Mathematical Modeling of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drops in the Single- and Dual-Pipe Horizontal Wells

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohu Dong ◽  
Huiqing Liu ◽  
Zhangxin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Thermal Recovery ◽  
Pressure Drops ◽  
Injection Process ◽  
Single Pipe ◽  
Productivity Prediction ◽  
Transfer Mechanisms

In this paper, from the heat transfer mechanisms between perforated horizontal well and formation, the mathematical models for the heat transfer and pressure drops of the horizontal well with different steam injection pipe configurations are developed. All the conventional single-pipe, concentric dual-pipe, and parallel dual-pipe configurations are considered. A correlation is proposed to represent a relationship between the thermophysical properties of the formation and the formation pressure and temperature. Then, using the method of wellbore microcontrol elements and node analysis, the steam injection process in the three different well configurations is numerically investigated. Based on the test data of a parallel dual-pipe horizontal well from an actual oilfield, a steam backflow procedure for the parallel dual-pipe configuration is proposed to confirm the sealed status of a thermal packer. The theoretical investigation plays an important role in the performance evaluation and productivity prediction of horizontal well-based thermal recovery projects. Furthermore, it also sheds some important insights on a steam injection project design with dual-pipe horizontal wells.

Simulation of Steam Injection Process for Horizontal Well with Heavy Oil Recovery

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (13-14) ◽  
pp. 1283-1295
Author(s):  
Chun-sheng Guo ◽  
Fang-yi Qu ◽  
Yong Liu ◽  
Jing-ran Niu ◽  
Yong Zou
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Heavy Oil Recovery ◽  
Injection Process

Steam Injection in Faulted Reservoir and Application of Fracture Assisted Flooding

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Tianovita
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Thermal Recovery ◽  
Development Plan ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Fractured Reservoir ◽  
Reservoir Model ◽  
Injection Process ◽  
Steam Flooding ◽  
New Development

The steam injection process is one of the most effective thermal recovery processes for heavy oil reservoirs. Common challenges with this method are unexpected faults, heat transfer efficiency, and less exposure between oil and steam. The existence of an unexpected fault causes steam to escape from the target zone to the untargeted zone and poses a hazard on the surface. This condition has made the steam injection activity very restricted in faulted reservoirs. The application of hydraulic fracturing known as the fracturing-assisted steam flooding process is a new promising technique for increasing oil recovery by creating a path between injection wells and producing wells. This paper evaluates the effect of a faulted reservoir and accommodates a hydraulically fractured reservoir simulation in the steam injection process using a commercial simulator. The focus of the hydraulic fractures implementation in this study is to increase the exposure between steam and oil. The effect of the injection pattern using an inverted five-spot pattern is also evaluated in this paper. Two reservoir model scenarios are used to illustrate the proposed method: the faulted reservoir model and hydraulically fractured reservoir model. A new development plan is proposed to overcome the faulted reservoirs in the steam injection process with a 20-25% increase in oil recovery compared to the traditional approach. It was observed that the presence of hydraulic fractures in the steam injection process significantly increased the oil recovery by 25-40%. The sensitivity results indicate that parameters such as the fracture schedule and permeability multiplier in the fracture zone affect the increment in oil recovery during the fracture-assisted steam flooding process. This study proves an improvement in the effectiveness of the steam injection process in faulted reservoirs and presents a unique approach to improve steam-oil exposures. This paper introduces a new development plan to overcome faulted reservoirs in the steam injection process. We also introduce an alternative approach to the application of fracture-assisted flooding in the steam injection process. Both methods will greatly impact to increase.

Enhanced Geothermal System Model for Flow through a Stimulated Rock Volume

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Zeinali ◽  
Christine Ehlig-Economides ◽  
Michael Nikolaou
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Geothermal System ◽  
Enhanced Geothermal System ◽  
Well Pattern ◽  
Flow Through

Abstract An Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) uses flow through fractures in an effectively impermeable high-temperature rock formation to provide sustainable and affordable heat extraction that can be employed virtually anywhere with no need for a geothermal reservoir. The problem is that there is no commercial application of this technology. The three-well pattern introduced in this paper employs a multiple transverse fractured horizontal well (MTFHW) drilled and fractured in an effectively impermeable high-temperature formation. Two parallel horizontal wells drilled above and below or on opposing sides of the MTFHW have trajectories that intersect its created fractures. Fluid injected in the MTFHW flows through the fractures and horizontal wells, thus extracting heat from the surrounding high-temperature rock. This study aims to find the most cost-effective well and fracture spacing for this pattern to supply hot fluid to a 20-megawatt power plant. Analytical and numerical models compare heat transfer behavior for a single fracture unit in an MTFHW that is then replicated along with the horizontal well pattern(s). The Computer Modeling Group (CMG) STARS simulator is used to model the circulation of cold water injected into the center of a radial transverse hydraulic fracture and produced from two horizontal wells. Key factors to the design include formation temperature, the flow rate in fractures, the fractured radius, spacing, heat transfer, and pressure loss along the wells. The Aspen HYSYS software is used to model the geothermal power plant, and heat transfer and pressure loss in wells and fractures. The comparison between analytical and numerical models showed the simplified analytical model provides overly optimistic results and indicates the need for a numerical model. Sensitivity studies using the numerical model vary the key design factors and reveal how many fractures the plant requires. The economic performance of several scenarios was investigated to minimize well drilling and completion pattern costs. This study illustrates the viability of applying known and widely used well technologies in an enhanced geothermal system.

A New Method of Improving Steam Injection Profile Distribution Used in Thermal Horizontal Well and Experimental Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 516-517 ◽  
pp. 228-231
Author(s):  
Xiu Xing Zhu ◽  
Shi Feng Xue ◽  
Xing Hua Tong
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Well ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Variable Mass ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Absorption Capacity ◽  
New Method ◽  
Well Yield ◽  
Profile Distribution ◽  
Injection Technology

During the production of thermal horizontal well, recovery ratio will be reduced by the deficiency of traditional steam injection methods, which include finite effective heating range, poor level of producing reserves etc. In order to improve efficiency of steam and well yield，a new method—multipoint steam injection technology is presented in this paper, which can improve steam injection profile distribution in thermal horizontal wells. Several factors including multiphase flow, pressure drop, variable mass flow and reservoir heterogeneity, are taken into consideration in this method. By the new technology, Steam injection string used in horizontal wells is divided into several independent units through applying matching equipments. Based on the optimization of steam absorption capacity of every unit, steam injection profile distribution is improved. The validation of multipoint steam injection technology and matching equipments are verified through ground simulation tests in this paper. Moreover, the influence of steam injection parameters is also analyzed.

Study on Multilateral well Productivity Prediction Technology

2013 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 232-238
Author(s):  
Xiao Dong Wu ◽  
Rui He Wang ◽  
Yi Ning Wang ◽  
Zhuang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Physical Simulation ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Coupling Model ◽  
Laboratory Method ◽  
Well Productivity ◽  
Vertical Well ◽  
Reservoir Flow ◽  
Wellbore Flow ◽  
Productivity Prediction

The production of a multilateral horizontal well is higher than the production of a vertical well, even than that of a unilateral horizontal well. Nonetheless, the stimulation effect is significantly influenced by the branch parameters, and the impacts of branch parameters on the productivity of a multilateral horizontal well are rather complex. In this paper, the factors which affect the productivity of multilateral horizontal wells are preliminarily analyzed with the laboratory method of physical simulation. Then, a semi-analytical coupling model of wellbore flow and reservoir flow is built, and the multilateral horizontal wells are simulated to investigate the impacts of branch parameters on the stimulation effect of multilateral horizontal wells.

Research on Energy and Environment Engineering with Heat Transfer in the Geothermal Heating System with Horizontal Wells

2014 ◽  
Vol 908 ◽  
pp. 461-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Ming Lv ◽  
Shu Zhong Wang ◽  
Xiang Rong Luo ◽  
Ming Luo
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Exchange ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Outlet Temperature ◽  
Linear Change ◽  
Geothermal Heating

Geothermal heating system with horizontal wells doesnt extract ground water and is not affected by the distribution of geothermal resources, which is a closed-loop and environment-friendly system. In this paper, the heat exchange between the horizontal well and rock in the geothermal heating system with horizontal wells has been studied, the heat transfer model has been built, and the heat transfer at different flow rates of water has been calculated. The results show that the outlet temperature of the horizontal well increases with the decrease of the flow rate, and the flux of heat exchange decreases with the decrease of the flow rate. The outlet temperature and the flux of heat transfer have basically the same tendency with time. The three stages are respectively rapidly change stage, moderate change stage and linear change stage.

Optimized Design and Research on Technology Parameters of Concentric Dual-Tube Steam Injection Horizontal Well

2014 ◽  
Vol 675-677 ◽  
pp. 1505-1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Qin Liu ◽  
Zai Hong Shi ◽  
Jing Zhu ◽  
Zhen Ma
Keyword(s):  
Physical Model ◽  
Heat Loss ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Horizontal Well ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Steam Injection ◽  
Injection Technique ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Calculation Methods ◽  
Liaohe Oilfield

The screen pipe completion is the predominated method for heavy oil horizontal well in Liaohe Oilfield, accounting for 83.4% of the total completions. General steam injection has been used for the horizontal wells, resulting in a better exploitation percentage in heel part but a poorer exploitation percentage beyond 1/3 of the distance from the tiptoe to heel in horizontal well. As the concentric dual-tube steam injection technique for horizontal well has just been developed in Liaohe Oilfield, the related supporting technique is not enough. In this paper, researchers consider achieving horizontal wells concentric dual-tube steam injection optimized design as main goal so that the physical model will be established, and also the calculation methods for pressure, the calculation models for quality, heat loss and tapered string parameters along the wellbore will be provided during the concentric dual-tube steam injection for horizontal wells.

scholarly journals Heat Transfer Behaviors in Horizontal Wells Considering the Effects of Drill Pipe Rotation, and Hydraulic and Mechanical Frictions during Drilling Procedures

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Chang ◽  
Jun Zhou ◽  
Yintong Guo ◽  
Shiming He ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Drilling Fluid ◽  
Drill Pipe ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Fluid Temperature ◽  
Horizontal Section ◽  
Pressure Drops ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Wellbore Temperature

Horizontal wells are increasingly being utilized in the exploration and development of oil and gas resources. However, the high temperature that occurs during drilling processes leads to a number of problems, such as the deterioration of drilling fluid properties and borehole instability. Therefore, the insight into heat transfer behaviors in horizontal wells is certainly advantageous. This study presents an integrated numerical model for predicting the temperature distribution during horizontal wells drilling considering the effects of drill pipe rotations, and hydraulic (i.e., circulating pressure losses) and mechanical frictions. A full implicit finite difference method was applied to solve this model. The results revealed that the mechanical frictions affect more on wellbore temperature variation than the effects of heat transfer intensification and circulating pressure losses; Moreover, the drilling fluid temperature was found higher than the stratum temperature at horizontal section, the temperature difference at the bottom hole reached up to 16 °C if pressure drops, heat transfer strengthened by rotations and mechanical frictions were all taken into account. This research could be utilized as a theoretical reference for predicting temperature distributions and estimating risks in horizontal wells drilling.

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