A method of sand consolidation is provided. The method includes injecting a consolidating fluid into a subterranean sand formation via a wellbore to saturate a portion of the subterranean sand formation in a target region surrounding the wellbore and displace a formation fluid present in the subterranean sand formation. Herein, the consolidating fluid comprises bitumen dissolved in an aromatic solvent. The method further includes injecting a composition comprising one or more heat-generating chemicals into the subterranean sand formation such that the portion of the subterranean sand formation in the target region is heated to a target temperature of at least 150° C. The method further includes injecting a gas comprising oxygen into the subterranean sand formation for a period sufficient to oxidize the bitumen in the target region into a residue present on sand grains to bind the sand grains together into a consolidated permeable matrix. A volume fraction of the residue in the consolidated permeable matrix in the target region is about 5-30%.

A system and method for fracking a hydrocarbon formation. An actuating member, flowable along a production string, is provided. A unique key portion thereon engages a desired sliding sleeve covering an associated port in the production string. Applying uphole fluid pressure causes the sliding sleeve and actuating member to move so as to uncover the associated port. After fracking and cessation of supply of pressurized fracturing fluid, a compressed spring on the actuating member decompresses so as to reposition a sand screen immediately beneath the port so as to prevent sand from flowing into the production string. Flowable insertion of additional “keyed” actuating members allows similar opening of additional successive uphole ports and fracking in the regions of such additional opened ports, with similar location of sand screens at each opened port. Plug members on each actuating member thereafter dissolve or are successively burst to thereby allow production.

A method for fracking a hydrocarbon formation. An actuating member, flowable along a production string, is provided. A unique key portion thereon engages a desired sliding sleeve covering an associated port in the production string. Applying uphole fluid pressure causes the sliding sleeve and actuating member to move so as to uncover the associated port. After fracking and cessation of supply of pressurized fracturing fluid, a compressed spring on the actuating member decompresses so as to reposition a sand screen immediately beneath the port so as to prevent sand from flowing into the production string. Flowable insertion of additional “keyed” actuating members allows similar opening of additional successive uphole ports and fracking in the regions of such additional opened ports, with similar location of sand screens at each opened port. Plug members on each actuating member thereafter dissolve or are successively burst to thereby allow production.

Methods for treating a formation may include introducing components of a treatment solution into a wellbore such that the treatment solution contacts the formation to be treated, where the treatment solution may include urea, urease, a calcium ion source, one or more polysaccharides, a casein protein, a protease, an ionic compound, and a sugar, where the formation may have an amount of sand production before treatment and may be in fluid contact with the wellbore, and where an amount of sand production after treatment may be less than the amount of sand production before treatment. Consolidated sand structure compositions may include previously unconsolidated sand interlinked by inter-particle cementitious bonds comprising deposited calcium carbonate crystals, where the consolidated sand has a structural strength and the consolidated sand structure is porous to permit fluid flow through the composition.

A sand lift tool for use in a subterranean well can include an outer housing, an inner production tube positioned in the outer housing, and a dart received in the inner production tube. An annulus is positioned between the outer housing and the inner production tube. The dart can reciprocate in the inner production tube in response to variations in fluid flow between the annulus and an interior of the inner production tube. Another sand lift tool can include an outer housing, an inner production tube, and a sand collection annulus between the outer housing and the inner production tube. A flow area for fluid flow between the annulus and an interior of the inner production tube increases in response to an increase in a flow rate of the fluid flow.

An actuation member for use in fracking operations, which immediately prior to fracking locates a sand screen at a desired location along a tubing liner and eliminates having to trip out the frac string prior to commencing production. The actuation member comprises a cylindrical hollow collet sleeve, with one or more radially-outwardly biased protuberances forming a unique profile which further matingly engages a corresponding mating profile on one of a plurality of sliding sleeve members in the tubular liner. A longitudinally-extending sand screen is provided, longitudinally slidable on the actuation member. A spring member, adapted to be forcibly compressed by the sand screen member when pressurized fluid is applied, and decompressed upon removal of pressurized fluid, is further provided on the actuation member.

Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules in sand control structures and/or methods of completing the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, defines a tubular conduit, and includes a fluid-permeable segment. The hydrocarbon wells also include a sand control structure that is positioned within an annular space that extends between the wellbore and the fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular. The sand control structure is configured to restrict migration of formation sands from the subsurface region and into the tubular conduit via the fluid-permeable segment and includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. The methods include positioning a downhole tubular within a wellbore and providing a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules to an annular space that extends between the wellbore and a fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular.

A sand consolidation composition includes a hydrocarbon mixture comprising asphaltene, bitumen, or tar, and a binding agent, where the binding agent is an amino silane, and where the composition has a viscosity ranging from 5 to 20 cP at 20 to 25° C. A method of sand consolidation includes introducing the sand consolidation composition in a wellbore, contacting sand downhole with the sand consolidation composition, maintaining the wellbore such that a viscosity of the sand consolidation composition and the sand increases from an initial viscosity of the sand consolidation composition, introducing a thermochemical reagent comprising sodium nitrite and ammonium chloride such that it intimately intermingles downhole with the sand consolidation composition and releases a gas, and after a period, forming a productive consolidated sand.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of consolidating sands in a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore may comprise contacting sand particles in the subterranean formation with a treatment fluid to form coated sands; where the treatment fluid comprises a multicomponent epoxy, a base fluid, and an amine hardening agent, the multicomponent epoxy comprising a diglycidyl ether resin and a monoglycidyl ether resin. The method further allowing the amine hardening agent to cure the multicomponent epoxy and form the consolidated sands.

A method and system for supporting unstable geologic materials surrounding a borehole after the borehole is drilled, while reducing the vertical migration in a sand pack behind a slotted screen in the casing. An annulus is defined between a drill casing and a continuous screened casing. Alternating sand fills and sealing layers are deposed in the annulus along a length of the borehole. The length of the sealed interval between the screened casing and the hole wall is reduced, allowing flow connection between the surrounding geologic formation and the interior of the casing over most of the casing length. The sand pack design between the screen and the borehole wall has a sufficient number of sealed barriers to vertical flow to approximate an ideal sand backpacking, which has a vertical conductivity no greater than that of the formation and a relatively low impedance to horizontal flow through the sand pack.