Experimental Approaches to the Laboratory Study of Sand Production Issues in Oil and Gas Wells

This work reviews the principal experimental approaches to the laboratory study of sand production issues. It provides a detailed description of different types of geomechanical sand production experiments that make it possible, under laboratory conditions, to study sand production mechanisms in oil and gas wells, to determine the stress and drawdown levels that trigger the onset of sand production and rock failure in the near-wellbore zone, to examine the geometry of the resulting breakouts, and, based on these findings, to select optimal parameters for safe and efficient well operations. The paper also considers the main types of sand-retention tests, which are used to identify effective sand control measures, including the selection of the sand screen type and its parameters. The experimental apparatus commonly used for these studies are described, their key advantages and limitations are noted, and representative examples of the results obtained with each apparatus are presented.