Analysis and applications of steam-water flow in wells Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • This work presents a simple yet accurate model for two-phase flow that is easily incorporated in a heat transfer model. The fluid flow model uses a single expression for liquid holdup, with flow-pattern-dependent values for flow parameter and rise velocity. To avoid abrupt changes in gradients at flow pattern boundaries, we use an empirically determined exponential function for smooth transition of parameter values between flow patterns. Frictional and kinetic heads, whose contribution to total pressure loss are small, are estimated using the homogeneous model. Our approach to modeling heat transfer is based on treating the wellbore as a source/sink of heat of finite diameter with the formation being an infinite sink/source of heat. The resulting heat loss/gain by the wellbore from the formation is used in an energy balance for the wellbore fluid to calculate steam quality and other fluid properties. Proper calculation of the resistances to heat transfer of the various elements of the wellbore-particularly the natural convective heat transfer of the fluid in the tubing/casing annulus-is shown to be important. We used high quality field data to validate our model. Estimates of pressure loss and heat transfer were also made using such popular models as Beggs and Brill, Orkiszewisky, and Hagedom and Brown. The model we present here outperforms the other models for the field data we used.

published proceedings

  • Society of Petroleum Engineers - International Petroleum Technology Conference 2009, IPTC 2009

author list (cited authors)

  • Hasan, A. R., & Wang, X.

complete list of authors

  • Hasan, AR||Wang, X

publication date

  • December 2009