Geomechanical modelling of cold heavy oil production with sand

Abstract The contribution of geomechanics to provide a rigorous quantification of porosity changes and associated permeability changes is often neglected when considering hydrocarbon production. However, it often has significant effects on production rates and ultimate recovery. For the cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) technique, geomechanics is the key for reservoir simulations and promoting successful operations. In fact, the technique employed in CHOPS significantly affects the stress state within the reservoir by inducing “on-purpose” formation damage. It is not only vital to comprehend the behaviour of the reservoir during production, but it is crucial to identify how to harness that behaviour to improve productivity. In order to simulate the mechanical behaviour of unconsolidated sand material, an elastoplastic damage model was formulated. Fluid-flow-geomechanical modelling was then performed for predicting individual well behaviour and overall field performance. The combined effect of fluid-flow and geomechanics improved predictions with respect to oil, water, and gas production rates at key wells. Fluid rates matched satisfactorily most of the wells. In addition, the onset and propagation of equivalent wormhole networks were quantified throughout the production history. This enabled quantification of the volume of produced sand at individual wells. The comparisons between the measured and simulated sand volume rate at well locations showed reasonable agreement. Such calibrated models can then be used for the placement of new wells to optimize production.