Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing

Coiled tubing (CT) is widely used in drilling, workover, completion, fracturing and stimulation in the field of oil and gas exploration and development. During CT operation, the tubing will present a gas–liquid two-phase flow state. The prediction of frictional pressure drop for fluid in the tube is...

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Main Authors: Shihui Sun, Jiahao Liu, Wan Zhang, Tinglong Yi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8969
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author Shihui Sun
Jiahao Liu
Wan Zhang
Tinglong Yi
author_facet Shihui Sun
Jiahao Liu
Wan Zhang
Tinglong Yi
author_sort Shihui Sun
collection DOAJ
description Coiled tubing (CT) is widely used in drilling, workover, completion, fracturing and stimulation in the field of oil and gas exploration and development. During CT operation, the tubing will present a gas–liquid two-phase flow state. The prediction of frictional pressure drop for fluid in the tube is an important part of hydraulic design, and its accuracy directly affects the success of the CT technique. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the gas void fraction, curvature ratio and fluid inlet velocity on frictional pressure drop in CT, numerically. Experimental data verified simulated results. Flow friction sensitivity analysis shows the frictional pressure drop reaches its peak at a gas void fraction of 0.8. The frictional pressure gradient increases with the increase in curvature ratio. As the strength of secondary flow increases with the increase in inlet velocity, the increased trend of gas–liquid two-phase flow friction is aggravated. The correlation of friction factor for gas–liquid two-phase flow in coiled tubing is developed by regression analysis of simulation results. The research results can support high quality CT hydraulics design, through which the success of CT operations can be guaranteed.
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spelling doaj.art-efe60db85ee5400eb0b57410133609292023-11-24T10:53:12ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-11-011523896910.3390/en15238969Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled TubingShihui Sun0Jiahao Liu1Wan Zhang2Tinglong Yi3Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, Ministry of Education, College of Petroleum Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, Ministry of Education, College of Petroleum Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, Ministry of Education, College of Petroleum Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory of Enhanced Oil Recovery, Ministry of Education, College of Petroleum Engineering, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, ChinaCoiled tubing (CT) is widely used in drilling, workover, completion, fracturing and stimulation in the field of oil and gas exploration and development. During CT operation, the tubing will present a gas–liquid two-phase flow state. The prediction of frictional pressure drop for fluid in the tube is an important part of hydraulic design, and its accuracy directly affects the success of the CT technique. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the gas void fraction, curvature ratio and fluid inlet velocity on frictional pressure drop in CT, numerically. Experimental data verified simulated results. Flow friction sensitivity analysis shows the frictional pressure drop reaches its peak at a gas void fraction of 0.8. The frictional pressure gradient increases with the increase in curvature ratio. As the strength of secondary flow increases with the increase in inlet velocity, the increased trend of gas–liquid two-phase flow friction is aggravated. The correlation of friction factor for gas–liquid two-phase flow in coiled tubing is developed by regression analysis of simulation results. The research results can support high quality CT hydraulics design, through which the success of CT operations can be guaranteed.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8969coiled tubinggas–liquid two-phase flowgas void fractioncurvature ratiofrictional pressure drop
spellingShingle Shihui Sun
Jiahao Liu
Wan Zhang
Tinglong Yi
Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
Energies
coiled tubing
gas–liquid two-phase flow
gas void fraction
curvature ratio
frictional pressure drop
title Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
title_full Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
title_fullStr Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
title_full_unstemmed Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
title_short Frictional Pressure Drop for Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Coiled Tubing
title_sort frictional pressure drop for gas liquid two phase flow in coiled tubing
topic coiled tubing
gas–liquid two-phase flow
gas void fraction
curvature ratio
frictional pressure drop
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8969
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