Sand Consolidation

A current development project is the controlled deposition of materials (minerals or resins) for the consolidation of poorly consolidated sandstone. The concept won Cleansorb a major regional award in the Hampshire Innovation Competition at an early stage of the project.

The work was begun as a European Commission assisted CRAFT exploratory award and Cleansorb has worked with several larger companies to further develop aspects of the technology.  An outline of Cleansorb's initial approaches to sand consolidation and other enzyme-based processes is given in SPE 50621.

Cleansorb has successfully consolidated loose sand in the laboratory and has gone on to increase the unconfined compressive strength of Saltwash South outcrop sandstone in core experiments. The process is currently being developed through collaboration with a major international operating company and a European university.