SAND CONTROL METHOD AND FILTER MEDIA

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR THE

GUAFITA FIELD, VENEZUELA. CASE HISTORY

4th European Sand Management Forum

JOSÉ PINEDA (PDVSA)

GRACE SOMOGYI (PDVSA)
JUAN TOVAR (IESL)

Aberdeen, March 10th, 2010

 Agenda
•  Introduction and field background

•  Reservoir review and analysis

•  Mineralogy
•  Grain size

•  Field Geomechanics review and analysis

•  Formation damage review and analysis

•  Drilling fluid and solid's invasion
•  Filter media invasion

•  Sand control methods review for the G-7/2 sand

•  Gravel packed & Frac-packed wells review

•  Conclusions
 Introduction

•  Sanding problems in Guafita G-7/2 reservoir are common resulting

in most wells being completed with gravel packs and frac & packs

•  Severe production restrictions and costly workovers are common

throughout the field

•  Evaluation of gravel based sand control completions performance

for the G-7/2 reservoir in Guafita field was carried out in order to
improve filter's media selection and sand face completion design

•  New analytical models for grain size characterization were

developed and used to improve filter media’s selection and sand
face completion design

•  This presentation establishes an enhanced methodology for

tackling sanding problems in Guafita.
 Guafita field background
Guafita field is located in Apure State, Southwest Venezuela.
 Reservoir Characterization
• Mineralogy

16%
28%

56%
ILL& ESMECTITA CAOLINITA
CLORITA

•  G-7/2 sands shown quartz grain overgrow, that gives grain-grain cementing.
•  Shale content is highlighted in yellow, showing significant amount (> 30%) of non-quartz
material
 Reservoir Characterization
• Grain Size

Sieving results showed that G-7/2 sands have a mean grain size (D50) in a range
between 140 to 310 microns
 Reservoir Characterization
• Continuous Grain Size Model
Mean grain size (D50) from sieve Continuous mean grain size validated
analysis

D50 = [140 – 310] microns New D50 range = [70 - 330] microns
This range was used to design the gravel Continuous model was calibrated PSD data
packs for G-7/2 wells from wells GF-5X, 7X, 14X and 180.
 Reservoir Characterization
• G 7/2 sand quality
 Geomechanical analysis
• Stress field determination

•  Overburden determined
from density logs

•  Extended LOT, Fracture

closure data used
for determination of the
Horizontal stresses

Horizontal minimun Horizontal maximun

Stresses Vertical (σv)
(σh) (σH)

Gradient (psi/ft) 0,88 - 1,00 0,44 0,51 - 0,80

 Geomechanical analysis
•  Stress orientation

Orientation of horizontal stresses was determined through analysis of 6 arms

caliper log of GF-146 well. It showed horizontal stresses are highly influenced by the
existing faults in G-7/2

Minimum Maximum
Stresses/Faults Caño Limón Fault La Yuca Fault
(σh) (σH)

Orientation [°] [350-170] [70 – 250] 60 NE – 240 SW 25 NE – 205 SW

 Formation damage
•  Solid’s invasion
Mud to Matrix Matrix to Gravel/Proppant

•  Bridging is observed on 20/40 & 16/30 proppant,

•  Pore filling is observed for the 12/18 proppant
•  Over 50 microns results in
mud cake build up
 Formation damage
•  Filtrate invasion

•  Based on conventional fluid loss principles

•  Model addresses pore pressure, viscosity

and compressibility

Filtrate invasion for GF-14X well

 Formation damage
•  Fluid compatibility
Fluid-fluid interaction Rock-fluid interaction

A change in rock wettability is caused

by the OBM.
OBM interacts with reservoir crude
Reservoir matrix change to oil wet
causing a high viscosity emulsion
 Sand Control methods - G-7/2
•  Sand control method utilization

72% of wells in G-7/2 are completed with GP and 62% of these GPs are active.
14% of wells in G-7/2 are completed with Frac&Pack and are all inactive.
14% of wells in G-7/2 are completed without sand control method, and 34% are active.

More “successful” sand control method in G-7/2: Gravel pack

 Method design evaluation – Gravel pack
GRAVEL/ RECOMMENDED
WELL STATE INTERVAL MD (ft) D50 (microns)
PROPPANT PROPPANT

GF-14X ACTIVE 7510-7520 20/40 120 20/40

7590-7608 20/40 310 10/16
GF-30 ACTIVE
7641-7653 20/40 350 8/12
7774-7790 20/40 170 16/30
GF-31 ACTIVE 7804-7810 20/40 210 12/20
7850-7860 20/40 160 16/30
7482-7496 16/30 165 16/30
GF-180 ACTIVE 7500-7530 16/30 240 12/20
7556-7572 16/30 220 12/20
GF-189 ACTIVE 8106-8128 16/30 160 16/30
GF-193 ACTIVE 8140-8152 16/30 150 16/30

•  Restricted gravel/proppant selection was identified

•  Using Grain Size Continuous Model and Saucier correlation, suitable gravel/
proppant was selected(D50_proppant = (5-6) x D50_reservoir)
•  Screen sizing was found to be restrictive
•  Review perforating design to identify potential sources of damage
 Method design evaluation – Frac & pack

INTERVAL MD RECOMMENDED
WELL STATE PROPPANT D50 (microns)
(ft) PROPPANT

GF-179 INACTIVO 8112-8124 16/30 225 10/16

7827-7840 16/30 190 10/16
GF-195 INACTIVO 7845-7850 16/30 140 16/30-12/20
7228-7238 16/30 240 10/16
GF-196 INACTIVO 7250-7280 16/30 340 6/10

•  Restrictive proppant sizes were selected

•  Screens sizing proved to be restrictive
•  Evaluation indicated that in GF-179 the fracture extended vertically breaking the
barriers
•  Frac&Pack in G-7/2 seem operationally successful, but showed design limitations.
•  Fluid compatibility tests were not carried out
•  Review perforating design in order to determine optimal density (spf) and orientation
 Conclusions
•  G-7/2 reservoir is composed of heterogeneous sands, with significant
amount of Clay (over 30%). A high clay content (14%) is present in the
matrix, from which 72% are mobile clays (Kaolinite and Chlorite) and
28% are swelling clays (smectite)

•  A continuous grain size model was used to determine mean grain size.
The results allowed to investigate in detail the gravel and screen
section processes

•  Guafita is located in an area where a normal Stress regime exists, the

stress field is highly influenced by the main faults in the area, Caño
Limón and La Yuca

•  Formation damage was investigated considering four (4) different

damaging mechanisms: filtrate and solid’s invasion, fluid compatibility
& mechanical damage

•  For GF-180 well, an irreversible plugging of the matrix by mud solids is

observed for particles under 50 microns in size
 Conclusions
•  Sand grains invade the gravel/proppant and bridging is observed for
20/40 and 16/30 proppant, while pore filling is observed for 12/18
proppant.

•  Skin associated with rock-fluid and fluid-fluid interaction was also

identified. A suitable chemical solution has been developed
successfully

•  The most successful sand control method in the G-7/2 reservoir is

Gravel Pack. Most of these wells are active, even though restricted
gravel/proppant selection were found to affect their performance

•  Poor proppant selection was found in the wells completed with

Frac&Pack

•  Review of perforating design is ongoing to optimize the main

parameters, particularly orientation and density for future sand control
operations
SAND CONTROL METHOD AND FILTER MEDIA
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR THE
GUAFITA FIELD, VENEZUELA. CASE HISTORY

4th European Sand Management Forum

JOSÉ PINEDA (PDVSA)

GRACE SOMOGYI (PDVSA)
JUAN TOVAR (IESL)

Aberdeen, March 10th, 2010