GeoFORM XTreme system stopped sand in methane hydrate well

A customer that had drilled a new test well in methane hydrate off the east coast of Japan was in quest of a viable sand control solution following a 2013 production test that was terminated after only six days. The 2013 test well, which had been completed using the most widely relied on sand control method—gravel-packing—had quickly succumbed to sand production. In early 2014 a collaboration began between the customer and Baker Hughes to identify a solution that could enable sustained sand-free production from the challenging reservoir type.

The new project began with a close evaluation of the 2013 production test. The teams found that when the well was brought online, the wellbore enlarged from 8.5 to 12 in. (21.6 to 30.5 cm) as the formation depressurized. This caused the gravel in the annulus to shift, exposing the underlying sand control screen which quickly began to erode. Sand particles smaller than 100 μm entered the production string through the compromised screen, ultimately resulting in equipment failure.

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