Fines Migration in Fractured Wells: Integrating Modeling With Field and Laboratory Data

Production and drawdown data from 10 subsea deepwater fractured wells have been modeled with an analytical model for unsteady-state flow with fines migration. The simulation results and the field data indicated a good match, within 5%. A sensitivity study conducted on initial concentration of fines, flow rate, maximum fines-mobilization velocity, fines distribution, formation damage, and filtration coefficients confirmed that the model-matching parameters are within values reported commonly in the literature. This paper describes the methodology used to integrate the modeling predictions with field and laboratory data to identify probable causes for increasing skins and declining productivity-index values observed in some of the wells under investigation. It discusses the results of an experiment designed to simultaneously assess the effects of pressure depletion and compaction on fines production and permeability with a triaxial-stress apparatus. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first time an experiment of this nature is reported in the literature. The good match between the modeling and the field data, further validated with laboratory experiments, allows for discussion of long-term predictions on well productivity impacting current reservoir-management strategies and field-development plans.