Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a Tool to Study Cutting Transport in Wellbores

Bilgesu, H.I.; Ali, M.W.; Aminian, K.; Ameri, S.

doi:10.2523/78716-ms

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…One of the earliest CFD studies conducted to understand cuttings transport phenomena was that of Bilgesu et al (2002). In their study, the impact of particle size and mud rheology on cuttings removal efficiency was determined using a solid-liquid multiphase flow model.…”

Section: Related Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

A multiparametric CFD analysis of multiphase annular flows for oil and gas drilling applications

Epelle

Gerogiorgis

2017

Computers & Chemical Engineering

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The increasing global energy demand has pushed the oil industry towards developing more innovative and advanced methods of enhancing oil recovery even under unfavourable technical and environmental conditions. The severity of many operational problems affecting the drilling and production of oil and gas wells is worsened by inaccessibility; hence, remedial efforts must be implemented from afar. One of these problems is ensuring efficient removal of formation rock cuttings with a suitable fluid, whose rheology is often complicated. Furthermore, pressure losses along the annular geometry involved, and decreased Rates of Penetration (ROP) due to accumulated drill cuttings downhole, constitute significant portions of the total energy to be supplied. Thus, the application of sophisticated modelling techniques with credible elucidation of the phase distributions (solids, liquids and gas) and prevalent flow regimes becomes essential, if adequate and economic design of a drilling program is desired. The advent of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the growth in the available computational power to support it have provided an unprecedented opportunity to simulate and understand complex real flows, especially when experimental methods become extremely demanding. The present study employs the tool of Computational Fluid Dynamics to simulate a two-phase solid-liquid flow in an annulus based on the analysis of cuttings concentration, pressure drop profiles, axial fluid, and solid velocities as a function of several drilling parameters: drill pipe eccentricity, inclination, drill pipe rotation, ROP and fluid rheology. Special emphasis is however, placed on the impact of changing hole eccentricity on cuttings transport efficiency. The suitability of the Eulerian-Eulerian (EE) multiphase tracking scheme in modelling systems of high volume fractions is fully utilised in this work. A non-Newtonian (power law) fluid model with well-described flow parameters is implemented, considering a uniform cuttings size distribution (3 mm). A commercial CFD software (ANSYS FLUENT TM 17.1) has been used; the descriptive and predictive potential of the CFD software has been confirmed on account of the reasonable agreement with previously published experimental data (a relative error of less than 11% is achieved), as illustrated by the corresponding sensitivity plots. This multi-parametric CFD analysis study of multiphase cutting transport during drilling applications has confirmed that fluid velocity, hole inclination and annular eccentricity are the most influential factors governing the cuttings transport efficiency.2

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Section: Related Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

A multiparametric CFD analysis of multiphase annular flows for oil and gas drilling applications

Epelle

Gerogiorgis

2017

Computers & Chemical Engineering

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“…Herzhaft (1999) investigated cutting transport with foam fluid and presented that increasing foam quality the cutting transport is increased. Bilgesu et al (2002) simulated cutting transport with computational fluid dynamic and showed fluid velocity in annulus has an important effect on the cutting transport. Also, the cutting transport efficiency is increased in low flow rates for all muds with various density.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical modeling and simulation of drilling cutting transport in horizontal wells

Zakerian

Sarafraz

Tabzar

et al. 2018

J Petrol Explor Prod Technol

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Cutting transport is an important goal in drilling operation especially in horizontal and deviated wells since it can cause problems such as stuck pipe, circulation loss and high torque and drag. To this end, this article focused on the affecting parameters on the cutting transport by computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling and real operational data. The effect of drilling fluid and cutting density on the pressure drop, deposit ratio and string stress on the cutting transport has been investigated. A systematic validation study is presented by comparing the simulation results against published experimental database. The results showed that by increasing two times of drilling fluid density/operational density, cutting precipitation ratio decreased 32.9% and stress applied on the drilling string and pressure drop increased 4.59 and 5.97%, respectively. By increasing two times of drilling cutting density/operational density, cutting precipitation ratio increased 200%. Also, there is an optimum point for drilling cutting density at 8.5 in which stress applied on the drilling string will be minimum.

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“…Bailey et al [12] also used this method to investigate the pressure gradient of non Newtonian slurry composed of gel and sand at reel to injector section of coiled tubing. Similar approach has been used by Bilgesu et al [13] to investigate the cutting transport efficiencies in vertical well. In the present study, the flow is assumed to be in pseudo-steady state condition.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Factors affecting fill removal from horizontal well during colied tubing cleanout operation

Pao

Khan

2014

MATEC Web of Conferences

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Coiled Tubing (CT) is extensively used in oil industry to clean the wellbore to increase the productivity of oil/gas well by removing the fill/sand downhole. Well cleanup operation for low bottom hole pressure is problematic and common cleanout fluids are not effective as a circulation fluid due to severe pressure losses and low suspension capability. The use of foam as cleaning agent has become more popular due to its low density and high viscosity. The objective of this paper is to investigate the factor effecting on fill concentration and pressure loss during horizontal wellbore cleanup operation at different CT/Annulus diameter ratios using Herschel Buckley viscosity model. Results showed that foam quality has the significantly high effect on fill concentration as compared to foam velocity. It is noticed that diameter ratio has high effect on particle removal when foam quality is 70%. Surprisingly, it is found that the effect of diameter ratio on fill concentration decreases when foam quality is 90%.

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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a Tool to Study Cutting Transport in Wellbores

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

A multiparametric CFD analysis of multiphase annular flows for oil and gas drilling applications

A multiparametric CFD analysis of multiphase annular flows for oil and gas drilling applications

Numerical modeling and simulation of drilling cutting transport in horizontal wells

Factors affecting fill removal from horizontal well during colied tubing cleanout operation

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