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Flow in Wellbores
A.R. Hasan, U. of Minnesota-Duluth; and C.S. Kabir, Chevron Energy Technology Co.
Summary
Annular flow is associated with production from both gascondensate and geothermal wells. Oil wells also experience it during high-gas-to-oil-ratio (high-GOR) production. The current
semimechanistic modeling approach requires estimation of film
thickness before computing frictional pressure drop as gas flows
past the wavy-liquid film surrounding the pipe wall. This study
intends to investigate this film thickness and its impact on pressure-drop computation in wellbores producing steam-water, gascondensate, and gas-oil mixtures.
Computational results show that this dimensionless liquid-film
thickness is most likely less than 0.06 in annular flow. For such
values of thin-film thickness, the computed friction factor is only
slightly higher than that estimated with a smooth-channel assumption. When the homogeneous model is used to compute pressure
gradient by ignoring the wavy-liquid film on frictional pressure
drop, good agreement is achieved with field data and with the
predictions of a semimechanistic model.
Introduction
Annular flow is dominant in gas-condensate and geothermal wells.
Oil wells also experience annular flow when high-GOR production
occurs after gas breakthrough or when gas lift is installed. In
general, the annular-flow pattern consists of a gas core in the
middle of the flow string with a thin liquid film flowing up the pipe
wall. Two issues appear to dominate the modeling needs. One
needs to estimate, first, the liquid entrainment in the gas core, and
second, the frictional resistance that the gas core experiences when
flowing past the wavy-liquid film. Note that the frictional gradient
is a very large contributor to the total pressure loss in annular flow
and therefore has obvious importance.
In the past, a few models treated this flow pattern assuming
zero slip between the two phases in the gas core. For instance, the
models of Duns and Ros (1963) and Aziz et al. (1972), who essentially adopted the Duns and Ros approach, fall into this category. Subsequently, the method of Hasan and Kabir (1988), based
on the approach of Wallis (1969), estimates both the entrainment
and the film-friction factors. However, the rigorous method of
Ansari et al. (1994) is rooted in sound modeling of film thickness
followed by accurate estimation of frictional and hydrostatic
heads. The same approach was adopted by Kaya et al. (2001). At
approximately the same time, Gomez et al. (2000) proposed a
method based on a two-fluid approach.
The intent of this study is to present an alternative approach to
modeling annular flow. We show that the liquid-film thickness is
generally too small to be of any consequence when computed with
the model of Ansari et al. (1994). The main objective is to demonstrate the application of a much simpler model with accuracy
comparable to a semimechanistic model. In fact, the authors recent study (Kabir and Hasan 2006) on gas-condensate wells has
shed some light on the possibility of simplified modeling of annular flow.
168
fcvc2c
dvg
dp
= gc sin +
, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)
+ cvg
dz
2d1 2
dz
dp
fcvc2c
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
1 cv2g p = g c sin +
dz
2d1 2
Rearranging,
2
dp g c sin + fcvc c 21 d
=
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4)
dz
1 cv2g p
c =
LvsL gvsg
+
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6)
vm
vm
4
d 5.0452
4 log
log
3.7065
Rem
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7)
dmvm
dmvm
=
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8)
m
xg + 1 xL
May 2007 SPE Production & Operations
if E 0.9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (17)
The mass-average viscosity for the Reynolds number of the mixture is used, where the gas mass fraction x is given by x[vsgg/
(vsgg+vsLL)].
Semimechanistic Models. Semimechanistic models, such as those
proposed by Ansari et al. (1994), Gomez et al. (2000), and Kaya
et al. (2001), attempt to incorporate a more rigorous physical description of annular two-phase flow than does the homogeneous
model. These models usually rely on the Steen and Wallis (1964)
correlation for estimating entrainment, E, the fraction of flowing
liquid entrained in the gas core. The following expression represents the graphical correlation presented by Steen and Wallis:
E = 1 e0.125vsgc1.5, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (9)
where the dimensionless gas velocity, vsgc, is given by
vsgc =
104vsgg
g L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (10)
The core fluid superficial velocity, vsc, and in-situ core fluid
velocities are then given by
vsc = vsg + EvsL;
c =
LEvsL gvsg
+
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12)
vsc
vsc
d vscsc
sc
d vscsc
sc
0.20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (14)
0.25
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (15)
dp
dz
= gL sin +
fcv2c1 2c
, . . . . (18)
8d1
128d31 23
fLFv2sL1 E2L
where fLF represents the friction between the liquid film and the
pipe wall. Note that Ansari et al. (1994) neglects kinetic head loss
to arrive at Eq. 18.
Neglecting the last term or kinetic head in Eq. 1 for pressure
gradient in the gas core and equating it with (dp/dz), Eq. 18 may be
written as:
gc sin +
fcv2c c
fLFv2sL1 E2L
= gL sin +
2d1 2
128d31 23
2
fcvc1 2c
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (19)
8d1
Rearranging,
fLFv2sL1 E2L
fcv2c c
= g sinL c +
. . . (20)
2d1 1 2
128d31 23
Eq. 20 is then solved iteratively for the single unknown, . However, the solution of the nonlinear form of Eq. 20 poses some
challenges because various terms are very sensitive to . Ordinarily, the equation-solver capability of most spreadsheets can be
used to obtain a solution, provided a reasonable initial guess is
given as the starting value.
For very high gas velocities, liquid entrainment may approach
a value of unity, causing the third term in Eq. 20 to become
negligible. In addition, under such circumstances, both 1 and
12 will approach 1.0, resulting in the following simplification of
Eq. 20:
2
c
fcvsc
= 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (21)
2dgL c
Fig. 2Acceptable fit using the Ansari et al. model for the wellhead-vsg range: 136.5 to 20 ft/sec.
So far, the discussion has focused on the applicability of the homogeneous model to gas/oil systems. This section examines
whether this modeling approach can be extended to other systems,
such as stream/water flow in geothermal wells and gas flow in
condensate wells.
Data from A-10 well, which was recently presented by Garg
et al. (2004), show a very good correspondence between the homogeneous and Ansari et al. models for field data. Fig. 12 shows
the quality of the match, and Appendix B presents a sample calculation at the wellhead. As a further illustration of the quality of
agreement, Fig. 13 shows error (measured pressure minus model
pressure) as a function of depth. The maximum error is approximately 26 psi, with both models tracking each other well.
Fig. 4Good fit with homogeneous model for the GLR range:
1.12E62,000 scf/STB.
Fig. 5Ansari et al. model shows large scatter for the GLR
range: 1.12E62,000 scf/STB.
170
Discussion
As stated earlier, a number of sophisticated models attempt to
describe the physics of annular flow much more accurately than
does the simple homogeneous model. More than three decades
ago, Steen and Wallis (1964) noted that for horizontal annular flow
at very high flow rates of both phases, almost all the liquid is
entrained and the pressure drop and gas-volume fraction are well
represented by the homogeneous model. For vertical annular twophase flow, the homogeneous model represents the frictional gradient better than the separated (Lockhart-Martinelli) flow model,
although gas-volume fraction is somewhat overestimated (Steen
and Wallis 1964). Therefore, the suitability of homogeneous
model for annular flow has been recognized for a long time.
Our rationale for adopting the homogeneous model for annular
flow stems primarily from the simplicity of the approach and the
uncertainty inherent in the sophisticated approaches, such as the
Ansari et al. (1994) model. The Ansari et al. model equates the
pressure gradient for the gas core with that for the liquid film to
compute liquid-film thickness, and then goes on to calculate gasvolume fraction and pressure drop. Unfortunately, estimating these
Fig. 11Performance of Ansari et al. model based on film thickness, 379 tests.
vsc
vsL
vsg
vsgc
vm
dv/dz
x
z
Z
g
L
sc
g
L
m
Acknowledgments
We thank Chevrons Bolaji Oloyede for providing computational
assistance. We are also indebted to Chevron management for permission to publish this work.
d = 2.992 12 = 0.2493 ft
L = 25.6 cp
g = 0.01019 cp
References
Ansari, A.M., Sylvester, N.D., Sarica, C., Shoham, O., and Brill, J.P. 1994.
A Comprehensive Mechanistic Model for Upward Two-Phase Flow in
Wellbores. SPEPF 9 (2): 143151; Trans., AIME, 297. SPE-20630PA. DOI: 10.2118/20630-PA.
Aziz, K., Govier, G.W., and Fogarasi, M. 1972. Pressure Drop in Wells
Producing Oil and Gas. J. Cdn. Pet. Tech. (79): 3848.
Chen, N.H. 1979. An Explicit Equation for Friction Factor in Pipe. Ind.
Eng. Chem. Fundamentals 18 (3): 296297.
Collier, J.G. 1973. Convective Boiling and Condensation. 1st ed. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 8182.
Duns, H., Jr. and Ros, N.C.J. 1963. Vertical Flow of Gas and Liquid
Mixtures in Wells. Paper presented at the Sixth World Petroleum Congress, Tokyo, Japan.
Garg, S.K., Pritchett, J.W., and Alexander, J.H. 2004. Development of
New Geothermal Holdup Correlations Using Flowing Well Data. Idaho
May 2007 SPE Production & Operations
m = xg + 1 xL = 0.2470.01019
+ 0.75325.6 = 19.286 cp
Rem = vmmd m
= 124.51.0110.249319.286 0.000672 = 2,421
Using Eq. 7, the result is
f=
4
d
5.0452
4 log
log
3.7065
Re
= 0.0468.
7.149
d1.1098
+
2.8257
Re
0.8981
173
L = 55lb ft
g = 0.3636 lb ft3
L = 0.144 cp
g = 0.015 cp
2
fcvsc
c
d = 15.112 in
21 1 25gL c
2
fLFvsL
1 E2L
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (A-1)
c = 0.7271 lbm ft .
Ax = 1.247 ft2
With these property and parameter values, Eq. A-1 was solved
iteratively for and fc, using a value for diameter d of 0.2493 ft.
Values of 0.00640010 and fc0.100 were obtained.
= 0.1255 cp
= 55.0897.
Thus, the small value of 0.2493 ft for the tubing diameter was
matched by subtracting two large values, which could be a source
of significant inaccuracy. Note that a 10% higher estimate for E for
this case leads to an decrease of approximately 8% in the film
thickness and interface-friction factor estimates (0.00595 and
fc0.086), leading to a 3% decrease in frictional pressure gradient
{(dp/dz)F0.4937}. This high sensitivity of the pressure gradi174
4 log
4
5.0452
d
log
3.7065
Re
= 0.01281.
The Ansari et al. Model. For this case, the superficial gas velocity
above which annular flow exists is given by the Taitel et al.
(1980) model:
vsg 3.1 g L g 2g1 4
= 3.1 32.2 0.0903255 0.3636 0.363621 4
= 18.26 ft sec.
Thus, flow at the wellhead is in annular regime.
As in the case of Well 918, liquid-film thickness, , is calculated using the Ansari et al. model with the following expression
for well diameter that satisfies the pressure gradient for the gas
core and the liquid film:
2
c
fcvsc
2 1 1 2g sin L g
fLFv2sL1 E2L
12831 23g sin L g
= d. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B-1)
c =
LEvsL gvsg
+
vsc
vsc
175