Choosing Better API RP 14E C Factors for Practical Oilfield Implementation

A review of erosion guidelines for allowable production rates is presented and improvements in choosing API RP 14E C factors are proposed to mitigate erosion that permit higher oil production rates yet keep erosion rates at acceptable levels.  Inadequacy of erosion standard API RP 14E has long been recognized and has led to various alternative erosion modeling tools and commercial options, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and mechanistic models.  Simpler alternate API C factors also have been implemented for many years, based on field experience. 

Comprehensive erosion investigation quantifies API RP 14E shortcomings and leads to new recommendations. A new look into erosion test data and full-scale testing provides motivation for establishing new C factor guidelines that are not overly conservative for downhole completion and production applications.

This paper presents an evaluation of API RP 14E and new alternative standards that account for sand concentration, allowable erosion rate, and service.  Methods for choosing C factors for practical use will be presented. A simpler practical standard for the common engineer also is proposed as an alternative improvement.