Proppant back-production from hydraulically fractured wells is a great operational problem to the oil and gas industry. Apart from safety problems related to erosion of tubing and valves, extra equipment and operators are required to handle wells that produce proppant. Substantial work has been conducted to develop methods to control proppant backproduction. The methods include the modification of completion designs, the use of controlled fracture closure to obtain early closure on the proppant and the use of new materials designed to prevent proppant production. These materials include curable resin coated proppant, fiberglass, thermoplastic filmstrips, and chemicals that modify the surface of the proppant. Relatively little effort, however, has been directed towards understanding the mechanisms that cause proppant back production. A review of the relevant literature shows some experimental studies at a laboratory scale and one numerical study on the mechanical stability of proppant packs.
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