Evaluating High-Angle Wells With Advanced Production-Logging Technology

Advanced Production Logging Technology For More Accurate Flow Profiling - Case Studies from the Gulf of Suez

“…This module has been designed to keep drifts well below 14 millipsi in the full operating pressure-temperature envelope by using a more robust sensor than previous gradiomanometers and by facing the pressure ports towards the interior of the tool, hence minimizing risks of damaging the sensor due to fluid jetting. (2,3,7,8) The PFCS* Platform Flow-Caliper Sonde module provides an integrated set of different measurements in order provide an accurate evaluation of flow rate, including local water holdup and bubble count measurements. The basic architecture of the PFCS can be seen in Fig.…”

“…The flow correction factor depends on the size of the spinner blades, the inside diameter, the roughness of the casing and the viscosity of the fluid mixture but can generally be approximated at 0.86. (2,3,7,8) A full biphasic flow profile can be established from the PFCS alone. This offers the advantage of independent hydrocarbon flow rate estimation from the bubble count data.…”

“…Fallback occurs in multiphase flow in deviated wells. (7,8) In addition to the classical approach, an independent hydrocarbon flow rate can be estimated in two-phase flow from the probe bubble count data, but this requires several logging passes. Alternatively, the hydrocarbon flow rate can be estimated from a phenomenological bubble size model that does not require several logging passes at different logging speeds.…”

“…At high fluid velocities, typically over 200 ft/min, coalesced bubbles can become fragmented, however. (7,8) When an oil well has a bottom hole flowing pressure below the bubble point pressure, it means that there is three-phase flow across the perforations. In this case, it is recommended that the gradiomanometer mixture density measurement be used along with the PFCS.…”

“…Above these rates, gradiomanometer friction corrections can be computed using an algorithm that takes the mixture velocity computed from the full bore flow meter and the hole diameter measured by the PFCS calipers. (7,8) …”