External acoustic sensors and instruments for the detection of sand in oil and gas wells

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External acoustic sensors and instruments for the detection of sand in oil and gas wells

Brown, G.K.

From the earliest days of oil and gas production, solids mixed with the flowing medium have caused problems. The origins of these solids (sand) can be attributed to formation particles, solids introduced into the well such as drilling mud and frac sand, corrosion products (metal loss) and any other solids flowing through a system. With the ever changing methods of well drilling and completion the probability of sand is much higher today. In addition, the financial payback time is shorter so that more flow must be attained in a quicker and shorter time frame. If the production of sand is not minimized, formation damage can occur, downhole well equipment can be damaged, surface production equipment can be damaged and plugging of surface equipment can occur. The damage to the equipment alone can be expensive as well as the loss of product during downtime. In addition, the possibility of failures due to sand erosion can be catastrophic as produced fluids and gases can escape into the land, sea or atmosphere when a failure occurs due to erosion. There are many methods of sand control. In order to control the sand production it is necessary to have an early indication of the sand flow and its intensity. This paper will give a brief overview of the history of sand monitoring and the latest technology available for the detection of sand and the detection of the damage (erosion) that sand can cause.