Experimental Study of High-Viscosity Oil/Water/Gas Three-Phase Flow in Horizontal and Upward Vertical Pipes

Abstract

The objective of this project is to measure and observe high-viscosity oil/water/gas three-phase flows in horizontal and upward vertical pipes, and compare the experimental results with existing models to identify the gaps. In this study, oil with viscosities between 0.15 and 0.57 Pa·s (150 and 570 cP) corresponding to temperatures from 37.8 to 15.6 °C (100 to 60 °F), filtered tap water and natural gas at 2.59 MPa (375 psig) pressure are used as the three phases. Superficial oil and water velocities range from 0.1 to 1.0 m/s and superficial gas velocity varies from 1.0 to 5.0 m/s. The internal diameter of the pipe is 5.25-cm (2.067 in). The experimental measurements include pressure gradient and liquid holdup. The flow pattern and slug characteristics are observed and the images are recorded with a high speed video camera system through a high pressure sapphire window. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of Zhang and Sarica (2006) unified model, and the discrepancies are identified.

Review of High-Viscosity Oil Multiphase Pipe Flow

“…At the interface between the gas core and the bottom oil stream, the wave amplitude appears to be much larger than that for low-viscosity oil under similar flow conditions. , This becomes more prominent at higher gas velocities. Figure shows a stratified flow, in which the bottom gas–liquid interface is very unstable.…”

“…Figure shows a high-speed video snapshot of the film region of high-viscosity oil/gas slug flow in a 0.0525 m ID horizontal pipe by Wang . ND 50 Lubsoil oil with viscosities between 0.15 and 0.57 Pa s (corresponding to a temperature range from 100 to 60 °F) and natural gas at 2.59 MPa (375 psig) pressure were used as the two phases.…”

“…Film region of high-viscosity oil/gas horizontal slug flow (μ O , 0.15 Pa s; d , 52.5 mm; v SO , 0.2 m/s; and v SG , 1 m/s) …”

Study of viscous oil-water-gas slug flow in a horizontal pipe

“…The interactions between water and oil in film and slug body regions have not been widely known for such complex flow, however, it was investigated that at fixed gas velocity the film height for high viscosity flow is much greater (due to lower velocity) as compared to the lower viscosity flow (see e.g. Wang et al, 2013 andShmueli et al, 2015). Additionally, at lower and higher gas velocity, curvy and flat gas-liquid interface were observed, respectively (Table a,b).…”

“…The pressure drop increase caused by gas injection can be damped by increase of water, promoting the lubrication mechanism and help preventing oil from adhering to the internal surface of pipe wall. Wang et al (2013) carried out oil-water-gas experiments with much lower oil viscosity (μo=0.15-0.57 Pa•s at 37.8-15.6 ℃). The internal pipe diameter is 52.5 mm, superficial water and oil velocities varied from 0.1-1 m•s -1 , and gas superficial velocity ranged 1-5 m•s -1 .…”