The efficiency of low-flow oil wells after hydraulic fracturing is frequently compromised by residual proppant and early-phase proppant production, which can penetrate pumps and severely diminish their lifespan. Proppant management in such wells remains a persistent challenge, particularly due to the inadequate understanding of how proppant travels from the wellbore bottom to the pump intake. This study bridges that critical knowledge gap by introducing pioneering experimental findings on proppant behavior in low-flow conditions—the first to clarify the primary mechanisms at play. Using advanced laboratory simulations replicating post-fracturing environments, we observe that proppant consistently reaches the pump intake via an unnoticed process: immiscible hydrocarbon fluid droplets encapsulate and transport proppant particles upward. Key results include the revelation that the viscosity of the immiscible phase (e.g., oil or kerosene) does not significantly affect droplet transport capacity. Furthermore, proppant concentration during transport shows no correlation with well flow rates, overturning conventional assumptions. A groundbreaking insight is the role of free gas bubbles: they increase the likelihood of proppant being captured by hydrocarbon droplets, with higher gas volumes directly linked to elevated proppant levels in the flow. These conclusions are substantiated by field data from wells exhibiting high free gas content near the bottomhole, where shorter pump operational periods coincided with the proposed mechanism. By identifying this transport process, the research lays the groundwork for tailored proppant management solutions, paving the way for improved pump durability and operational performance in low-flow oil wells.

Proppant, Proppant management, Sand management, Sand production, Proppant production, oil well.