Modeling the effect of entrained sand particles on pressure transverse in a flowing gas well

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study showcase a realistic model for estimating pressure drop at any production time in any location along the vertical flowing solid-gas well. Also to simulate the impact of solid particles on the pressure transient in gas well. The production of natural gas from the reservoir is always associated with entrained solid particle of different sizes, mainly sand particles and crystalline salts. Entrained solid transport along the gas phase has been a great concern for gas production engineer, as the detrimental consequences are often associated to desirable high operational parameters, such as rate and pressure transverse in producing well.

Design/methodology/approach

A variety of early models for predicting pressure transverse in gas wells were based on steady state flow equation that did not consider time factor, which results in inaccuracy at early production time. Some of the early investigators overlooked the effect of the solid on the pressure transverse phenomena in a gas well. Hence, there is a need for developing a model for estimating pressure transverse at all times in solid–gas well. This study presents an equation for pressure drop in flowing vertical well without neglecting any term in the momentum equation by the inclusion of accumulation and kinetic term.

Findings

The solution of the resulting differential equation gives functional relationship between solid–gas flow rates and pressure at any point in flowing well at any given production time. The results show improvement over previous studies, as the assumptions previously neglected were all considered.

Originality/value

A more realistic result that includes the initial unsteadiness phenomenon is obtained; hence, predicting pressure transient at any given production time has been established for both gas that flows along with solid particles and gas without particles. At the onset of production, the effect of all possible wellbore pressure losses is highly pronounced and decreased as the production time increases. The newly developed model, however, can be used at all depths. The effect of using the Sukkar and Cornell model is extremely adverse for the calculation of other parameters, such as flow rate, and carrying out economic analysis.

Citation

Fadairo, A., Oyedele-Adeyi, O., Oladepo, A. and Ogunkunle, T. (2017), "Modeling the effect of entrained sand particles on pressure transverse in a flowing gas well", World Journal of Engineering, Vol. 14 No. 5, pp. 406-413. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJE-11-2016-0142