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Current TUALP Research
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Transient Gas Lift Modeling
PI: Fahad Al-Mudairis, Research Assistant, MSc Student
Objectives:
• Develop a transient model to simulate various onshore and offshore gas lift applications
• Integrate current mechanistic models for local multiphase flow behavior predictions
• Analyze gas lift instabilities and compare with commercial simulators
Abstract:
Gas lift is widely used for high productivity wells and offshore productions. A gas-lift system needs to be designed and optimized considering the PVT and flow rate changes during the well’s entire production life. At decline stages of the oil fields, gas-lift instabilities such as “casing heading” and “density wave” may occur and cause fluctuations and production losses. In this study, generic PVT and transient mass conservation models will be developed to simulate various onshore and offshore gas lift applications. The local multiphase flow behavior (momentum conservation) is predicted through integration of the most recent mechanistic models such as the Zhang et al. unified model for oil/water/gas three-phase flows in wells and pipelines of different inclination angles. A graphical user interface (GUI) will also be developed using VB.net. The model will be validated through comparisons with the TUALP gas-lift experimental results, available field data and commercial transient simulator calculations.
Last updated October 07, 2013