Proppants, rubber, scale, sand, fines, metal cuttings, and more of all shapes and sizes can be removed from the well stream. As long as they have a density higher than water or gas, there are no limits to what kind of solids can be removed.
By Olof Nilsson, Marketing Manager FourPhase
Sometimes we get very specific requests from our clients:
“We need to remove chalkstone solids from our well X because process engineers tell us that chalk will cause additional challenges for their plant if not removed”.
Or:
“We need to mill out some faulty packers in this well and are expecting a fair amount of rubber particles of all sizes that needs to be removed from the flow”.
Based on more than a decade of experience in the field and a database of more than 150 000 operational hours of active solids removal, we have seen all sorts of cases. This experience is invaluable when faced with new challenges. Finding or developing the right solution for the client’s needs is how we provide world-class solids management.
By Olof Nilsson, Marketing Manager FourPhase
Sometimes we get very specific requests from our clients:
“We need to remove chalkstone solids from our well X because process engineers tell us that chalk will cause additional challenges for their plant if not removed”.
Or:
“We need to mill out some faulty packers in this well and are expecting a fair amount of rubber particles of all sizes that needs to be removed from the flow”.
Based on more than a decade of experience in the field and a database of more than 150 000 operational hours of active solids removal, we have seen all sorts of cases. This experience is invaluable when faced with new challenges. Finding or developing the right solution for the client’s needs is how we provide world-class solids management.
A vast range of solids
The variety in the solids we separate for customers, is vast:
Chalk and a variety of other reservoir minerals in the form of solids. Resin-coated proppants and fracking sand in many forms. Scale that forms as precipitation from either injected water or formation water, creating minerals like calcium carbonate, barium sulphate, strontium sulphate, and iron sulphide deposited as granules in the wellbore or on tubing and moved topside with the well flow.
Metal cuttings, shavings or metal in other forms that stem from well interventions. Metallic particles are formed by the reaction between metal salts and gases like hydrogen sulphide (H2S).
Sulphur particles formed by chemical processes, e.g. H2S reacting with chlorine. Rubber from malfunctioning packers in the wellbore. Rocks or pebbles of sizes larger than 10 000 microns (1 cm) in diameter. Glass particles that stem from shattered laminated glass plugs installed in the wellbore for temporary plugging.
Asphaltenes, heavy, tar-like components that can precipitate from oil and stick to other solids, causing heavy lumps that cause blockages. Paraffins, a waxy substance that can crystallize and form deposits in pipelines and equipment. Paraffins are challenging to separate mechanically. Resins are also sticky substances that can form under certain production conditions and cause problems in the flow line.
All solids recovered from the well stream are normally coated in oil residue. The solids must then be treated in accordance with regulations related to the installation's jurisdiction. In some regions, jetting to the open sea is allowed in small amounts; in others (e.g., the Gulf of Mexico), oil-covered solids are special waste that must be treated in onshore facilities. Radioactive solids (NORM) should preferably be removed without human intervention.
Chalk and a variety of other reservoir minerals in the form of solids. Resin-coated proppants and fracking sand in many forms. Scale that forms as precipitation from either injected water or formation water, creating minerals like calcium carbonate, barium sulphate, strontium sulphate, and iron sulphide deposited as granules in the wellbore or on tubing and moved topside with the well flow.
Metal cuttings, shavings or metal in other forms that stem from well interventions. Metallic particles are formed by the reaction between metal salts and gases like hydrogen sulphide (H2S).
Sulphur particles formed by chemical processes, e.g. H2S reacting with chlorine. Rubber from malfunctioning packers in the wellbore. Rocks or pebbles of sizes larger than 10 000 microns (1 cm) in diameter. Glass particles that stem from shattered laminated glass plugs installed in the wellbore for temporary plugging.
Asphaltenes, heavy, tar-like components that can precipitate from oil and stick to other solids, causing heavy lumps that cause blockages. Paraffins, a waxy substance that can crystallize and form deposits in pipelines and equipment. Paraffins are challenging to separate mechanically. Resins are also sticky substances that can form under certain production conditions and cause problems in the flow line.
All solids recovered from the well stream are normally coated in oil residue. The solids must then be treated in accordance with regulations related to the installation's jurisdiction. In some regions, jetting to the open sea is allowed in small amounts; in others (e.g., the Gulf of Mexico), oil-covered solids are special waste that must be treated in onshore facilities. Radioactive solids (NORM) should preferably be removed without human intervention.
Case: Filling strainers with rubber debris
Challenge: One of our North Sea customers has experienced severe issues with defective rubber packers in a challenging well. Our customer had milled out the packers but had not recovered the debris from the wellbore. A comprehensive approach to solids management was needed to plan and implement the operation.
Solution FourPhase implemented an initial quick strainer solution as we expected returns of solids of all sizes, and the well needed to be started as fast as possible. After restarting the well, only a few hours passed before we had a full strainer. We cleaned out the strainer with approximately 200 kg of rubber. The operator was satisfied with lifting the rubber from the well, potentially saving them from a Coiled Tubing cleanout campaign. In parallel with the ongoing operation, FourPhase developed a flushable strainer which meant the customer can have continuous production.
Solution FourPhase implemented an initial quick strainer solution as we expected returns of solids of all sizes, and the well needed to be started as fast as possible. After restarting the well, only a few hours passed before we had a full strainer. We cleaned out the strainer with approximately 200 kg of rubber. The operator was satisfied with lifting the rubber from the well, potentially saving them from a Coiled Tubing cleanout campaign. In parallel with the ongoing operation, FourPhase developed a flushable strainer which meant the customer can have continuous production.
Case: Scale separation from Coiled Tubing operation
Challenge: On the UK Continental Shelf, a customer had planned a CT operation to clean out scale on four different wells. The challenge was to safely handle flowback with scale and other harmful substances in a physical environment with limited space.
Solution: We installed our automated DualFlow desander and a compact choke manifold to manage the flowback return from the CT operation. We remotely monitored and operated the desander from a separate control cabin at a safe distance.
Result: During a 12-week operation, we safely removed 4 771 kilograms of scale from the four wells, at an average or 170 kg/operational hr. Our monitoring also revealed valuable production insights, including where in the tubing scale production was most severe.
Link to full case
Solution: We installed our automated DualFlow desander and a compact choke manifold to manage the flowback return from the CT operation. We remotely monitored and operated the desander from a separate control cabin at a safe distance.
Result: During a 12-week operation, we safely removed 4 771 kilograms of scale from the four wells, at an average or 170 kg/operational hr. Our monitoring also revealed valuable production insights, including where in the tubing scale production was most severe.
Link to full case
A vast range of particle sizes
As mentioned previously, FourPhase cyclones can remove anything with a density greater than water or gas. The tools we have at our disposal vary according to customer needs and well properties.
Our 5K DualFlow desander is the jewel in our crown, representing the benchmark product in solids handling. It automatically removes all particles (99.8%) from the flow smaller than 10 000 micron and larger than 20 microns. In the 0 to 20 micron range the separation efficiency is still high but cannot be guaranteed as it varies with several factors. Anything larger than 10 000 microns (1 centimeter) is typically handled by rock catchers, or as in the case of the rubber packers, strainers that can handle larger diameter solids. However, the strainers in use can also be fitted with filters according to the size of solids expected, extending their capabilities to smaller solids.
Check out our case study section for more cases detailing FourPhase solids handling abilities.
Our 5K DualFlow desander is the jewel in our crown, representing the benchmark product in solids handling. It automatically removes all particles (99.8%) from the flow smaller than 10 000 micron and larger than 20 microns. In the 0 to 20 micron range the separation efficiency is still high but cannot be guaranteed as it varies with several factors. Anything larger than 10 000 microns (1 centimeter) is typically handled by rock catchers, or as in the case of the rubber packers, strainers that can handle larger diameter solids. However, the strainers in use can also be fitted with filters according to the size of solids expected, extending their capabilities to smaller solids.
Check out our case study section for more cases detailing FourPhase solids handling abilities.