A Novel Chemical Sand and Fines Control Using Zeta Potential Altering Chemistry and Placement Technique

Sand and fines production is one of the oldest problems in the petroleum industry and one of the toughest to solve. Today, many technologies and methods exist; in some cases some sand and fines production is manageable, while for others it cannot be tolerated at all. Also, many wells do not produce sand or fines from the onset and may not require an active sand control solution until later in their lives. Sand influx into the wellbore may lead to various down-hole and surface problems. Chemical sand control solutions have been around for many years and have always been attractive due to their ability to be installed without any restrictions to the well bore geometry. However due to the difficulties with placement, and in many cases their association with formation damage, there have been reservations regarding the use of chemical methods as a standard sand control method. This paper presents a unique and novel chemistry that increases the maximum sand/fines free rate without a significant reduction in permeability and discusses the placement techniques essential for a successful application. It includes a review of laboratory tests, treatment design considerations and study of some wells that have been treated with zeta potential altering chemistry.