Novel true triaxial apparatus applied to the study of sand mass production under anisotropic stress conditions.

Abstract

Using a novel true triaxial setup, sand production tests on hollow quasi-cylinder Castlegate sandstone specimens have been performed on irreducible water saturated specimens with oil flow under varying levels of axial and lateral stress anisotropy, obtaining sand onset and rate. The experimental results have been compared with analytical models for sand onset and sand rate predictions. Also, a new model that includes the effect of axial and lateral stress anisotropy has been developed and calibrated on the test results.