TITLE:

Effect of Well Trajectory on Two-Phase Flow Behavior in Horizontal Wells

DATE:

Friday, October 25th, 2013

TIME:

3:30 PM

LOCATION:

GMCS 214

SPEAKER:

Dr. Carlos Torres. University of Tulsa, Oklahoma

ABSTRACT:

Shale gas and oil have become an increasingly important resource of energy in the United States since the beginning of this century owing to the revolutionary developments in drilling and completion of horizontal wells. It is estimated that shale gas will provide 50% of the natural gas production by 2035. Moreover, the share of liquid rich hydrocarbons production from shale plays is constantly increasing.

Shale gas and oil reservoirs ordinarily have insufficient permeability to allow a significant amount of fluid flow to a wellbore. In order to produce shale reservoirs, horizontal or derivate wells are drilled and hydraulic fractures are performed to improve the formation conductivity. Typically geologist and reservoir engineers design well trajectory based on gas rate while drilling. As consequence, horizontals are not horizontal, and results in different trajectories such as toe-up, toe-down and undulations.

Well trajectory can significantly affect the gas-liquid flow on the pipes, increasing or decreasing the conditions for critical flow conditions such as liquid loading, terrain or severe slugging along the well. These critical flow conditions can generate different operational problems such as reductions in well production, interment flow, no-flow, mechanical fatigue along the completion or surface equipment, and run life decrease of the artificial lift system. In order to evaluate and analyze the horizontal wells performance, the characterization of two-phase flow behavior is a key feature.

HOST:

Dr. Jose Castillo

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