ISSN 1925-542X[Print]
Advances in Petroleum Exploration and Development
Vol. 2, No. 2, 2011, pp. 58-62
DOI:10.3968/ j.aped.1925543820110202.113
Casing Damage Mechanism and Numerical Simulation Induced by Sand
Producing
LI Jingmei1,*
1
Institute of Geology, Shengli Petroleum Administrative Bureau,
Dongying 257015, China
*
Corresponding author.
Email: lijingmei955.slyt@sinopec.com
Received 6 November 2011; accepted 8 December 2011.
Abstract
Sand producing is one of the important reasons inducing
casing damage, hollow space will be formed near the
casing exterior because of sand producing, so the force
condition of casing will be disturbed, the casing will be
damaged owing to exterior losing support. The main types
of the casing damage are casing compressing, shearing,
radial deformation or collapsing. The finite element
model of casing damage is simulated in sand formation,
the process of variation of Von-Mises stress with the
variation of sand degree is analyzed according to this
model. The results indicate that the casing stress condition
of sand production interface increases greatly with the
sand production quantity, these results provide theoretical
basis for preventing casing damage in sand production
formation.
Key words: Sand production; Casing damage; Cavity;
Mechanism study; Effective stress
Li, J.M. (2011). Casing Damage Mechanism and Numerical Simulation
Induced by Sand Producing. Advances in Petroleum Exploration and
Development, 2(2), 58-62. Available from: URL: http://www.cscanada.
net/index.php/aped/article/view/j.aped.1925543820110202.113
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.aped.1925543820110202.113
INTRODUCTION
Oilfield development practice shows that with the constant
adjustment and implementation of the development plan
as well as different geologic, engineering and management
conditions, casing damage occurs in many oil&water
wells, which has been a core problem limiting oilfield
Copyright Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures
ISSN 1925-5438[Online]
www.cscanada.net
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production. However, casing damage mechanisms often
vary with different geologic conditions of the reservoir[1].
For unconsolidated sand formation, to keep the production
at a stable level, fluid producing intensity is increased
gradually, leaving the oilfield in an intensive injection and
production status and intensifying expansion, spalling,
dispersion and migration of clay minerals. Formation is
destroyed, causing more severe sand production which
causes a cavity between reservoir formation and outside
casing cement sheath, furthermore, sand production leads
to bending, deformation and breaking of the casing. The
author analyzes the casing damage mechanisms for sand
producing wells, establishes a corresponding mechanics
model in accordance with forces exerted on casing in
sand producing formation, and generalizes the effects of
sand production volume on the change of casing stress by
using infinite element method, which provides theoretical
guideline for casing damage control in sand producing
wells.
1. CASING DAMAGE MECHANISM
1.1 Casing Compression
For weak bond unconsolidated sand formation, as
relatively weak diagenesis and small rock granularity, it
is very easy for the payzone to produce sand during the
process of oil recovery. After sand production, rock matrix
structure of part of formation will be destroyed and result
in decreased rock strength. As the vertical stress applied
on deeper formation is large, the overlap loses support
or the support force becomes smaller, which break the
original balance and cause reservoir collapse, compaction,
formation sinking, and relative large displacement in
vertical and horizontal direction[2~3]. The compression
yielding of the casing is caused by large vertical
deformation of the production interval.
For a typical cement-casing completed well,
58

compressive failure of the casing most possibly occurs
in the middle part of the production interval, where
the vertical strain of the formation is larger. If there
were no relative sliding between formation and cement
sheath, the maximum axial strain of the casing v can be
expressed approximately by the general compaction of
the production interval. If most part of the formations
deformation occurs in the vertical direction, and the
formation compressibility is a constant, the axial strain of
the casing can be expressed approximately as follows:
= h / h = Cm p (1)
Where,
h, the original reservoir thickness, m;
C m , the single-axial compressive factor of the
material,1/MPa;
p, the pressure variation of the reservoir, MPa.
1.2 Casing Shear
As reported by relevant references on casing damage
research[4-5], the transverse displacement can reach 0.3m
within the range of 3m of the casing axial direction when
casing shear failure occurs. This kind of failure generally
occurs during oil well production. Reservoir pressure drop
causes layer sliding, which results in very large horizontal
displacement in the horizontal direction and causes the
casing being sheared off. The shear off of the casing often
happens at fault or near the weak plane structure of the
formation.
The rock strength at these planes or interfaces is often
the weakest. The rock strength is directly dependant
on material compositions, filling material types of the
structural plane, which are also the deciding factors for
the stability of rock matrix. During production, with the
drop of reservoir pressure, the formation will be driven
to move transversely along the weakest structural plane,
on the other hand, most of the reservoirs are anticline
structure, and the formation has a certain dip angle, under
the action of rock gravity, the rock layer will slide along
the weak structure plane, and exert a shearing load on the
casing and shear off the casing, this is the main reason
why casing failure caused by shearing often occurs at
layer interface.
1.3 Radial Deformation or Collapse of Casing
If formation produces sand unevenly, sand production in
certain direction near the borehole is severe compared
with other directions, then part of casing in these
directions will lack support, making the casing bear non-
uniform radial loading. The nonuniformity degree of the
loading will increase largely, particularly in directional,
high deviated or horizontal wells. It might cause elliptical
deformation of casing or deformation under single-
direction pressure, and worst of all, cause casing collapse.
In addition, during the process of reservoir collapse
and compaction, the degree of compaction varies because
59
LI Jingmei (2011).
Advances in Petroleum Exploration and Development , 2 (2), 58-62
of differences of physical property parameters and
mechanical parameters between formation layers and
particularly between payzone and caprock. On the upper
part of the production interval or caprock interval, tensile
deformation will occur along the axial direction of the
casing, and casing will bear relative large axial tensile
loading at the same time. Under the action of axial tensile
loading, casing deformation and collapse might take place
very easily, because the axial tensile loading will decrease
the compressive strength of the casing.
The equivalent yield strength of casing under axial
tensile stress is :
Ypa = 1-0.75 ((s A /Yp ) ) -0.5s A /Yp Yp
2
(2)
Where,
YP, the minimum yield strength of casing, MPa;
SA, axial tensile stress of casing, MPa.
2. NUMERICAL COMPUTATION MODEL
FOR SAND PRODUCTION
2.1 Model Establishment and Structural
Parameters
Take off a cube with side length of 10m from formation
which is 1200m in depth, and the height of bottom
layer, sand producing layer and cap layer is 3.5, 3, 3.5m
respectively. Establish a bore hole in the center of the
cube, and take 1/4 of the model as calculation model by
using geometric symmetry. The model includes casing
pipe, cement sheath and perforated hole. Establish casing
and cement sheath at one edge of the model, with casing
O.D. 139.7mm, casing I.D. 124.26mm, wall thickness
7.72mm, cement sheath thickness 30mm, perforated
hole diameter 16mm, perforated hole depth 1.5m. The
calculation model is shown as figure 1. As the side length
of the cube is far longer than the casing O.D., which is
about 71.6 times longer, hence the size effect of the model
is eliminated basically.
2.2 Boundary Conditions and Material
Parameters of the Model
2.2.1 Stress Boundary
Exert overburden pressure at the top layer in accordance
with the zonal depth of the cap layer, exert on the two
outside cube faces two main stresses along the x and y
directions respectively. Exert 5MPa internal pressure on
the inner wall of the casing. The 3D in-situ stress at 1000-
12000m in Bohai Bay oilfield is calculated approximately
as follows according to the in-situ stress of the region.
= 0.7 + 0.023H
H
= 0.5 + 0.018 H
h
= 0.021H
V
Copyright Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures
Casing Damage Mechanism and Numerical Simulation Induced by Sand Producing

2.2.2 Displacement Boundary

Displacement restraint along z direction is applied
on bottom face of the model, i.e. exert symmetric
displacement constraint on Face 1 and Face 2, see Fig.
1. From the result of infinite element calculation, as the
exertion of the displacement boundary conditions, stress
concentration tends to happen at the bottom of the side
face, resulting in relative large stress in this region; but
Face 1 Face 2 as the model boundary is very long, and the considered
sand producing zone is located at the center of the model,
therefore the simulation results shows that the application
of boundary conditions can not distort the stress in the
region being researched.
2.2.3 Material Parameters of the Model
Table 3
Material Parameters of the Model
Materials Elastic modulus Poisson ratio Density/
Figure1 (104MPa) (kg/m3)
Casing-Cement-Formation 3D Infinite Element Model
Casing 19.6 0.3 7850
Cement sheath 2.8 0.15 1850
Where, H is the maximum horizontal main stress, H Oil layer 2 0.24 2300
is the minimum horizontal stress, V is the vertical main Cap layer 2.5 0.21 2400
stress, as a result, the boundary stresses are listed in table 2. Bottom layer 2.5 0.21 2400
Sand producing zone 0.2 0.25 2300
Table 2
Boundary Stresses Calculation of the Model 2.3 Stress Analysis at Different Part of the
h /MPa H /MPa V /MPa Casing Body

22.1 28.3 25.2

Table 4
Relationship of Effective Stress at Casing Body VS Sand Producing Volume
Sand producing Diameter/m Cap layer /MPa Sand producing Sand producing Bottom Perforated
volume /m3 boundary /MPa interval /MPa layer /MPa hole/MPa

0 0.09985 273 290 267 287 398

1 0.340774 273 314 215 279 345
2 0.47147 271 324 227 278 362
3 0.573098 273 325 237 278 384
4 0.659241 273 330 250 280 402
5 0.735361 275 343 261 281 416
6 0.804309 277 353 269 281 437
7 0.867796 277 359 278 282 454
8 0.926945 280 361 285 283 468
9 0.98254 281 370 295 285 456
10 1.035153 282 374 303 265 485

From table 4 we know that when there is no sand
production, the effective stress of the casing pipe body
mainly concentrated at perforated hole, which is 398MPa,
the effective stress at other places of casing is relative
small; when sand production occurs, the stress state of
the casing pipe body changes, the effective stresses at
perforated hole and the pipe body in the sanding interval
decrease first, then increase with the increase of sand
production volume, the effective stress of casing at the
interface increases significantly with the increase of sand
production volume, while the effective stresses at cap
layer and bottom layer keep unchanging basically. After
sand production, the effective stress at perforated hole is
the maximum, then is the stress near the interface between
cap layer and oil layer. When sand production volume
is 1m3, the effective stress of casing at perforated hole
and sand producing interface is 345MPa and 314MPa
respectively; when sand production volume is 2m3, the
effective stress of casing at perforated hole and sand
producing interface is 362MPa and 324MPa respectively;
when sand production volume is 3m 3 , the effective
stress of casing at perforated hole and sand producing
interface is 384MPa and 325MPa respectively; when sand
production volume is 5m3, the effective stress of casing at

Copyright Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures 60

 LI Jingmei (2011).
Advances in Petroleum Exploration and Development , 2 (2), 58-62

perforated hole and sand producing interface is 416MPa
and 343MPa respectively; when sand production volume
is 10m3, the effective stress of casing at perforated hole
and sand producing interface is 485MPa and 374MPa
respectively.
Generally, once sand production occurs, the local
effective stress of casing pipe body increase rapidly,
and then increases gradually with the increase of sand
production volume. When the stress is beyond the
minimum yield strength of the casing, casing failure
will happen. Therefore it is necessary to fully consider
the changes of working environment and stress state of
casing caused by sand production while designing casing
program, improve the steel grade and wall thickness
near the sand production region, avoid casing damage
caused by increased effective stress of casing led by sand
production.

Table 5
Relationship of Axial Stress of Casing Pipe Body vs Sand Production Volume
Sand production Radius /m Cap layer/MPa Sand producing Sand producing Bottom Perforated
volume/m3 boundary /MPa interval /MPa layer /MPa hoel/MPa

0 0.09985 -264 -282 -277 -269 -442

1 0.340774 -264 -304 -221 -269 -390
2 0.47147 -263 -318 -233 -266 -409
3 0.573098 -258 -335 -245 -263 -434
4 0.659241 -257 -338 -257 -262 -454
5 0.735361 -254 -351 -267 -258 -470
6 0.804309 -253 -362 -275 -255 -493
7 0.867796 -251 -368 -285 -253 -512
8 0.926945 -249 -371 -292 -251 -528
9 0.98254 -248 -378 -302 -247 -542
10 1.035153 -247 -382 -309 -246 -546

During calculation, it is prescribed that the axial stress
is positive when the casing is tensioned, the axial stress is
negative when the casing is compressed.
From table 5 we know that the axial stresses at
perforated hole, interface and sand producing interval
increase significantly with the increase of sand production
volume, of which the axial stress of casing at perforated
hole is the minimum, the is the stress at the interface.
When sand production volume is 1m 3, the effective
stress of casing at perforated hole and sand producing
interface is 390MPa and 304MPa respectively; when sand
production volume is 2m3, the effective stress of casing at
perforated hole and sand producing interface is 409MPa
and 318MPa respectively; when sand production volume
is 3m3, the effective stress of casing at perforated hole
and sand producing interface is 434MPa and 335MPa
respectively; when sand production volume is 5m3, the
effective stress of casing at perforated hole and sand
producing interface is 470MPa and 351MPa respectively;
when sand production volume is 10m 3, the effective
stress of casing at perforated hole and sand producing
interface is 546MPa and 382MPa respectively. As a
result of increased axial compressional stress of casing,
unconsolidated sand producing rock, decreased constraint
around the casing, it is very easy for the casing to be
damaged when axial load reaches the critical pressure
of the casing. At the same time, stress in the rock layer
around the cavity increases, which may further damage
the rock layer and result in increased sand production
volume and enlarged cavity size, which will sharpen the
damage of the casing. This demonstrates that the casing
will encounter more risks and be damaged more easily
with the increase of sand production volume. Therefore,
reasonable and effective measures shall be taken to reduce
sand production volume while oilfield production.
CONCLUSION
(1) For unconsolidated sandstone reservoir, sand
production is the main reason for casing damage, which
is mainly manifested as casing compression, casing
shearing, casing radial deformation or collapse.
(2) Establish infinite element computing model for
sand producing well, casing stress at sand producing
interface increases significantly with the increase of sand
production volume, which sharpens the risk of casing
failure.
(3) To avoid casing damage, effective measures
shall be taken to control sand producing speed and sand
production volume in severe sand producing formation.
High strength, large wall thickness casing shall be used as
much as possible in the production interval.
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61 Copyright Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures

Casing Damage Mechanism and Numerical Simulation Induced by Sand Producing
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