Published on December 16, 2024

First opened in 2022, the Sand Retention Centre located in Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) embodies BSP's commitment to building local capabilities, while finding solutions to innovate and improve ways of working.  

Sand retention to prevent sand production is one of the key aspects in the petroleum industry. Oil and gas wells are built in a way that enables hydrocarbon products to seep through, so it can be transported to the surface for further processing – allowing consumers access to energy.  

Ideally, a well would only produce pure oil and gas, but due to natural sand formations, water and sand are some of the common mix-ins to hydrocarbon productions. With time, this could also create complications to a production well as debris can load up the well, the pipelines or it can create severe erosion of wells and / or facilities. It can also cause severe corrosion if sand builds up in export pipelines without mitigation. All of this can severely affect asset integrity and produced volumes. There are various ways to control sand, such as placing screens with small size gravel sand pumped around it, commonly referred to as gravel pack. However, these operations take a lot of rig time and cost millions of dollars. A cheaper solution is using a (premium) sand screen, which is a lot cheaper, but comes with additional risks of plugging and higher sand production. There are also other solutions, such as screens and foams that expand against the formation. To understand what the most economical solution is for a particular well and formation, sand retention testing and modelling is carried out, to predict the behaviour of the different methods of sand control.

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bokiah Mu'izzadin Waddaulah listens in to Sand Retention Testing Lab technicians at the UTB Convocation Festival 2024

BRINGING SOLUTIONS CLOSER TO HOME  

Over the years, BSP has been performing sand retention tests in Houston, Texas, to assess the behaviour of different formations and sand control solutions. Such tests typically incurred high costs and therefore typically few tests were carried out. Recognising the potential to develop local capabilities in Brunei in this space and as well carry out research to look for improved and more cost-effective sand control solutions, BSP came to an agreement with UTB to establish an in-house sand retention testing laboratory and modelling centre through a Memorandum of Understanding and subsequent contract in 2020. After a pause of 7 months in 2023, another year of research was added and now the facilities are ready to take on the challenge to become commercial with various domestic and international players interested to participate.   

Today, the Sand Retention Testing Lab is fully operational with 6 Bruneian researchers and technicians supporting BSP and in future other oil companies. Divided into two core functions, the team conducts sample testing while they also design numerical modelling and computer simulations. It is critical to ensure flawless communication and collaboration between the two to assure accuracy.  

For Mila, who primarily oversees data evaluation and data analysis, being part of the team has been a steep learning curve. Her role requires her to process test results and produce reports for clients. It can be a laborious task, but Mila, who has been on seat for over a year, found herself not only learning about sand retention closely, but continuous improvement and innovation.  

“It was scary at first, since everything was so new. But I'm glad I took on the challenge and I'm honoured to be one of the selected ones to join the team. One year on, I've learned a lot – applying skills from my studies such as Python programming to automate some of my tasks, while also learning new skills,” Mila shares.  

"Through this role, I've met many professionals within and outside the country and learned from the best. I had the opportunity to learn deeper on sand retention testing at University of New South Wales (UNSW) for six months in Australia. I've also been privileged to represent the lab overseas and share what we do at a global scene at the SPE workshop – that was an unforgettable experience made me grow, especially on my soft skills.” 

She also emphasises the importance of teamwork, especially in keeping the bridge between the testing and simulation teams strong.  

Amila Fashihah binti Haji Abu Bakar has been working as a Lab Research Assistant for over a year

 

Tucked at the top floor of UTB's Engineering Building, Adri and his team overlooks sand testing through digital tech: using simulations, they predict sand retention performance.  

As a PhD candidate with prior experience working in subsurface engineering. He shares that each day may come with its own challenges, depending on the different nature of the samples and downhole scenarios the team receives. 

"Clients will present different scenarios and conditions for us to simulate, sometimes with new mesh designs and unfamiliar well behaviour and metrics – so it’s very important for us to adapt quickly, solving each problem in the most efficient yet accurate way possible.” 

“We rely on our knowledge and training to navigate through the different challenges that surface, recognizing the importance of collaboration within the team and other experts in the same field to develop effective solutions. Our collaboration with UNSW and UCL through weekly calls fosters mutual learning, allowing us to exchange knowledge and incorporate valuable insights into our work,” Adri further added.  

Simulation Team in action -  building a model

Awang Abdul Adri Haji Awg Wardi, Simulation Lead, works with his team to build simulation models for their clients

The Sand Retention Centre is a true demonstration of BSP's mission to not only invest in meaningful educational initiatives, but the belief for capacity building in Bruneian youth and talents. Harnessing such capabilities within the country not only support and strengthen business continuity but aligns with the national ambition Wawasan 2035 of having highly skilled, highly educated workforce.  

Sample Testing team alongside the numerical modelling and computer simulations team