Publications

High casing backpressure and sand entrainment are key contributors to hidden production losses in mature heavy oil fields, particularly in Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR)’s steam flood operations. Lessons learned from large-scale steam flood operations reveal that conventional chokes, while critical for flow control, often fail to manage excessive backpressure and prevent erosion damage, which can lead to pipe failure. Excessive backpressure limits production rates, while efforts to increase flow to reduce pressure accelerate pipe wear and raise maintenance costs.

This paper discusses the challenges of high casing backpressure and sand entrainment in heavy oil production by designing a new CFD-based oversized choke and sand barrier. The study focuses on optimizing fluid dynamics to reduce backpressure, prevent sand erosion, and improve production efficiency in mature steam flood operations at Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR). Simulations of fluid dynamics and erosion patterns across multiple configurations revealed that an oversized choke could effectively reduce backpressure, while the sand barrier minimized downstream erosion. A 3D-printed prototype was created by PHR Maverick Lab to refine the design and fabrication process prior to field deployment. Additionally, idle materials, such as ex-sucker rods, were repurposed to construct the sand barrier, reducing project costs and environmental impact.

This paper discusses a new CFD-based oversized choke and sand barrier design aimed at addressing these challenges by optimizing fluid dynamics to reduce backpressure, prevent sand erosion, and improve production efficiency. Simulations of fluid dynamics and erosion patterns across various configurations revealed that an oversized choke effectively reduces backpressure, while the sand barrier minimizes downstream erosion. To enhance cost efficiency, a 3D-printed prototype was developed by PHR Maverick Lab to refine the design and fabrication process prior to field deployment. Additionally, idle materials, such as ex-sucker rods, were repurposed to construct the sand barrier, further reducing project costs and environmental impact.

Field trials conducted on 39 wells in PHR’s heavy oil steam flood operations demonstrated substantial operational gains. Producers casing pressure was reduced from ~82 psig to ~28 psig, eliminating sand cut incidents and resulting in an annual production increase of ~72,974 barrels, valued at approximately 5.8 MMUSD. Maintenance costs were cut by 40-50%, saving ± IDR 47 million per well annually, with a minimal investment of $14 per well, resulting in a total cost of $546 for the entire implementation.

This innovative and field-validated approach provides a scalable, cost-effective solution that delivers immediate production gains, long-term infrastructure resilience, and significant reductions in OPEX. With its demonstrated success in high-sand, high-backpressure environments, the oversized choke and sand barrier design offers substantial potential for replicability across other heavy oil fields facing similar operational challenges.