Enhancing Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness with the Offshore Factory Batch Sand Control Strategy: Challenges and Lessons Learnt

Abstract Sand production poses significant challenges in oil and gas well operations, impacting production rates, equipment integrity, and overall safety. The Cased Hole Gravel Pack (CHGP) technique is a widely used sand control method, but the CHGP completion process involves multiple steps that can vary in duration, and complexity. This variability often leads to inefficiencies, increased costs, and inconsistencies in the quality of sand control well. High rig day rates further exacerbate these issues, necessitating a more efficient and standardized approach. The Factory-Batch strategy seeks to optimize the CHGP process by implementing batch operations and standardized procedures, reducing the learning curve and mitigating potential risks. The "Factory-Batch CHGP Completion Strategy," was introduced to the company on the last development campaign in 2016. This process mainly involves fit-for-purpose both engineering and operation, standardize operating procedure, and day to day lesson learnt review and continuous improvement. This process not only meets the fit-for-purpose equipment requirements but also equips personnel with the necessary skills to master complex controls, minimize operational downtime, and reduce errors in sand control execution within a shorter timeframe. The results indicate that factory batch sand control strategy has the potential to revolutionize sand control operations, streamlining processes, and significantly reducing the associated learning curve, leading to improved safety outcomes. In conclusion, by applying factory batch sand control strategy enhance operational efficiency and shorten the learning curve, the current campaign has managed to reduce completion operation time.