Statistic Reability Test of Nozzle Geometry for Oil Well Hole Cleaning from Produced Sand

Abstract

Sand production is a major operational challenge in the upstream oil and gas industry, leading to perforation blockage, equipment erosion, and increased non-productive time (NPT). This study investigates the optimization of upward-facing nozzle jetting technology to improve sand cleanout efficiency in oil wells. The research experimental model was designed using the Buckingham Pi Theorem and Reynolds number similarity by scaling field conditions into a laboratory prototype. The study concludes that upward-facing nozzle engineering significantly enhances sand lifting efficiency and accelerates wellbore cleanout operations.Furthermore, numerical simulations and statistical analyses—including ANOVA, Shapiro-Wilk normality tests, and coefficient of determination (R2) evaluations—are systematically applied to validate the performance of the re-engineered jetting tool under varied operational parameters such as injection pressure, fluid flow rate, and sand mesh size. The results demonstrate that the proposed sequential dual-function protocol—comprising initial downward disaggregation followed by upward-facing nozzle activation—significantly enhances upward transport velocity and sand-lifting efficiency. Ultimately, this study concludes that upward-facing nozzle engineering significantly enhances sand lifting efficiency, reduces casing erosion risks, and accelerates wellbore cleanout operations, offering an effective alternative for sand management in mature oil fields.