Filtration properties of geotextiles for heavy oil wells

This thesis discusses research procedures and test results for choosing a geotextile fabric for controlling sand flow in ambient temperature heavy oil or oil sand production wells. A gradient ratio apparatus, a modified gradient ratio apparatus and a large scale high confining stress filtration apparatus were designed, fabricated and used in the filtration testing program. The gradient ratio apparatus and the modified gradient ratio apparatus were used to determine the sand-geotextile system permeability and clogging behaviour with water as permeant. The high confining stress filtration apparatus was used to determine the effect of a high confining stress on the system permeability and clogging and blinding behaviour with heavy oil and water as permeants.;The results indicate that all three geotextile fabrics had good permeability and soil retention properties. Minor blinding and clogging of the geotextile fabrics occurred but there was no indication in the test results that sand piping through the geotextiles took place. The high confining stress filtration tests give a lower geotextile absolute permeability than the modified gradient ratio tests. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).