Li, S., Baule, A. et al. 2015. Adhesive Loose Packings of Small Dry Particles. Soft Matter 11 (32): 6492–6498. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5SM01169H.
Marshall, J. S. and Li, S. 2014. Adhesive Particle Flow: A Discrete-Element Approach. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Martins, A. L., Magalhães, J. V. M., Souza, J. Z. et al. 2010. CFD/DEM Modeling of the Gravel Packing Process During Petroleum Horizontal Well Completions. AMCA XXIX: 8651–8659.
Maugis, D. 1992. Adhesion of Spheres: The JKR-DMT Transition Using a Dugdale Model. J Colloid Interface Sci 150 (1): 243–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(92)90285-T.
Mondal, S., Sharma, M. M., Chanpura, R. A. et al. 2011. Numerical Simulations of Sand-Screen Performance in Standalone Applications. SPE Drill & Compl 26 (4): 472–483. SPE-134326-PA. https://doi.org/10.2118/134326-PA.
Mondal, S., Sharma, M. M., Hodge, R. M. et al. 2012. A New Method for the Design and Selection of Premium/Woven Sand Screens. SPE Drill & Compl 27 (3): 407–416. SPE-146656-PA. https://doi.org/10.2118/146656-PA.
Mondal, S., Wu, C.-H., Sharma, M. M. et al. 2016. Characterizing, Designing, and Selecting Metal Mesh Screens for Standalone-Screen Applications. SPE Drill & Compl 31 (2): 85–94. SPE-170935-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/170935-PA.
Moreno-Atanasio, R., Xu, B. H., and Ghadiri, M. 2000. Computer Simulation of the Effect of Contact Stiffness and Adhesion on the Fluidization Behavior of Powders. Chem Eng Sci 62 (1–2): 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2006.08.036.
Reade, W. C. and Collins, L. R. 2000. Effect of Preferential Concentration on Turbulent Collision Rates. Phys Fluids 12 (10): 2530–2540. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1288515.
Rycroft, C. H. 2009. VORO++: A Three-Dimensional Voronoi Cell Library in C++. Chaos 19 (4): 041111. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3215722.
Silbert, L. E., Ertas_, D., Grest, G. S. et al. 2001. Granular Flow Down an Inclined Plane: Bagnold Scaling and Rheology. Phys Rev E 64 (5): 051302. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.64.051302.
Sommerfeld, M. 2000. Theoretical and Experimental Modelling of Particulate Flow. Technical Report Lecture Series 2000-06, Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium.
Sören, S. and Jürgen, T. 2012. Simulation of a Filtration Process by DEM and CFD. IJMEM 1 (2): 28–35. https://doi.org/10.11159/ijmem.2012.004.
Sparks, T. 2012. Solid-Liquid Filtration: A User’s Guide to Minimizing Cost and Environmental Impact, Maximizing Quality & Productivity. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
STAR-CCM+ is a trademark or registered trademark of Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or in other countries.
Sundaram, S. and Collins, L. R. 1997. Collision Statistics in an Isotropic Particle-Laden Turbulent Suspension. Part 1. Direct Numerical Simulations. J Fluid Mech 335 (25 March): 75–109. https://doi.org/10.1017/S00221120960044.
Tabor, D. 1977. Surface Forces and Surface Interactions. J Colloid Interface Sci 58 (1): 2–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(77)90366-6.
Timoshenko, S. 1970. Theory of Elasticity, third edition. New York City: Engineering Societies Monographs, McGraw-Hill.
Tsuji, Y., Kawaguchi, T., and Tanaka, T. 1993. Discrete Particle Simulation of Two-Dimensional Fluidized Bed. Powder Technol 77 (1): 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/0032-5910(93)85010-7.
Valdes, J. R. and Santamarina, J. C. 2006. Particle Clogging in Radial Flow: Microscale Mechanisms. SPE J. 11 (2): 193–198. SPE-88819-PA. https://doi.org/10.2118/88819-PA.
Weitz, D. A. 2004. Packing in the Spheres. Science 303 (5660): 968–969. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094581.
Wilson, R., Dini, D., and van Wachem, B. 2016. A Numerical Study Exploring the Effect of Particle Properties on the Fluidization of Adhesive Particles. AIChE J. 62 (5): 1467–1477. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.15162.
Wu, B., Choi, S. K., Feng, Y. et al. 2016. Evaluating Sand Screen Performance Using Improved Sand Retention Test and Numerical Modelling. Presented at the Offshore Technology Conference Asia, Kuala Lumpur, 22–25 March. OTC-26434-MS. https://doi.org/10.4043/26434-MS.
Xu, B. H. and Yu, A. B. 1997. Numerical Simulation of the Gas-Solid Flow in a Fluidized Bed by Combining Discrete Particle Method With Computational Fluid Dynamics. Chem Eng Sci 52 (16): 2785–2809. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2509(97)00081-X.
Zhou, Z. Y., Yu, A. B., and Choi, S. K. 2011. Numerical Simulation of the Liquid-Induced Erosion in a Weakly Bonded Sand Assembly. Powder Technol 211 (2–3): 237–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2011.04.029.
Zhu, H. P., Zhou, Z. Y., Yang, R. Y. et al. 2007. Discrete Particle Simulation of Particulate Systems: Theoretical Developments. Chem Eng Sci 62 (13): 3378–3396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2006.12.089.
