Replication of Sand Agglomeration (SECAT) and Erosional Resistant Through Tubing Sand Screen (ERTTSS) Installation at Offshore Field, Sabah

Abstract Presence of sand remains a persistent operational challenge in the offshore oil and gas industry, particularly in unconsolidated formations such as those found in offshore fields in Sabah. When not effectively controlled, sand intrusion can lead to serious issues, including erosion of production equipment and, in critical cases, Loss of Primary Containment (LOPC), which can threaten both safety and production reliability. In Well DS1, the sand production issue has resulted in significant locked-in potential (LIP), as the well was frequently choked or shut in to minimize the risk of sand production at surface. This has negatively impacted well performance, despite the installation of conventional sand control measures like Through Tubing Sand Screen (TTSS) and a surface desander. The recurring nature of the problem did not only degraded production performance but ultimately led to LOPC incident, highlighting the limitations of existing mechanical sand control methods, especially in managing fine sands. To address these limitations, extensive measures have been carried out to improve sand management strategies in Field W, with particular emphasis on Well DS1. Recent developments in chemical sand control technologies have introduced promising solutions for sand management. Among these, polymer-based sand agglomeration chemical technology (SECAT) treatments have demonstrated efficacy in minimizing fines sand production by binding fine particles into larger aggregates, thereby limiting their mobility, and reducing the risk of sand production at the surface. The first in-house pilot of SECAT technology was implemented in Field S and delivered encouraging results, paving the way for its first replication in Field W. A post-treatment well test confirmed the effectiveness of the approach, with oil production surpassing 300 BOPD and produced sand reduced to <3 pptb (L. Hendraningrat et al., 2023). Building on the success of the first pilot, the sand agglomeration treatment deployment was subsequently planned in Well DS1. The chemical treatment was integrated with Erosional-Resistant Through-Tubing Sand Screen (ERTTSS) technology, offering a dual-action solution that targets both fine particle agglomeration and mechanical erosion resistance. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the replication of Sand Agglomeration (SECAT) and ERTTSS technologies in Well DS1. It explores the challenges faced, the methodologies applied, and the potential outcomes, offering valuable insights into integrated sand control strategies for offshore wells.