Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ¡ª From August 18 to 22, 2024, Dr. Zhou Bo, a doctoral candidate from the Production and Sand Control Completion Laboratory, traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to participate in the Sustainable Sand Management Control and Solutions - Balancing Performance, Costs, and Environment symposium, hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and co-sponsored by Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas. At the event, Dr. Zhou delivered a technical report on squeeze gravel-packing technology and was invited to contribute to organizing and facilitating the SPE workshop.
The two-day symposium was structured into six distinct sessions, interspersed with three ePoster exhibitions, showcasing over twenty presentations focused on low-cost, innovative, and information-driven sand control well management strategies. The proceedings kicked off with a keynote session featuring four experts from Petronas, including Khairul Azmi Mahadi and Zurita Johar, who introduced the theme by sharing insights on "Innovative Sand Control Technologies for Oil Wells," "The Revolutionary Emergence of Modern Sand Control Techniques," "Sustainable Sand Production Management in Mature Fields - Balancing Economics, Production, and Impact," and "Mature Sand Control Management as an Opportunity." These presentations sparked engaging discussions among attendees.
Dr. Zhou Bo presented a report titled "Squeezing Gravel-Pack in Multi-Layer Well with Sanding Cavities in Formation: Simulation, Optimization, and Case Study." Her work introduced a simulation methodology for squeeze gravel-packing based on the simulation of sanding void morphology, exploring the optimization of squeeze parameters and diversion rates controlled by operational factors such as displacement rates. By optimizing construction parameters like displacement pressure and sand ratio while maintaining a fixed gravel volume, this research aimed to achieve dense near-wellbore packing while preserving formation integrity, ultimately enhancing production efficiency. The study culminated in the development of an optimized squeeze gravel-packing parameter method that significantly improves gravel-packing density.
Upon concluding all symposium proceedings, Co-chair Cheol Hwan Roh and Secretary-General Norliny Talib expressed their gratitude, inviting attendees to share their reflections and anticipation for future gatherings that will further propel advancements in sand control management. Sand production remains a persistent challenge in the oil and gas industry, necessitating the design of economical and effective completion solutions that minimize costs, maximize output, and prevent sand ingress.
As the oil and gas sector evolves, the accumulation of data and operational experience, coupled with the continuous development of novel sand control technologies, is broadening the scope of feasible management strategies. These efforts are yielding more cost-effective and efficient sand control approaches. Following his presentation, Dr. Zhou actively engaged with fellow scholars and experts, fostering discussions on relevant topics and contributing to the collective effort towards advancing sand control and completion technologies.