PS 8645 Ops Sand Management

3. Erosion Prediction
• Design implications
• Operating implications
• Recommended erosion models
• Erosion assessment procedure
• Monitoring requirements

PS8645 p 3.1

Design Velocity Limits Philosophy

The use of erosion prediction programs should be used at the
design stage for identifying

• The monitoring requirements for a system to ensure that sand

production will be detected prior to unacceptable erosion taking
place (often surveillance for well integrity will ensure this)
• Systems that will experience unacceptable erosion rates
• Local changes in design required to improve erosion
resistance.

In addition, a common factor that is overlooked is how sand

will be removed if it is deposited in the system

PS8645 p 3.2
 Reducing Erosion Risk in Design

z Increase Line Diameter z Increase wall thickness ?

z Use sweeping bends rather
than elbows (5D)
z Use cushioned tees in
place of elbows
z Avoid impacting tees
z Reduce the number of
changes in flow direction ?
z Size Valve Trims for the
duty
z Provide method for
flushing solids out of
vessels
z Minimize dead legs ?
z Include SAND as
keyword in HAZOP

PS8645 p 3.3

Velocity Limits (No solids): Carbon

Steel in Corrosive Service
The application of carbon steel in corrosive service requires the
use of corrosion inhibition. In this service the velocity-limiting
factor is the ability of the inhibitor to remain in contact with the
pipe wall. Factors that influence this are:

• Injection rate and type of corrosion inhibitor

• Corrosiveness of the system
• Geometric discontinuities in the system (e.g. welds) causing local disruption
of the protective inhibitor film

<40 ft /s (Velocity will not significantly contribute to rate of metal loss)

40 to 60 ft/s (Many successful operations however may be subject to attack at
geometric discontinuities)
60 to +100 ft/s may be feasible using specialty chemical and high injection
rates
PS8645 p 3.4
 Velocity Limits: Solids Free
In the absence of solids no significant erosion threat typically
exist under the range of operating conditions we experience in the
GOM.

For C-steel in corrosive service the ability to inhibit becomes the

rate limiting factor (60-130 ft/s)
For C-steel in non corrosive service 160-170 ft/s has been used
For Corrosion Resistant Alloys >260 ft/s may have no effect

However, once you start to make solids, things can go wrong very
very quickly (days, hours or even minutes at very high
velocities).

WE MUST BE ABLE TO DETECT THE SOLIDS BEFORE

THEY CAUSE A PROBLEM
PS8645 p 3.5

Erosion Prediction
z ESSENTIAL to include Erosion
assessment and mitigation in design stage
and during operation so risk is understood
z Erosion Rate Calculations:
z Flow rates (Gas, Oil, Water)
z Process conditions Erosion
Rate
z Fluid properties
z Geometry (ID, curvature, material)

PS8645 p 3.6
 Erosion Models
z University of Tulsa
Shell Erosion 2.4

z AEA Technology

z DNV (RP 501)

z API RP 14E

PS8645 p 3.7

SEPCo EROSION PREDICTION

PS8645 p 3.8
 Erosion Evaluation
At least 2 conditions should be assessed
High rate solids production (failure of down-
hole sand control system or formation collapse)
20 000 ppmw sand
Low intermittent rate solids production
10 ppmw sand
Generally assume 100-150 micron sand size
Predicted erosion rates define monitoring
requirements
PS8645 p 3.9

Predicted time to erode pipe at 10

and 20000 ppm 100 micron sand
Sand conc. Sand
Sand Sand conc.
Monitoring
Tolerance 10 ppm 20000 ppm
Required
Unacceptable change
sand <1-3m <1-7d design /
tolerance intensive
Very low
2 continuous
sand >1-3m >1-7d method
tolerance

Medium sand 1 continuous

>3-12m >1-8w
tolerance method

High sand
>1-10y >2m-12m low risk
tolerance

Note: Trace sand in a Shake out = 100 to 1000 ppm

PS8645 p 3.10
 Summary: Erosion Prediction
1. If no sand / solids are produced GOM wells do not
typically present a significant erosion threat.
2. However, at some point a significant proportion of
wells will produce significant amounts of sand.
3. To demonstrate that the adequate surveillance is in
place it is essential that erosion assessments are
conducted routinely (assuming sand production) and
when there is a significant change in operation (e.g.
change in operating pressure).
4. Use of erosion assessments allows ranking of well
risk and focus of surveillance.

PS8645 p 3.11