Well Outflow Performance

ESCUELA POLITECNICA NACIONAL

SISTEMAS DE PRODUCCION

INGENIERIA EN PETROLEOS
 RESERVOIR INFLOW PERFORMANCE
Psep

ΔP flowline Pwf
GAS

Pwh Flowline
OIL
+WATER

Q
Separator

Tubing

ΔPtubing ΔPres = f(Q)

Reservoir
INFLOW
Pwf
Pr, IPR, K

NODE (Pwf) ΔPres Q

2
Types of Outflow Systems

 Single / multiple
 selective / non-selective
 flowing / lifted
– gas-lifted
– pumped
• beam pump
• ESP
• PCP
• Jet Pump
• Hydraulic Pump

3
 WELLBORE FLOW PERFORMANCE (OUTFLOW)
Psep

ΔP flowline Pwf
GAS

Pwh Flowline
OIL
+WATER

Q
Separator

Tubing

ΔPtubing
ΔPtbg = f(Q)
Reservoir
OUTFLOW
Pwf
Pr, IPR, K

NODE (Pwf) ΔPres Q

4
 SINGLE PHASE FLOW
BASIC CONCEPTS
FLUID VELOCITY

Is the flow rate (q) divided by the pipe cross sectional area (A)
through which the fluid flows at the pressure and temperature
conditions of the pipe element

v
q A
P,T

v=q/A

5
 FUNDAMENTALS OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES

FLOW GEOMETRY

dP/dZ

GENERAL ENERGY EQUATION

ΔP ΔP ΔP ΔP
( )T=( ) acceleration + ( ) elevation + ( ) friction
ΔL ΔL ΔL ΔL

6
FUNDAMENTALS OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES

ΔP ρ
( )elevation =
ΔL 144

ΔP ρ v 2

( )friction = f
ΔL 2gd

ΔP ρ Δ( v 2)
( )acc =
ΔL 2g ΔL

7
 FRICTION LOSSES CALCULATION
(single phase flow)

ΔP ρv2
( )f = f
ΔL 2gd
where f, is the friction factor which is a function of the pipe roughness (ε)
and theReynolds Number (NRe), which is calculated from the following
equation:

dvρ
NRe =
µ
µ is the viscosity in lbm/ft-sec
1cps= 0.00067197 lbm/ft-sec

8
 Friction Factor Calculation (single phase flow)

Depends on the flow regime:

64
For laminar flow NRe < 2000 f=
NRe

ε 2.51
For turbulent flow NRe > 2000. √1/ f = - 2 log ( + )
3.71d NRe√ f

The latest equation requires a trial and error process to calculate f

An intial value to start the iterative process can be obtained from the following equation:

f = 0.0056 + 0.5 NRe - 0.32

9
Moody Diagram for Friction Factor Calculation

10
 EXERCISE
SINGLE PHASE FLOW

Calculate the friction pressure drop in a section of horizontal pipeline of

3000 ft length and 3.937 inches internal diameter, where 5000 STB/D of 0.9 sp. gr.
oil with a viscosity of 5 cps oil are flowing. The absolute pipe wall roughness
is 0.006 ft.

q A
v

1cps= 0.00067197 lbm/ft-sec

1 Bbl=5,615 Ft3
1 day=86400 sec
v=q/A

dvρ
NRe =
ΔP ρv2
µ
f from Moody ( )f = f
ΔL 2gd
ε/D

sol

11
 SOLUTION

Q = 5000 B/d x 5.615 ft3/bbl x (1d/86400 sec) = 0.3249 ft3/sec

A = (3.1416 x (3.937/12)2 ) / 4 = 0.084539 ft2

v = Q/A = 0.3249/0.084539 = 3.843 ft/sec
dvρ
(3.937/12) x 3.843 x 0.9 x 62.4
NRe = = I = 21000
5 x 0.00067197
µ

ε/D = 0.006 x12 / 3.937 = 0.01829 From Moody, f= 0.049

ΔP ρv2 62.4 x 0.9 x 3.8432 40.64

( )f = f = 0.049 =
ΔL 2gd 2x32.2x(3.937/12)x144 3042.51
= 0.013357 psi / ft
ΔP = 0.013357 psi /ft x 3000 ft = 40 psi
EXERCISE
SINGLE PHASE FLOW - INJECTOR WELL

13
Exercise - Injector Well

14
Exercise - Injector Well

15
 FUNDAMENTALS OF TWO - PHASE FLOW

• Two-Phase Flow Occurrence and Applications: Gas

liquid two-phase flow occurs in various major industrials
fields. Examples are the petroleum, chemical, nuclear and
geothermal industries.
• 1) The petroleum industry: Two-phase flow occurs in the petroleum
industry during the production and transportation of oil and gas. The
flow occurs in both the wellbore and the flowline, in horizontal, inclined
or vertical pipes. In offshore production, these lines can be of
substantial lengths before reaching separation facilities. Piping
components, separators or slug catchers are commonly used for the
flow control and processing.

16
 FUNDAMENTALS OF TWO - PHASE FLOW

• 2) The chemical and process industry encounters two-

phase flow in most of its applications. Examples are
reactors, boilers, condensers, evaporators and distillation
plants.
• 3) The nuclear reactor industry considers two phase flow
mainly for safety purposes.
• 4) Geothermal energy plants: In this industry two-phase
flow occurs in the form of steam water flow in the vertical
risers and gathering system pipelines. Pressure, temperature
and phase behavior predictions are essential for a proper
design. Elimination of slug flow is a necessity in order to
avoid operational problems.
17
Two-Phase Flow Variables

• 1. Mass Flow Rate, W (kg/s): • 3. Liquid Holdup, HL, Gas Void

WL = Liquid mass flow rate
WG = Gas mass flow rate
W = Total mass flow rate
W= WL + WG (2.1)
• 2. Volumetric Flow Rate, q
(m3/s)
qL = Liquid volumetric flow rate flow 0 < HL or a < 1,
qG = Gas volumetric flow rate
q = Total volumetric flow rate
q = qL + qG (2.2)
Fraction, a, (-)
The liquid holdup is the fraction of
a volume element in the two-phase
flow field occupied by the liquid
phase. Similarly, the gas void
fraction is the fraction of the
volume element that is occupied
by the gas phase. For two-phase
18
Two-Phase Flow Variables

• 4. Superficial Velocity (Volumetric Flux), (m/s)

The superficial velocity of a phase is the velocity which would occur if
only that phase flows alone in the pipe. The superficial velocity is
called also the volumetric flux, and represents the volumetric flow rate
per unit area of each of the phases.

The mixture velocity is the total volumetric flow rate of both phases per
unit area, and is given by:

19
Two-Phase Flow Variables

• 6. Actual (In-Situ) Velocity, v(m/s): The actual velocities of the liquid

and gas phases are, respectively:

20
 Two-Phase Flow Variables

7. Slip Velocity, vslip (m/s) The actual velocities of the liquid and gas
phases are usually different. The slip velocity represents the relative
velocity between the two phases

8. Drift Velocity, VD (m/s): The drift velocity of a phase is the velocity of

the phase relative to a surface moving at the mixture velocity (center of
volume)

9. Drift Flux, J (m/s) : The drift flux represents the flow rate of a phase,
per unit area, through the surface moving at the center of volume velocity.

21
 Two-Phase Flow Variables

10. Diffusion Velocity (m/s): The diffusion velocity is the velocity of a phase
relative to a surface moving at the center of mass velocity.

where G is the total mass flux and ρM is the average density of the mixture.
11. Quality x,(-) The quality is the ratio of the gas mass flow rate to the total
mass flow rate across a given area.

12. Mass Concentration c, (-): The mass concentration is the ratio of the
mass of a phase to the total mass in a given volume.

13. Average Mixture Properties: The mixture density and viscosity are
averaged based on the liquid holdup, as given below:
22
Exercise

• Oil and natural gas flow in a 5.1 cm I. D. horizontal pipe. The

in-situ flow rates of the oil and the natural gas are 0.25
m3/min and 1.0 m3/min, respectively. The corresponding
liquid holdup is 0.35. Determine:
• 1. The gas and liquid superficial velocities, mixture velocity
and no slip liquid holdup.
• 2. The actual velocities of the two phases.
• 3. The slip velocity between the gas phase and the liquid
phase.
• 4. The drift velocities and drift fluxes of the two phases.
• 5. Prove that JG = -JL.
23
Solution

24
Solution, cont…

25
 Oil Reservoir Phase Envelop

Single Phase Region Single Phase Region

(Liquid) (Gas)
Pres
% Liquid
C
Pb
Pressure

100
75

50 Psep
25
20
15
10
5
0
Gas

Temperature
26
Phase Behavior of Hidrocarbon Fluids

27
 MULTIPHASE FLOW

MULTIPHASE FLOW

Equation (4.1) demonstrates the complexity of two-phase flow. One

must determine the two-phase variables, such as the two-phase friction
factor fTP, the two-phase velocity, vTP and the two-phase density rTP. By
all means this can not be done in a straightforward manner.

28
Pressure and Temperature Computing Algorithm
Single-Phase Liquid Flow (Isothermal):

29
TWO-PHASE FLOW

30
TWO –PHASE FLOW

31
TWO-PHASE
FLOW

Flow Chart for Pressure Traverse

Calculations

Two Phase Flow Computation

Algorithm. Temperature Known.

32
 MULTIPHASE FLOW

PRESSURE GRADIENT EQUATION FOR TWO-PHASE FLOW:

ΔP ΔP ΔP ΔP
( )T=( ) acceleration + ( ) elevation + ( ) friction
ΔL ΔL ΔL ΔL

ΔP ρm
( )elevation =
ΔL 144

ΔP ρm vm 2
( )friction = f
ΔL 2gd

ΔP ρm Δ( vm 2)
( )acc =
ΔL 2g ΔL

33
 GRAVITY
TERM

ΔP ρm
( )elevation =
ΔL 144

Correcting weight of fluid

Dominant term
Single phase simple
Multiphase complex

34
 FRICTION
TERM

ΔP ρm vm 2
( )friction = f
ΔL 2gd

Increases with rate

Proportional to velocity
Proportional to relative roughness
Laminar vs turbulent flow
Effect of viscosity
Effect of mixture density
Sensitive to gas volumes

35
 ACCELERATION
TERM

ΔP ρm Δ( vm 2)
( )acc =
ΔL 2g ΔL

Expansion of fluid as pressure decreases

Smallest term
Often ignored
Need to account in high rate

36
 BASIC CONCEPTS

Mixture Velocity, V (Two-phase flow)

qg v
A
qL

Pipe element with liquid and gas travelling at the same velocity, V

v = (qL+qg) / A

37
 No-Slip Liquid Holdup (Input Liquid Content), λ

Ag
L

qg v
Ap
qL
P,T

AL
RATIO OF THE VOLUME OF LIQUID IN A PIPE ELEMENT THAT WOULD EXIST
IF THE GAS AND THE LIQUID TRAVELED AT THE SAME VELOCITY (NO SLIPPAGE)
DIVIDED BY THE VOLUME OF THE PIPE ELEMENT.

λ = AL /AP = qL / (qL + qg)

38
 No-Slip Liquid Holdup (Input Liquid Content), λ

Ag
L

qg v
Ap
qL
P,T
AL
RATIO OF THE VOLUME OF LIQUID IN A PIPE ELEMENT THAT WOULD EXIST
IF THE GAS AND THE LIQUID TRAVELED AT THE SAME VELOCITY (NO SLIPPAGE)
DIVIDED BY THE VOLUME OF THE PIPE ELEMENT.

λ = AL /AP = qL / (qL + qg)

However, the gas velocity is higher than the liquid velocity and as a consequence the volume
of liquid in the pipe element increases.

This phenomenon is known as “slippage between phases” , and the volumen fraction occuppied
by the liquid in the pipe element under this conditions is known as“Hold-Up Factor” (HL), and is
dependent on flow pattern, gas and liquid properties, pipe diameter and pipe inclination.

39
 Superficial Gas Velocity, VSG

Ag
L

qg v
Ap
qL
AL
Pipe element with liquid and gas travelling at the same velocity, V

vSG = qg / Ap
Is the velocity that the gas phase would exhibit if it flowed through the total cross
sectional area of the pipe alone.

40
 Superficial Liquid Velocity, VSL

Ag
L

qg v
Ap
qL
AL
Pipe element with liquid and gas travelling at the same velocity, V

vSL = qL / Ap
Is the velocity that the liquid phase would exhibit if it flowed through the total cross
sectional area of the pipe alone.

Vm= Vsl + Vsg

41
Vertical Flow Parameters

Temperature Pressure

slug
flow

chum
flow
Depth

bubble Approximate
flow linear
temperature
profile
Single-
phase
oil
p > pBP
oil

42
 Two-Phase Vertical Flow

Analysis and Calculations are Complex

1 Flow regime (gas distribution)
Mist Flow 2 Proportion gas vs liquid changes

Annular 3 Gas tends to rise faster than liquid

Decreasing Pressure

(slippage)
Flow
Factors affecting Pvert.
1 Mass flow rate:
Churn Flow Oil Rate
Gas Rate (GLR)
Water Rate (CUT)
Plug OR 2 Physical properties PVT
Viscosity
Slug Flow Surface tension
3 Conduit Configuration Size
Bubble Flow Roughness
Concentric?
Single Phase 4 Pressure
Liquid Flow
5 Temperature 43
Vertical Flow Paterns

BUBBLE SLUG CHURN ANNULAR

FLOW FLOW FLOW FLOW 44
Horizontal Flow Paterns

Annular
Dispersed

Stratified
Wavy

Slug (Intermitent)

Dispersed
Bubble

45
2-Phase –Gas-Liq) Flow Regimes

 Flow regime or Flow Pattern : is a qualitative description of

the phase distribution in a pipe.
 4 regimes are generally agreed upon:
1. BUBBLE FLOW: dispersed bubbles of gas in a continuous
liquid phase

2. SLUG FLOW: at higher rates, the bubbles coalesce into

larger bubbles, which eventually fill up the entire pipe section.
Between the large gas bubbles are slugs of liquid that contain
smaller bubbles of gas entrained in the liquid.

46
2-Phase –Gas-Liq) Flow Regimes

3. CHURN FLOW: with further increase in gas rate, the larger

gas bubbles become unstable and collapse, resulting in a
highly turbulent pattern. Both phases are dispersed. Churn
flow is characterized by oscillatory up-and-down motions of
liquid.

4. ANNULAR FLOW: at higher rates, gas becomes the

continuous phase, with liquid flowing in an annulus coating
the surface of the pipe and with liquid droplets entrained in
the gas phase.

47
 Flow Regime (Ros)
100
FN

10

FROTH FLOW

BUBBLE FLOW
1
0.5

SLUG FLOW
0.2
PLUG FLOW
HEADING As , Increases, heading
0.1
regime may range up to MIST FLOW
0.05

0.02
0.01
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 1 2 3 5 7 10 100 1000
RN = Dimensionless Gas Velocity Number RN
FN = Dimensionless Liquid Velocity Number 48
CORRELATIONS
Babson (1934)
Gilbert (1939 / 1952)
Poettmann & Carpenter (1952)
Duns & Ros
Hagedorn & Brown
Orkiszewski
Aziz, Govier and Fogarasi
Chierici et al
Fancher & Brown
Beggs &Brill
Duckler Flannigan
Gray
H.MONA, Asheim
Hasan and Kabir

49
 PROCEDURE FOR PRESSURE TRAVERSE CALCULATION
(incrementing pressure drop)

1. Starting with the known pressure value, P1, at location L1, select a length
increment ΔL.
2. Estimate a pressure drop, ΔP, corresponding to the length increment, ΔL. P2
3. Calculate the average pressure and temperature in the selected pipe
element.
L2
4. Calculate the the fluids PVT properties at the average conditions of P and T.
5. Calculate fluids densities and flow rates at the average conditions.
6. Calculate the input liquid content, λ and the superficial velocities vsl and
vsg.
7. Determine the flow regime pattern.
8. Calculate the hold-up factor, HL, corresponding to the stablished flow
regime pattern. ΔL ΔP
9. Calculate the mixture properties for the calculated hold-up factor.
10. Calculate the two-phase friction factor.
11. Calculate the total pressure gradient in the increment of pipe at the average
conditions of P and T.
12. Calculate the pressure drop corresponding to the selected length increment.
13. Compare the estimated and calculated pressure drop. If they are not
sufficiently close, estimate a new pressure drop an repeat the procedure

14.
from steps 3 through 13.
Repeat steps 3 through 13 until the estimated and calculated values are
L1
15.
sufficiently close.
Calculate a new position L2 = L1 + ΔL and the corresponding pressure P2 =
P1
P1 + ΔP.
16. Repeat steps 1 through 15 until the total pipe length is completely covered.
50
Calculation of Pwf from Pressure Traverse
 Exercise
Calculation of Pwf from Pressure Traverse

A well is producing 1000 BPD oil of 35oAPI with a GOR of 100 SCF/STB,
and a well head pressure of 400 psi. gas SG= 0.65 Tubing Internal Diameter=3 inches

Calculate bottom hole flowing pressure at 5000 pies. Use the graph from the previous slide
 Outflow Calculation (node at the bottomhole)

Pwh Pressure Pwf1 Q Q1 Q2 Q3

Depth Equv.

Pwf
. To Pwh

Pwf1 Pwf2 Pwf3

Pwf2

Pwf3
Tubing Depth

Q1
Q2
Outflow
Q3

Pwf
Pwf1
Pwf3
Pwf2

q1 q2 q3 Q

53
Well Performance Software

The most noteworthy well performance programs on the market

today are:
 Prosper (Petroleum Experts)
 WellFlo (Edinburgh Petroleum Services)
 Perform (Dwight’s / IHS Energy Services)
 PipeSim (Schlumberger)
 WEM (P.E. Mosely & Associates)
In addition to these programs, numerous other well performance
programs have been developed for commercial or private use.
54
 EFFECT OF THE TUBING SIZE
(NODE SELECTED AT THE BOTTOMHOLE)

Pr d1
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

d2>d1

INFLOW
IPR

OUTFLOW

0
0
FLOWRATE, Q

55
 FINDING OPTIMUM TUBING SIZE

FLOW RATE, Q

UNSTABLE REGION

DIAMETER FOR
MAXIMUM FLOW RATE

TUBING DIAMETER, d

56
 Tubing Size in Depleting Reservoir

1“
Pinitial
2 3/8 “
3 1/2 “
Tubing
Intake P5
Pressure
Pwf 4 1/2 “

P10 5“

Q
57
Effect of Gas Injection Rate

0
400
50
300
100

150
P
200 IPR
250

Qmax

58
 Gas Lift Performance Curve
Technical
SLOPE = 1.0 Optimum
Economic Limit
4
x
x
Kick-Off x
1 x
Lift-Gas Requirement x
NET OIL PRODUCTION

2 Initial Oil Rate at Kick-off x

OR REVENUE

3 Technical cut-off limit

4 Max. Oil Rate x

x
x Incremental
Lift-Gas Volume x
2
x

3
1 LIFT-GAS INJECTION RATE
OR PRODUCTION COSTS 59