As the industry pushes further into mature assets, unconventional plays, and deepwater frontiers, effective sand control remains a critical challenge. As reservoirs become more complex and economics tighter, the industry is shifting toward more-adaptive, data-informed, and targeted solutions. New research highlights innovative solutions that not only address technical limitations in existing designs but also enhance decision-making through digitalization and cross-disciplinary integration.
The three papers highlighted in this Technology Focus reflect this shift. Each explores a distinct facet of modern sand control: retrofitted screens for aging wells, predictive sanding mitigation using real-time modeling, and advanced completions designed for stacked, low-mobility reservoirs. Together, they underscore the industry’s move toward smarter, context-specific approaches that combine field data, simulation, and cross-disciplinary insights to improve reliability, reduce risk, and maximize recovery.
Through-tubing sand screens (TTSS) have become a preferred remedial solution for managing sand production in aging offshore wells. Yet, performance variability remains high, with over 40% of installations experiencing premature failure. Paper SPE 220610 presents an in-depth analysis of 125 TTSS installations across eastern Malaysia, identifying key design and operational factors that influence screen longevity.
Sand production because of excessive drawdown often results in costly interventions and deferred production. Paper SPE 220649 introduces a digital sand-management workflow that combines 1D geomechanical models, sanding-risk analysis, and wellbore simulation to compute a minimum tubinghead-pressure threshold, allowing operators to maintain sand-free flow without downhole pressure gauges. This workflow supports proactive sand control by integrating geomechanics with automated production modeling, a valuable step forward for digital oilfield implementations.
Developments in the lower Wilcox play in the Gulf of Mexico face a dual challenge: low-mobility, stacked reservoirs and a strong need for cost-effective, sand-tolerant completions. Paper SPE 220794 introduces a novel high-angle multi-frac completion system, engineered for deepwater environments with high rock strength (unconfined compressive strengths greater than 5,000 psi) where traditional gravel packs may not be feasible or necessary.
Three additional papers for recommended reading offer valuable perspectives on sand control. Paper SPE 220860 provides a field-based and modeling-supported analysis showing that sanding in weak formations can remain limited under low drawdown conditions. Paper SPE 221020 introduces a predictive methodology to identify sanding risk in horizontal wells by integrating geomechanics with operational data, enabling optimized perforation and drawdown strategies. Paper SPE 224059 details the successful use of an externally catalyzed resin for chemical sand consolidation in low-injectivity wells, offering a durable alternative where mechanical methods are less effective.
Collectively, these papers highlight the industry’s transition from standardized solutions to tailored, insight-driven sand control. Whether through improved screen design, geomechanical workflows, or next-generation completion systems, the path forward lies in integration of disciplines, technologies, and data.
Summarized Papers in This October 2025 Issue
SPE 220610 Study Analyzes Through-Tubing Sand-Screen Application Offshore Malaysia by Zulkifli B.M. Zin, Petronas, et al.
SPE 220649 Automated Workflow Mitigates Sand Influx by Determining Minimum Tubinghead Pressure by Prince Kumar, SLB, et al.
SPE 220794 High-Angle Multifractured Completion System Develops Deepwater Subsea Wells by Sanjay Vitthal, Shell, et al.
Recommended Additional Reading
SPE 220860 Sanding at Low Oil and Water Flux in Cased and Perforated Wells in Weak Formations by Y. Xiao, BP, et al.
SPE 221020 Integrated Framework for Proactive Sand Management: Leveraging Offset Well Data, Formation-Stability Assessment, and Predictive Sand-Transport Simulation by Nghia Tri Vo, SLB, et al.
SPE 224059 Novel Externally Catalyzed Resin Expands the Chemical Sand-Consolidation Horizons: Successful Case of Implementation and Perdurability in Latin America by Sebastian Donoso, Andes Petroleum, et al.
Samyak Jain, SPE, is a sand control specialist at DuneFront, an independent oilfield consultancy focused on sand control. He holds an MS degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma. Jain has more than 20 years of experience in the design and evaluation of sand-control treatments. Before joining DuneFront, he worked with SLB in various global roles across field operations and product development. An active member of SPE, Jain has served on multiple technical committees and authored more than 20 papers on well completions and stimulation in SPE and other industry journals.