Hole Cleaning in Horizontal Wells Using Viscoelastic Fluids: An Experimental Study of Drilling-Fluid Properties on the Bed-Erosion Dynamics

SPE Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (05) ◽  
pp. 2178-2193
Author(s):  
Mehmet Meric Hirpa ◽  
Ergun Kuru
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Turbulent Flow ◽  
Elastic Properties ◽  
Shear Viscosity ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Horizontal Pipe ◽  
Polymer Fluid ◽  
Bed Erosion

Summary An experimental study was conducted to determine the influence of fluid elastic properties on the critical velocity, frictional pressure drops, and the turbulent-flow characteristics of polymer-fluid flow over a sand bed deposited in a horizontal pipe. Fluids were prepared using a special technique, which allowed for the alteration of fluid elastic properties while keeping the shear viscosity constant. By conducting experiments under controlled conditions, we were able to quantify the individual effect of the fluid elasticity (independent from shear viscosity) on the critical flow rate for bed erosion and the turbulent-flow characteristics of polymer-fluid flow over the stationary sand bed. Results showed that higher critical velocities were required for the onset of the bed erosion when we use the fluid with higher elasticity.

scholarly journals Experimental Study on Flow Characteristics of Ice-Water Slurries in a Horizontal Pipe.

1992 ◽  
Vol 108 (5) ◽  
pp. 357-363
Author(s):  
Hiroshi TAKAHASHI ◽  
Tadashi MASUYAMA ◽  
Toshio KAWASHIMA
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Horizontal Pipe ◽  
Ice Water

Experimental Study of Surrogate Particle Transport and Deposition in a Square Channel Using Particle Tracking Technique

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Orea ◽  
Thien Nguyen ◽  
Rodolfo Vaghetto ◽  
N. K. Anand ◽  
Yassin A. Hassan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Particle Tracking ◽  
Particle Transport ◽  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Square Channel ◽  
Fluid Flow Characteristics

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study of hydrodynamics flow characteristics and particle transport in a test facility. Experimental measurements of fluid flow and particle deposition are studied under isothermal conditions using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) techniques. These non-intrusive optical measurement techniques have been applied in experiment conditions of Reynolds number Re = 5,077 in a 3-inch square channel and 72-inches in total length. The fluid within the channel is air seeded with aerosol droplets while the measurements of particle transport is facilitated using surrogate particles dispersed in the channel flow. Results obtained from the PIV and PTV measurements included the hydrodynamics fluid flow characteristics, and characteristics of particle transports, such as particle velocity, particle diameter distributions and particle concentration profiles. Results from the preliminary test have shown 11.08% deposition of particles. To supplement this experimental work, upstream fluid flow characteristics were provided as boundary conditions for a comparable numerical study.

Effect of Polymer Fluid Viscoelastic Properties on the Initiation of Transition From Laminar to Turbulent Flow Regime and the Drag Reduction in the Flow Through Horizontal Pipe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Meric Hirpa ◽  
Ergun Kuru
Keyword(s):  
Turbulent Flow ◽  
Drag Reduction ◽  
Flow Regime ◽  
Shear Viscosity ◽  
Viscoelastic Properties ◽  
Dynamic Pressure ◽  
Flow Loop ◽  
Horizontal Pipe ◽  
Fluid Elasticity ◽  
Turbulent Flow Regime

Abstract This study investigated the flow of viscoelastic fluids through horizontal pipeline mainly focusing on the effect of fluid elasticity on drag reduction and onset of transition to turbulent flow regime. In order to be able to see the sole effect of fluid elasticity (independent from shear viscosity), three non-Newtonian fluids having the same shear viscosity but different viscoelastic properties were tested in the horizontal flow loop. Those fluids were the dilute solutions of partially hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and they were prepared by using three polymer grades of HPAM (i.e. 5 × 105, 8 × 106, 20 × 106 g/gmol) in different compositions. Experiments have shown that increasing fluid elasticity resulted in higher drag reduction in pipe flow. Moreover, fluid elasticity affected the onset of turbulent flow and an earlier transition to turbulent flow regime (as compared to water flow) was only observed for the flow of fluid having the highest elastic properties. So, understanding effects of fluid elasticity on flow dynamics might improve the performance of fluids engineered for hole cleaning/cuttings transport in oil and gas well drilling or proppant transport in hydraulic fracturing operations. Also, field efforts to find solutions to problems caused by excessive dynamic pressure losses encountered in drilling horizontal or extended reach wells or in transporting hydrocarbons through pipeline might benefit from the findings of this or further extended research on this subject.

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