/ June 1, 2023

Sand production plugs perforations, fills up tubulars and surface flowlines, erodes chokes, valves, pumps and many other surface process equipment. Therefore, increasing the accuracy of sand production data is crucial to ensuring asset integrity, safety, and uninterrupted production. A common approach involves both quantitative and qualitative assessment of acoustic sand monitoring (ASM) data.
 
Qualitative assessment involves interpreting trends on live ASM graphs to tell the operator if there is sand or no sand i.e. a yes or no situation. It also gives an indication of the severity of sand production. Meanwhile quantitative monitoring involves calibrating ASM detectors; this means converting the qualitative data into units of grams/second.
 
The process involves injecting known amounts of sand into the flowline at different flow rates. It can be injected via existing sampling or injection points on oil & gas lines. Once calibrated, the quantitative ASM data can be used to determine volume of sand production and for erosion modelling among others.
 
At SMS, we have extensive experience in calibrating sand detectors from various brands, including Roxar, Clampon, and ECHO. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for your sand management initiatives. By leveraging on SMS, you can expect to improve accuracy in sand monitoring, leading to better sand management strategies.