Evaluation of Sand Control Completion Alternatives and Asphaltene Deposition Treatments in the Area 2 Sur Field Maracaibo Lake Venezuela.
Submitted: Paper presented at the International Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition in China, 2010.
Author: Vladimir Vasquez
Paper number: SPE-130559-MS
The main reservoir in the Area 2 Sur field is the Eocene C/VLG-3676, it is a consolidated reservoir located in the Maracaibo Lake (Venezuela), with recoverable reserves of approximately 572 MMSTB; this reservoir is characterized by complex challenges such as high temperature, sand production and asphaltene deposition.
This paper provides a methodology to choose the most feasible completion alternative to minimize sand production and asphaltene deposition in this field. Several analyses were made to determine possible causes and solutions of sanding and asphaltene deposition.
Also, a number of sand control techniques and asphaltene deposition treatments were technically evaluated to know the feasibility of each option in the field. Sand production wells are located mainly in the North and Central zone of the reservoir while asphaltene deposition it is common in the South region.
Five techniques have been applied to minimize sand production, only production rate control has been successful in some regions of the field. Two asphaltene deposition treatments has been used in the field, only clean out have been effective in 60% of the wells applied. Sand production is originated from stresses generated by high production rate which exceed the rock resistance. Asphaltene deposition is because the crude oil composition is unstable, light paraffin and CO2 are present in the gas lift and the reduction of pressure below asphaltene onset flocculation.
The optimum gravel size for the field is 8–12 US Mesh and the screen size is 1.25 mm , formation grain size of the reservoir Eocene C/VLG-3676 classify like medium uniform. Slotted liner and production rate control are technically feasible options to minimize sand production in the field. Magnetic treatment and production rate control are suitable to reduce asphaltene precipitation; economic indicators show that the well completion diagrams proposed is economically attractive in all regions of the reservoir.
