Drift-Flux Models for Multiphase Flow in Wells
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- A commonly used model for calculating pressure drop in wells is the homogeneous model. It consists of simple correlations that are applicable for reservoir simulators with segmented well models. The simplest homogeneous model is the one where it is assumed that the fluids in the well are moving at the same velocity; that is, there is no slip between the fluids. Generally this assumption is not valid and may result in inaccurate fluid fraction and pressure drop predictions.The homogeneous model can be improved by accounting for the slip through the drift-flux model.This is the approach used in the multi-segment well option of a widely used commercial simulator, Eclipse. This model is simple, continuous and differentiable. Because it approximately accounts for the slip between the fluids, it can be used to model counter-current flow that occurs when the overall flow velocity is small.The drift-flux model that is currently used in the Eclipse simulator is a combination of empirical models that are appropriate for different ranges of gas and liquid rates. This hybrid model has not been tested for conditions typical of horizontal and inclined wells. In this research,the objective is to obtain a general drift-flux model that is consistent with recently acquired multiphase flow experimental data. For this purpose, the existing drift-flux model was tested using new data from the Schlumberger Research Center at Cambridge, UK. The data include holdup measurements for gas-water and oil-water steady state and transient flow in a 6-inch diameter pipe.First, the default parameters in the drift-flux model coded in the Eclipse simulator were evaluated using the steady state data. During this analysis, it was observed that the gas hold up predictions were higher than the experimental values. This was a result of predicting slower drift velocities than were observed in the experiments. Tuning appropriate parameters in the drift-flux model improved the predictions. These parameters were then tested for transient flow and it was observed that the drift velocity predictions were higher than experimental values. This shows that the parameters in steady state and transient flow may not be the same. The inclination effect was also investigated and the results were compared with the predictions from existing correlations.An improved correlation was developed.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Date created | September 2002 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Alkaya, Banu |
|---|---|
| Primary advisor | Durlofsky, Louis |
| Degree granting institution | Stanford University, Department of Petroleum Engineering |
Subjects
| Subject | School of Earth Energy & Environmental Sciences |
|---|---|
| Genre | Thesis |
Bibliographic information
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Preferred citation
- Preferred Citation
- Alkaya, Banu. (2002). Drift-Flux Models for Multiphase Flow in Wells. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/dn559yy2014
Collection
Master's Theses, Doerr School of Sustainability
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