SANDING PREDICTION AND SAND-CONTROL TECHNOLOGY IN HYDRATE EXPLOITATION:A REVIEW AND DISCUSSION

Both production test and exploration show that sanding is one of the crucial problems that restricts the effective production of natural gas hydrate. However, these topics haven't been studied systematically by predecessors. Systematic sanding prediction, sand control technology and consequent sand treatment researches are essential for ensuring the pilot hydrate production, as well as commercial production in the near future. Sanding procedure during hydrate dissociation or dissolution is coupled with formation of seepage flow field, temperature field and saturation distribution of each component. Therefore, sanding treatment for hydrate reservoir is a dynamic heterogeneous phase change and has much more challenges when compared with conventional oil field sanding treatment. Sand-control experiences during hydrate production and corresponding problems were reviewed in this paper, and the factors that affect sanding are analyzed based on field performance. Sanding prediction methods, sand-control technology, heavy oil cold recovery method and reasonable sand-control technology for conventional oil and gas resource may have significant inspiration for sanding treatment, therefore, comprehensive research should be carried out to ensure the safe, effective and economical production of natural gas hydrate of hydrate sediments. The research results may provide some guidance both for the next research and field design.