Development of a 3D Numerical Simulator of Horizontal Well Gravel Pack

Ojo, K.P.; Osisanya, S.O.; Ayeni, Kolawole Babajide

doi:10.2118/2006-075

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Based on the solid-liquid two-phase flow theory, Pu [21] established an intelligent calculation system for gravel packing in horizontal wells, which considered formation leakage. Ojo et al [22,23] established a three-dimensional mathematical model of gravel packing in horizontal wells under the influence of multiple factors and predicted the balanced height of sand bed during gravel packing process in horizontal wells. When Dong et al [24][25][26] conducted a numerical simulation study on the gravel packing process in horizontal wells, they took into account the influences of sand-carrying fluid filtration to the formation and fluid mass exchange between wellbore annulus and scrubber annulus on gravel packing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Gravel Packing Completion in Horizontal Wells

et al. 2021

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The gravel packing completion method for horizontal wells has the advantages of maintaining high oil production for a long time, maintaining wellbore stability, and preventing sand production, so it has become the preferred completion method for horizontal wells. At present, this technology still faces the problems of high sand bed height and poor gravel migration. In order to improve the efficiency of gravel packing in horizontal wells, pulsed gravel packing technology for horizontal wells is proposed for the first time. Based on the mechanism of hydraulic pulse, the Eulerian–Eulerian model, k-ε model based on the renormalization group theory (RNG k-ε model), and Fluent are used to simulate the solid-liquid two-phase flow. By optimizing the parameters such as frequency and amplitude of pulse waveform, the optimal pulse waveform of pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells is determined. The effects of parameters such as sand-carrying fluid displacement, sand-carrying fluid viscosity, sand-carrying ratio, gravel particle size, and string eccentricity on pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells are studied, and the distribution law of gravel migration velocity and volume fraction in horizontal wells is obtained. According to the results, it can be seen that with the increase of displacement and viscosity of carrier fluid, the volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed decreases gradually, while that of suspension bed increases gradually. With the increase of sand-carrying ratio, gravel particle size, and string eccentricity, the volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed increases gradually, while that of suspended bed decreases gradually. Comparing the effects of conventional gravel packing and pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells, it can be concluded that the efficiency of pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells is higher. The volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed decreased by 30% and 40% respectively, while the volume fraction of suspended bed increased by 20%. The migration velocity of moving bed and suspended bed increased by 40% and 25%, respectively, and the migration ability of gravel improved obviously.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Gravel Packing Completion in Horizontal Wells

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Based on the solidliquid two-phase flow theory, Pu [21] established an intelligent calculation system for gravel packing in horizontal wells, which considering formation leakage. Ojo et al [22,23] established a three-dimensional mathematical model of gravel packing in horizontal wells under the influence of multiple factors and predicted the balanced height of sand bed during gravel packing process in horizontal wells. When Dong et al [24,25,26] conducted a numerical simulation study on the gravel packing process in horizontal wells, they took into account the influences of sandcarrying fluid filtration to the formation and fluid mass exchange between wellbore annulus and scrubber annulus on gravel packing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical simulation of pulsed gravel packing completion in horizontal wells

Zhang¹,

Yang²,

Chen³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Gravel packing completion method for horizontal wells has the advantages of maintaining high oil production for a long time, maintaining wellbore stability and preventing sand production, so it has become the preferred completion method for horizontal wells. At present, this technology still faces the problems of high sand bed height and poor gravel migration. In order to improve the efficiency of gravel packing in horizontal wells, pulsed gravel packing technology for horizontal wells is proposed for the first time. Based on the mechanism of hydraulic pulse, the Eularian model, RNG K-ε model and CFD model are used to simulate the solid-liquid two-phase flow. By optimizing the parameters such as frequency and amplitude of pulse waveform, the optimal pulse waveform of pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells is determined. The effects of parameters such as sand-carrying fluid displacement, sand-carrying fluid viscosity, sand-carrying ratio, gravel particle size and string eccentricity on pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells are studied, and the distribution law of gravel migration velocity and volume fraction in horizontal wells is obtained. According to the results, it can be seen that with the increase of displacement and viscosity of carrier fluid, the volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed decreases gradually, while that of suspension bed increases gradually. With the increase of sand-carrying ratio, gravel particle size and string eccentricity, the volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed increases gradually, while that of suspended bed decreases gradually. Comparing the effects of conventional gravel packing and pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells, it can be concluded that the efficiency of pulsed gravel packing in horizontal wells is higher. The volume fraction of fixed bed and moving bed decreased by 30% and 40% respectively, while the volume fraction of suspended bed increased by 20%. The migration velocity of moving bed and suspended bed increased by 40% and 25% respectively. And the migration ability of gravel improved obviously.

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Factors Affecting Horizontal Well Gravel-Pack Efficiency

2006

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Four major factors affecting horizontal well gravel pack were studied using a 3-D simulator developed for horizontal well gravel packing. The factors include settling effect, gravel concentration, injection rate, and carrier fluid viscosity. The gravel pack process was simulated and the effectiveness and pack efficiency of the gravel pack job is determined using the simulator. The effect of carrier fluid viscosity on gravel-pack efficiency was studied by varying the viscosity between 1 and 51 cp, injection rate between 1 and 4 barrel per minute, and gravel concentration between 0.50 and 4.0 pound mass per gallon. These three factors affect the settling factor of the gravel as it enters the horizontal section which subsequently affects the pack effciciency of the gravel pack process. Introduction Several authors have investigated the factors affecting gravel transportation and placement towards achieving an effective gravel pack. Gruesbeck et al1 performed experiments to measure pack efficiency as a function of screen parameter, fluid and gravel properties, completion configuration and angle of inclination of the well bore. They also developed a model to determine the height of the equilibrium bank formed during gravel packing of an inclined well bore. They concluded that packing efficiency increases with lower gravel concentration, lower gravel density, higher flow rate and increasing resistance to fluid flow in the tail pipe/screen annulus. They contended that by increasing the ratio of tail pipe diameter to the inside diameter of screen beyond 0.6, better efficient packing could be achieved. Several successful jobs were reportedly performed with this philosophy. Carrier fluid of viscosity less than 10 cp produced an equilibrium bank that allows complete filling of the well bore when the bank height is less than the diameter of the casing. Hodge2 substantiated the Gruesbeck et al. work by determining the accuracy of the predicted equilibrium bank height. Elson, et al3 reported a study conducted to define optimum gravel pack procedures and completion design factors for high angle wells. Result of the study showed that high viscosity carrier fluids with high gravel concentration provides good gravel transport, but are unsuitable in wells with angles of 80o from vertical. Satisfactory transport and improved packing were achieved with lower carrier fluid viscosity and sand concentrations. Tailpipe design requirement recommended by Gruesbeck et al. was used with satisfactory results. Skaggs4 presented the result of a large-scale well bore model he used to study gravel transport through the perforations during a high-density squeeze gravel packing operation. He concluded that the transport efficiency through perforations increases with increased fluid viscosity, gravel concentration, and annular velocity. His work is however based on vertical well bore. Winterfeld and Schroeder5 developed a finite element numerical simulator and used it with a full-scale well bore model to study gravel placement in perforations and annulus. Their model is based on mass and momentum conservation equations. Peden et al6 developed some mathematical design models for predicting the optimum combination of required design parameters such as tailpipe diameter, slurry flow rate, and gravel concentration for an optimum packing efficiency. These models were based on extensive experimental study of factors affecting packing efficiency and dimensional analysis of obtained data. Wahlmeler and Andrews7 in 1988 improved on the earlier works of Gruesbeck et al. and Peden et al. by developing a pseudo-three dimensional mathematical model suitable for designing and evaluating gravel pack treatments. The pseudo-three dimensional model was based on overall aspects of well bore configuration and the mechanism involved in the process of gravel packing. The model was verified both with large-scale laboratory studies and field results Shryock8 worked on a full scale deviated model and had similar conclusions with earlier workers. He discovered that water carrier fluids completely gravel pack well bore deviated at 60o from vertical and that packing efficiency can be improved by increasing the resistance to flow in the liner-tailpipe annulus.

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Development of a 3D Numerical Simulator of Horizontal Well Gravel Pack

Cited by 5 publications

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Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Gravel Packing Completion in Horizontal Wells

Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Gravel Packing Completion in Horizontal Wells

Numerical simulation of pulsed gravel packing completion in horizontal wells

Factors Affecting Horizontal Well Gravel-Pack Efficiency

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