Criteria for backproduction of drilling fluids through sand-control screens

By setting sand-control screens for openhole completions in the same fluid that is used for drilling into the reservoir, considerable cost savings can be realized through the elimination of the need for displacing to a specia lized completion fluid. The control of the particle composition of fluids i s beneficial in preventing the plugging of the sand-control screens. Condit ioning the fluid with fine grade shaker screens for removing the larger flu id particles is sufficient to decrease the amount of screen plugging when b ack-producing the drilling fluid in the annulus between the screen and form ation. Fluids with a lower solids loading are also beneficial for reducing screen plugging. In comparison with direct laboratory evaluations of the sc reens, particle-size distribution measurements have been found to be insuff icient at predicting sand screen plugging.