TY - GEN
T1 - Challenges and potentials for sand control design and management in oil reservoirs of Kazakhstan
AU - Soroush, Mohammad
AU - Hosseini, Seyed Abolhassan
AU - Roostaei, Morteza
AU - Pourafshary, Peyman
AU - Mahmoudi, Mahdi
AU - Ghalambor, Ali
AU - Fattahpour, Vahidoddin
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by RGL Reservoir Management Inc. and Mitacs through the Accelerate program.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2020, Society of Petroleum Engineers
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Kazakhstan owns one of the largest global oil reserves (~3%). This paper aims at investigating the challenges and potentials for production from weakly-consolidated and unconsolidated oil sandstone reserves in Kazakhstan. We used the published information in the literature, especially those including comparative studies between Kazakhstan and North America. Weakly consolidated and unconsolidated oil reserves, in Kazakhstan, were studied in terms of the depth, pay-zone thickness, viscosity, particle size distribution, clay content, porosity, permeability, gas cap, bottom water, mineralogy, solution gas, oil saturation, and homogeneity of the pay zone. The previous and current experiences in developing these reserves were outlined. The stress condition was also discussed. Furthermore, geological condition, including the existing structures, layers and formations were addressed for different reserves. Weakly consolidated heavy oil reserves in shallow depths (less than 500 m) with oil viscosity around 500 cP and thin pay zones (less than 10 m) have been successfully produced using cold methods, however, thicker zones could be produced using thermal options. Sand management is the main challenge in cold operations, while sand control is the main challenge in thermal operations. Tectonic history is more critical in comparison to the similar cases in North America. The complicated tectonic history, necessitates the geomechanical models to strategize the sand control especially in cased and perforated completion. These models are usually avoided in North America due to the less problematic conditions. Further investigation has shown that Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) could be utilized to limit the water breakthrough, as water coning is a common problem, which initiates and intensifies the sanding. This paper provides a review on challenges and potentials for sand control and sand management in heavy oil reserves of Kazakhstan, which could be used as a guideline for service companies and operators. This paper could be also used as an initial step for further investigations regarding the sand control and sand management in Kazakhstan.
AB - Kazakhstan owns one of the largest global oil reserves (~3%). This paper aims at investigating the challenges and potentials for production from weakly-consolidated and unconsolidated oil sandstone reserves in Kazakhstan. We used the published information in the literature, especially those including comparative studies between Kazakhstan and North America. Weakly consolidated and unconsolidated oil reserves, in Kazakhstan, were studied in terms of the depth, pay-zone thickness, viscosity, particle size distribution, clay content, porosity, permeability, gas cap, bottom water, mineralogy, solution gas, oil saturation, and homogeneity of the pay zone. The previous and current experiences in developing these reserves were outlined. The stress condition was also discussed. Furthermore, geological condition, including the existing structures, layers and formations were addressed for different reserves. Weakly consolidated heavy oil reserves in shallow depths (less than 500 m) with oil viscosity around 500 cP and thin pay zones (less than 10 m) have been successfully produced using cold methods, however, thicker zones could be produced using thermal options. Sand management is the main challenge in cold operations, while sand control is the main challenge in thermal operations. Tectonic history is more critical in comparison to the similar cases in North America. The complicated tectonic history, necessitates the geomechanical models to strategize the sand control especially in cased and perforated completion. These models are usually avoided in North America due to the less problematic conditions. Further investigation has shown that Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) could be utilized to limit the water breakthrough, as water coning is a common problem, which initiates and intensifies the sanding. This paper provides a review on challenges and potentials for sand control and sand management in heavy oil reserves of Kazakhstan, which could be used as a guideline for service companies and operators. This paper could be also used as an initial step for further investigations regarding the sand control and sand management in Kazakhstan.
KW - Cold Production
KW - Gas Breakthrough
KW - Heavy Oil
KW - Kazakhstan
KW - Sand Control Devices
KW - Sand Management
KW - Water Cut
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85082478085
T3 - Proceedings - SPE International Symposium on Formation Damage Control
BT - Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control 2020, FD 2020
PB - Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
T2 - SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Formation Damage Control 2020, FD 2020
Y2 - 19 February 2020 through 21 February 2020
ER -