A Critical Review on Root Cause Analysis on Gravel Packing Design and Installation Issues

Sand control plays an important role in oil and gas industry throughout the years. The
objectives of sand control are to prevent sand formation from entering the well and
ensure the well reaches its highest productivity. Failure to include sand control plan in
developing wells cause many problems to companies especially when dealing with
unconsolidated reservoir. Among the problems that will occur are production losses,
erosion of hardware, tubular blockage, sand disposal issues and many more. There are
many techniques available in the industry. The most widely used sand control method is
gravel packing. The fundamental of gravel pack is by placing sized particles in annular
space between screen and formation. However, there are many aspects need to be
considered in designing gravels and placing the gravels downhole. It is crucial to study
and understand these factors and considerations to ensure gravel pack completion
achieves its highest efficiency. The objectives of this paper are to identify the issues
related to gravel pack design and installation in different well conditions and the factors
that affecting it. By understanding the problems and causes, it will minimize the risk of
gravel pack failure and consequently enhance the effectiveness of this method.
Extensive study will be carried out in this project to identify the designs and installation
criteria and select few case studies on different conditions