Sand management

Sand management is an assessment of the reservoir rock's ability to collapse and transport sand particles into the wellbore during production. The calculation is based on the formation's physical and mechanical properties (UCS, Poisson's ratio), current stresses in the near-wellbore zone, pore pressure, and the drawdown created during fluid extraction. The key objective is to determine the critical drawdown at which the rock matrix begins to fracture. The calculation is based on a calibrated 1D geomechanical model, well logging data and laboratory core testing.

The results directly determine completion and production strategy. Completion engineers obtain critical drawdown values and a reservoir stability profile along the horizontal wellbore to select the optimal completion type (openhole, perforation, screens) and sand control design (gravel packs, sand control mesh). Reservoir engineers are provided with the predicted sand production threshold and the drawdown-sand production relationship, enabling them to configure a safe well operation mode with maximum flow rate without the risk of sand production, downhole equipment erosion, or premature well failure.