The Subsea Sand Management Challenge (B-FSM-176)

What to do with the sand? That is the subsea sand management challenge. It is the most important issue for subsea sand management. eProcess conducted a study that analyzed 33 options for handling sand in production at the sea floor.

These options can be separated into three “paths” or categories;

Conventional: Manage solids production or system configuration using established design rules or technologies
Treatment: Modify the solids, in-situ, to reduce or eliminate their deleterious effects
Removal/Disposal: Separate solids from the well fluids and manage as separate flow stream

These three paths will be covered in further detail in subsequent posts. Below is a mind map of the 33 options for reference.

Many of these options have a large technology gap – i.e., difference between current state of the technology to where the technology needs to be for ready deployment.

References:

Rawlins, C.H. and Ditria, J.C., 2019. “The Subsea Sand Management Challenge – What to do with the Sand?”. Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX, 6-9 May, OTC-29278-MS. https://doi.org/10.4043/29278-MS
Rawlins, C.H. 2019. “Enhanced Production Through Surface Facilities Sand Management.” SPE Distinguished Lecturer presentation. Link here
eprocess-training.com

Next week I will start discussion on the three category paths.