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Current TUALP Research
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Artificial Lift Conditioning for Deviated and Horizontal Wells
PI’s: Dr. Xuhui Liu, Visiting Scholar from Yantze University, China
Dr. Fachun Liang, Visiting Scholar from China University of Petroleum, China
Objectives:
• Downhole slugging modeling for multiphase flow from wells with different orientations
• Investigate downhole separation strategies with special separator, rat hole or special well heel geometries
Abstract:
Slugging is a major challenge to the performance of different pumps such as ESP and rod pump. The alternative arrivals of liquid slug and gas pocket of slug flow make separation difficult and cause significant gas entrainment which deteriorates pump performance. This problem is exacerbated in highly deviated and horizontal wells, where slug and gas pocket lengths tend to be much longer. In this study, multiphase flow in deviated and horizontal wells with distributed influxes will be modeled. The slugging behavior will be analyzed in order to understand the liquid loading and artificial lift challenges. Different strategies for slugging mitigation and gas-liquid separation will be investigated, such as special separator design and rat hole arrangement. Appropriate drilling and completion can also be proposed for better artificial lift integration in deviated and horizontal well production systems.
Last updated October 07, 2013