Wellbore flow performance Join SPE

Log in

Content of PetroWiki is intended for personal use only and to

supplement, not replace, engineering judgment. SPE disclaims
any and all liability for your use of such content. More information

Published by

Search

Wellbore flow performance

The pressure drop experienced in lifting reservoir fluids to the surface is one of the
main factors affecting well deliverability. As much as 80% of the total pressure
loss in a flowing well may occur in lifting the reservoir fluid to the surface.
Wellbore flow performance relates to estimating the pressure-rate relationship in
the wellbore as the reservoir fluids move to the surface through the tubulars.

Help
Contents

Read
Main page
Random page

1 Pressure loss through the wellbore

2 Single-phase liquid flow
3 Single-phase vapor flow
4 Multiphase flow
5 Nomenclature

Interaction
Tools
Print

6 References
7 Noteworthy papers in OnePetro
8 External links
9 See also
10 Category

Pressure loss through the wellbore

The flow path through the wellbore may include flow through perforations, a
screen and liner, and packers before entering the tubing for flow to the surface. The
tubing may contain completion equipment that acts as flow restrictions, such as
Profile nipples
Sliding sleeves
Subsurface flow-control devices
In addition, the tubing string may be composed of multiple tubing diameters or
allow for tubing/annulus flow to the surface. At the surface, the fluid must pass
through wellhead valves, surface chokes, and through the flowline consisting of
surface piping, valves, and fittings to the surface-processing equipment. The
pressure drop experienced as the fluid moves from the reservoir sandface to the
surface is a function of the mechanical configuration of the wellbore, the properties
of the fluids, and the producing rate.
Relationships to estimate this pressure drop in the wellbore are based on the
mechanical energy equation for flow between two points in a system as written in
Eq. 1.

....................(1)

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

About

Search

Help

Wellbore flow performance -

In this relationship, is the kinetic energy correction factor for the velocity
distribution, W is the work done by the flowing fluid, and El is the irreversible
energy losses in the system including the viscous or friction losses. For most
practical applications, there is no work done by or on the fluid and the kinetic
energy correction factor is assumed to be one. Under these conditions, Eq. 1 can
be rewritten in terms of the pressure change as

....................(2)

This relationship states that the total pressure drop is equal to the sum of the
change in potential energy (elevation), the change in kinetic energy (acceleration),
and the energy losses in the system. This relationship can be written in the
differential form for any fluid at any pipe inclination as

....................(3)

Methods to estimate the pressure drop in tubulars for single-phase liquid, singlephase vapor, and multiphase flow are based on this fundamental relationship.
With Eq. 3, the pressure drop for a particular flow rate can be estimated and
plotted as a function of rate. In the typical application, the wellhead pressure is
fixed and the bottomhole flowing pressure, pwf, is calculated by determining the
pressure drop. This approach will yield a wellbore flow performance curve when
the pressure is plotted as a function of rate as shown in Fig. 1. In this example, the
wellhead pressure is held constant, and the flowing bottomhole pressure is
calculated as a function of rate. This curve is often called a tubing-performance
curve, because it captures the required flowing bottomhole pressure needed for
various rates.

Fig. 1Typical tubing performance curve for constant

wellhead pressure.

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

Wellbore flow performance -

The following paragraphs summarize the basic approaches for estimating the
pressure loss in the tubulars. Complete details of making these calculations are
outside the scope of this section.

Single-phase liquid flow

Single-phase liquid flow is generally of minor interest to the petroleum engineer,
except for the cases of water supply or injection wells. In these cases, Eq. 3 is
applicable where the friction factor, f, is a function of the Reynolds number and
pipe roughness. The friction factor is most commonly estimated from the Moody
friction factor diagram. The friction factor is an empirically determined value that
is subject to error because of its dependence on pipe roughness, which is affected
by pipe erosion, corrosion, or deposition.

Single-phase vapor flow

There are several methods to estimate the pressure drop for single-phase gas flow
under static and flowing conditions. These methods include:
The average temperature and compressibility method
The original and modified Cullendar and Smith methods

[1]
[2][3]

They require a trial-and-error or iterative approach to calculate the pressure drop

for a given rate because of the compressible nature of the gas. These techniques are
calculation intensive but can be implemented easily in a computer program. Lee
and Wattenbarger[4] provide a detailed discussion of several methods used for
estimating pressure drops in gas wells.
A simplified method for calculating the pressure drop in gas wells assuming an
average temperature and average compressibility over the flow length was
presented by Katz et al.[5]

....................(4)

where
....................(5)
and

....................(6)

This relationship can be solved directly if the wellhead and bottomhole pressures
are known; however, in most applications, one pressure will be assumed and the
other calculated. Thus, this method will be an iterative method as the
compressibility factor is determined at the average pressure. Eq. 4 can be used to
calculate the pressure drop for either flowing or static conditions.

Multiphase flow

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

Wellbore flow performance -

Much has been written in the literature regarding the multiphase flow of fluids in
pipe. This problem is much more complex than the single-phase flow problem
because there is the simultaneous flow of both liquid (oil or condensate and water)
and vapor (gas). The mechanical energy equation (Eq. 3) is the basis for methods
to estimate the pressure drop under multiphase flow; however, the problem is in
determining the appropriate velocity, friction factor, and density to be used for the
multiphase mixture in the calculation. In addition, the problem is further
complicated as the velocities, fluid properties, and the fraction of vapor to liquid
change as the fluid flows to the surface due to pressure changes.
Many researchers have proposed methods to estimate pressure drops in multiphase
flow. Each method is based on a combination of theoretical, experimental, and
field observations, which has led some researchers to relate the pressure-drop
calculations to flow patterns. Flow patterns or flow regimes relate to the
distribution of each fluid phase inside the pipe. This implies that a pressure
calculation is dependent on the predicted flow pattern. There are four flow patterns
in the simplest classification of flow regimes:[6]
Bubble flow
Slug flow
Transition flow
Mist flow, with a continually increasing fraction of vapor to liquid from
bubble to mist flow
Bubble flow is experienced when the liquid phase is continuous with the gas phase
existing as small bubbles randomly distributed within the liquid. In slug flow, the
gas phase exists as large bubbles separating liquid slugs in the flow stream. As the
flow enters transition flow, the liquid slugs essentially disappear between the gas
bubbles, and the gas phase becomes the continuous fluid phase. The liquid phase is
entrained as small droplets in the gas phase in the mist-flow pattern.
Poettman and Carpenter [7] were some of the earliest researchers to address
developing a multiphase-flow correlation for oil wells, while Gray[8] presented an
early multiphase correlation for gas wells. A large number of studies have been
conducted related to multiphase flow in pipes. Brill and Mukerjee[9] and Brown
and Beggs[10] include a review of many of these correlations. Application of the
multiphase-flow correlations requires an iterative, trial-and-error solution to
account for changes in flow parameters as a function of pressure. This is
calculation intensive and is best accomplished with computer programs. Pressure
calculations are often presented as pressure-traverse curves, like the one shown in
Fig. 2, for a particular tubing diameter, production rate, and fluid properties.
Pressure-traverse curves are developed for a series of gas-liquid ratios and provide
estimates of pressure as a function of depth. These curves can be used for quick
hand calculations.

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

Wellbore flow performance -

Fig. 2Pressure traverse curves.

Nomenclature
d

pipe diameter, L, in.

El

energy loss per unit mass, L2/t2, ft-lbf/lbm

fM

Moody friction factor in Eq. 5, dimensionless

gravitational acceleration, L/t2, ft/sec 2

gc

conversion factor, dimensionless, 32.2 ft-lbm/lbf-sec2

length, L, ft

pressure, m/Lt2, psia

pwf

bottomhole pressure, m/Lt2, psia

pwh

wellhead pressure, m/Lt2, psia

qg

gas flow rate, L3/t, Mscf/D

skin factor, dimensionless

defined by Eq. 6, m/L 2t

temperature, T, R

velocity, L/t, ft/sec

work per unit mass, L2/t2, ft-lbf/lbm

gas compressibility factor, dimensionless

elevation, L, ft

gas specific gravity, dimensionless

pressure loss, m/Lt2, psia

kinetic energy correction factor, dimensionless

absolute pipe roughness, L, in.

fluid density, m/L3, lbm/ft 3

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

Wellbore flow performance -

porosity, fraction

References
1. Smith, R.V. 1950. Determining Friction Factors for Measuring
Productivity of Gas Wells. Trans., AIME 189: 73.
2. Cullender, M.H. and Smith, R.V. 1956. Practical Solution of Gas-Flow
Equations for Wells and Pipelines with Large Temperature Gradients.
Trans., AIME 207: 281.
3. Oden, R.D. and Jennings, J.W. 1988. Modification of the Cullender and
Smith Equation for More Accurate Bottomhole Pressure Calculations in
Gas Wells. Presented at the Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery
Conference, Midland, Texas, 10-11 March 1988. SPE-17306-MS.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/17306-MS
4. Lee, W.J. and Wattenbarger, R.A. 1996. Gas Reservoir Engineering, 5.
Richardson, Texas: Textbook Series, SPE.
5. Katz, D.L. et al. 1959. Handbook of Natural Gas Engineering. Nw York
City: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.
6. Orkiszewski, J. 1967. Predicting Two-Phase Pressure Drops in Vertical
Pipe. J Pet Technol 19 (6): 829838. SPE-1546-PA.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/1546-PA
7. Poettman, F.H. and Carpenter, P.G. 1952. The Multiphase Flow of Gas,
Oil and Water Through Vertical Flow Strings with Application to the
Design of Gas-Lift Installations. Drill. & Prod. Prac., 257-317. Dallas,
Texas: API.
8. Gray, H.E. 1974. Vertical Flow Correlation in Gas Wells. Users Manual
for API 14B, Appendix B. Dallas, Texas: API.
9. Brill, J.P. and Mukherjee, H. 1999. Multiphase Flow in Wells, 17.
Richardson, Texas: Monograph Series, SPE.
10. Brown, K.E. and Beggs, H.D. 1977. The Technology of Artificial Lift
Methods, 1. Tulsa, Oklahoma: PennWell Publishing Co.

Noteworthy papers in OnePetro

Use this section to list papers in OnePetro that a reader who wants to learn more
should definitely read

External links
Use this section to provide links to relevant material on websites other than
PetroWiki and OnePetro

See also
Flow through chokes
Nodal analysis
Reservoir inflow performance
Production system
PEH:Inflow_and_Outflow_Performance

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]

Wellbore flow performance -

Category
Categories : 3.2.8 Well performance modeling and tubular optimization
YR

This page was last modified on 2 July 2015, at 15:43.

Privacy policy
About Disclaimer
Help
Copyright 2012-2016, Society of Petroleum Engineers

http://petrowiki.org/Wellbore_flow_performance[8/24/2016 4:43:57 AM]