Research on sand control in thin interbed CBM wells

Abstract

Coalbed methane well sand (pulverized coal) problem restricts the production life of coalbed methane well, resulting in high maintenance costs, reduce productivity, and because of the large contact area between thin interbed coal seam and surrounding rock, the problem of sand production (pulverized coal) is prominent. In the Surat Basin of Australia, the coal seam cementation is loose and the coal/mud/sandstone interlayer is complex. In the statistical wells, 100% of the production wells have different degrees of sand production problems, and 33.5% of which have serious sand production, frequent workover operations, and high production costs. Based on the systematic analysis of the reservoir characteristics, sand production characteristics and production rules in Surat Basin, the comprehensive sand discharge prevention technology of “expansion packer + blind tube” and “screw pump + slurry rotor + automatic shunt valve + drilling through casing shoes” is adopted according to the research on the particle settlement law, combined with the prediction of sand production level and the optimization of sand control technology. The problem of sand production in coal measure strata in Surat Basin has been solved in stages. The field application results show that the average continuous production time of a single well increases from 275 days to nearly 400 days, and the workover frequency is reduced by nearly 50%.

Keywords

• thin interbed
• coalbed methane well
• sand production
• surat basin
• sand control
• sand carrying production