Study of the effect of water and gas injection on the total pressure gradient in upward-vertical viscous oil flow

Douglas Martins Rocha

Advisor: Prof. Assoc. Oscar M. H. Rodriguez

Context

2Multiphasic

Flow

Lifting methods and

transportation

Research

Efficiency

Feasibility

$Production $TransportationFlow

Technology

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Goal

3

Multiphase flow study for improve the efficiency of oil lifting and transportation

methods.

Artificial Lifting D

ou

glas

Mar

tin

s R

och

a -

Mas

ter’

s D

egre

e P

roje

ct J

un

/20

14

Gas-lift

4

Applicable for low to medium flow rates(Re+/- 10000)

Poor efficiency for heavy oil (high viscosity)Gas

-Lif

t

Source: (Guet e Ooms, 2006)

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Core-Flow

5Water Water

OilSource: (Parda e Bannwart, 2001)

Applicable for reducing the frictional component of the pressure gradient

Co

re-f

low

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Water-Gas-Lift

6

𝜕𝑃

𝜕𝑧=

𝜕𝑃

𝜕𝑧𝑔

+𝜕𝑃

𝜕𝑧𝑓

+𝜕𝑃

𝜕𝑧𝑎

Source: (Guet e Ooms, 2006)

Core-FlowGas-Lift

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Work strategy

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Investigate (lab tests) the behavior of each technique in vertical upward flow of oil from moderate to high viscosity

Develop a phenomenological model to predict the behavior of each flow.

Validation

MODEL vs EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

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Infrastructure

8

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9

ModificationsIt wasn’t possible to reach bobbles flow

pattern

It wasn’t possible to reach annular flow pattern

Pro

ble

ms

It wasn’t possible to measure easily differential pressure gradient with accuracy

It wasn’t possible to reach high superficial oil velocities because the high oil line

pressure loss

It wasn’t possible to work with several oil viscosities

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10

Today (flow pattern injectors)

Bobbles

AnnularChurn/Slug

Oil

Oil-Gas flow

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Today (flow pattern injectors)

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Today (differential pressure)

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13

Today (differential pressure)

ENDRESS HAUSER

1 With rang of (-3 to 3 kPa)

1 With range of (-40 to 40 kPa), adjustable to -10 to 20 kPa

Accurace

1 With +/- 4,5Pa

1With +/- 22,5 Pa

(+/- 0,075% of set span)

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Today (heat oil system)

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Modeling (two phase flow)

Annular Two fluid model approach

Taitel and Barnea (1990)

Sylvester (1987)

Homogeneous Model

Intermittent

Bubble

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Modeling (two phase flow)

Homogeneous Model for all flow patterns

Phase fractions calculated with Hibikiand Ishii (2002,2003)

Flow pattern predicted with Taitel, Barnea and

Dukler (1980)

Liquid viscosity predicted with Guet et al. (2006)

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Modeling (two phase flow)

All the models showed before will be applied for three phase flow

Liquid viscosity predicted with Guet et al. (2006)

Liquid = Oil + Water

So, it is a model for two phase flow

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Modeling (three phase flow)

Develop a phenomenological model for three phase flow. THIS NEED EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS….

Challenge

Flow pattern Phase fractions dP/dz

Information about phases interactions.

Slippage between the phase

Gravitational and frictional

Development Validating Validating

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Some results in modeling

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Test Matrix (preliminary)

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Test Matrix (preliminary)

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Test Matrix (preliminary)

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Expected results

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Effective viscosity limit of the mixture (gas lift), above which the gas injection shows less advantageous to reduce the pressure gradient for a given production rate of oil;

Determining the impact of the pattern three-phase flow in reducing the pressure gradient

Acquire new data about three phase flow pattern (Wire-Mesh, High Speed Camera…).

Develop an effective three phase flow model to predict phase fractions and pressure gradient.

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References

24

GUET, S.; OOMS, G. Fluid mechanical aspects of the gas-lift technique. In: (Ed.). Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics. Palo Alto: Annual Reviews, v.38, 2006. p.225-249. (Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics).

Taitel, Yehuda, and Dvora Barnea. "Two-phase slug flow." Adv. Heat Transfer 20 (1990): 83-132.

Guet, S., et al. "An inverse dispersed multiphase flow model for liquid production rate determination." International journal of multiphase flow 32.5 (2006): 553-567.

PARDA, V. J. W.; BANNWART A. C. Modeling of vertical core-annular flows and application to heavy oil production. J Energy Resour Technol. ASME. v.123, 2001. p.194-199.

SYLVESTER, N. D. A mechanistic model for two-phase vertical slug flow in pipes. Journal of energy resources technology, v. 109, n. 4, p. 206-213, 1987.

BARNEA, Dvora et al. Flow pattern transition for gas-liquid flow in horizontal and inclined pipes. Comparison of experimental data with theory.International Journal of Multiphase Flow, v. 6, n. 3, p. 217-225, 1980.

HIBIKI, Takashi; ISHII, Mamoru. One-dimensional drift–flux model for two-phase flow in a large diameter pipe. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, v. 46, n. 10, p. 1773-1790, 2003.

HIBIKI, Takashi; ISHII, Mamoru. Distribution parameter and drift velocity of drift-flux model in bubblyflow. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, v. 45, n. 4, p. 707-721, 2002.

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OBRIGADO!

25

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