Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringFormation Damage Control and Sand Management
Productivity is often lost long before the first barrel: fines migration triggered by an incompatible brine, clay swelling from a drill in fluid, emulsions from oil based filtrate, or sand that erodes a choke within weeks of start up. Delegates study damage mechanisms through drilling, cementing, completion and production, and the laboratory core flood and compatibility tests that predict them. Prevention through fluid design and the reading of skin from production data follow. Sand management makes up the second half: predicting sand failure from rock strength and drawdown, choosing between passive management and exclusion, and designing standalone screens, gravel packs and frac packs. Sand detection, erosion limits and surface handling complete the course. Delegates leave able to protect near wellbore permeability and keep sand under control.
Course objectives
- Identify formation damage mechanisms at each stage of a well's life
- Design laboratory tests that screen fluids for compatibility with the reservoir
- Select drill in and completion fluids that minimise damage
- Estimate damage skin from production and test data
- Predict sand production onset from rock strength and drawdown
- Choose between sand exclusion and sand management strategies
- Design standalone screen, gravel pack and frac pack completions
- Set sand detection and erosion monitoring limits
Who should attend
- Production and completion engineers
- Petroleum engineers in sandstone reservoirs
- Drilling fluids and completion fluids specialists
- Laboratory and core analysis staff
- Facilities engineers dealing with sand at surface
Course outline
- 01How formation damage occurs
- 02Fines migration, clays and incompatible fluids
- 03Laboratory testing and core floods
- 04Damage prevention through fluid design
- 05Sand failure mechanisms and prediction
- 06Sand management versus exclusion
- 07Screens, gravel packs and frac packs
- 08Sand monitoring and erosion control
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 to 30 October 2026 | Accra, Ghana | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | Harare, Zimbabwe | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 18 to 22 January 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate |
Formation Damage Control and Sand Management
From R8,500