Wellbore Calculations Multiphase Flow Definitions

Home > Theory and Equations > Wellbore Calculations
Wellbore Calculations
Multiphase Flow Definitions
Input Volume Fraction
The input volume fractions are defined as:
We can also write this as:
Where:
= gas formation volume factor
= input gas volume fraction
= input liquid volume fraction
= gas flow rate (at standard conditions)
= liquid flow rate (at prevailing pressure and temperature)
= superficial gas velocity
= superficial liquid velocity
= mixture velocity (
Note:
is the liquid rate at the prevailing pressure and temperature. Similarly,
the prevailing pressure and temperature.
is the gas rate at
The input volume fractions,

and
, are known quantities, and are often used as correlating
variables in empirical multiphase correlations.
In-Situ Volume Fraction (Liquid Holdup)

The in-situ volume fraction, (or ), is often the value that is estimated by multiphase correlations. Because
of "slip" between phases, the "holdup" (
) can be significantly different from the input liquid fraction (
). For example, a single-phase gas can percolate through a wellbore containing water. In this
situation = 0 (single-phase gas is being produced), but > 0 (the wellbore contains water). The in-situ
volume fraction is defined as follows:
Where:
= cross-sectional area occupied by the liquid phase
A = total cross-sectional area of the pipe
Liquid Holdup Effect

When two or more phases are present in a pipe, they tend to flow at different in-situ velocities. These insitu velocities depend on the density and viscosity of the phase. Usually the phase that is less dense will
flow faster than the other. This causes a "slip" or holdup effect, which means that the in-situ volume
fractions of each phase (under flowing conditions) will differ from the input volume fractions of the pipe.
Mixture Density
The mixture density is a measure of the in-situ density of the mixture, and is defined as follows:
Where:
= in-situ liquid volume fraction (liquid holdup)
= in-situ gas volume fraction
= mixture density
= liquid density
= gas density
Note: The mixture density is defined in terms of in-situ volume fractions (
density is defined in terms of input volume fractions (
), whereas the no-slip
).
Mixture Velocity
Mixture Velocity is another parameter often used in multiphase flow correlations. The mixture velocity is
given by:
Where:
= mixture velocity
Mixture Viscosity
The mixture viscosity is a measure of the in-situ viscosity of the mixture and can be defined in several
different ways. In general, unless otherwise specified, m is defined as follows.
W here:
= in-situ liquid volume fraction (liquid holdup)
= in-situ gas volume fraction
= mixture viscosity
= liquid viscosity
= gas viscosity
Note: The mixture viscosity is defined in terms of in-situ volume fractions (
viscosity is defined in terms of input volume fractions (
), whereas the no-slip
).
No-Slip Density
The "no-slip" density is the density that is calculated with the assumption that both phases are moving at
the same in-situ velocity. The no-slip density is therefore defined as follows:
Where:
= no-slip density
= liquid density
= gas density
Note: The no-slip density is defined in terms of input volume fractions (
is defined in terms of in-situ volume fractions (
), whereas the mixture density
).
No-Slip Viscosity
The "no-slip" viscosity is the viscosity that is calculated with the assumption that both phases are moving
at the same in-situ velocity. There are several definitions of "no-slip" viscosity. In general, unless
otherwise specified, is defined as follows.
Where:
= no-slip viscosity
= liquid viscosity
= gas viscosity
Superficial Velocity
The superficial velocity of each phase is defined as the volumetric flow rate of the phase divided by the
cross-sectional area of the pipe (as though that phase alone was flowing through the pipe). Therefore:
and
Where:
D = inside diameter of pipe
= measured gas flow rate (at standard conditions)
= liquid flow rate (at prevailing pressure and temperature)
Since the liquid phase accounts for both oil and water
phase accounts for the solution gas going in and out of the oil as a function of pressure(
), the superficial velocities can be rewritten as:
Where:
and the gas
= oil flow rate (at stock tank conditions)

= water flow rate in (at stock tank conditions)
= gas flow rate (at standard conditions of 14.65psia and 60F)
= liquid flow rate (oil and water at prevailing pressure and temperature)
= oil formation volume factor
= water formation volume factor
= solution gas/oil ratio
WC = water of condensation (water content of natural gas, Bbl/MMscf)
The oil, water and gas formation volume factors (
,
and
) are used to convert the flow rates
from standard (or stock tank) conditions to the prevailing pressure and temperature conditions in the pipe.
Since the actual cross-sectional area occupied by each phase is less than the cross-sectional area of the
entire pipe the superficial velocity is always less than the true in-situ velocity of each phase.
Surface Tension
The surface tension (interfacial tension) between the gas and liquid phases has very little effect on twophase pressure drop calculations. However a value is required for use in calculating certain
dimensionless numbers used in some of the pressure drop correlations. Empirical relationships for
estimating the gas/oil interfacial tension and the gas/water interfacial tension were presented by Baker
and Swerdloff, Hough and by Beggs.
Gas/Oil Interfacial Tension

The dead oil interfacial tension at temperatures of 68 F and 100 F is given by:
Where:
= interfacial tension at 68 F (dynes/cm)
API = gravity of stock tank oil (API)
If the temperature is greater than 100 F, the value at 100 F is used. If the temperature is less than 68 F,
the value at 68 F is used. For intermediate temperatures, linear interpolation is used.
As pressure is increased and gas goes into solution, the gas/oil interfacial tension is reduced. The dead
oil interfacial tension is corrected for this by multiplying by a correction factor.
Where:
P = pressure (psia)
The interfacial tension becomes zero at miscibility pressure, and for most systems this will be at any
pressure greater than about 5000 psia. Once the correction factor becomes zero (at about 3977 psia), 1
dyne/cm is used for calculations.
Gas/Water Interfacial Tension

The gas/water interfacial tension at temperatures of 74 F and 280 F is given by:
Where:
P = pressure (psia)
If the temperature is greater than 280 F, the value at 280 F is used. If the temperature is less than 74 F,
the value at 74 F is used. For intermediate temperatures, linear interpolation is used.
Wellbore Correlations
Beggs and Brill Correlation
For multiphase flow, many of the published correlations are applicable for "vertical flow" only, while others
apply for "horizontal flow" only. Not many correlations apply to the whole spectrum of flow situations that
may be encountered in oil and gas operations, namely uphill, downhill, horizontal, inclined and vertical
flow. The Beggs and Brill (1973) correlation, is one of the few published correlations capable of handling
all these flow directions. It was developed using 1" and 1-1/2" sections of pipe that could be inclined at
any angle from the horizontal.
The Beggs and Brill multiphase correlation deals with both the friction pressure loss and the hydrostatic
pressure difference. First, the appropriate flow regime for the particular combination of gas and liquid
rates (Segregated, Intermittent or Distributed) is determined. The liquid holdup, and hence, the in-situ
density of the gas-liquid mixture is then calculated according to the appropriate flow regime, to obtain the
hydrostatic pressure difference. A two-phase friction factor is calculated based on the "input" gas-liquid
ratio and the Fanning friction factor. From this the frictional pressure loss is calculated using "input" gasliquid mixture properties.
Flow Pattern Map

The Beggs and Brill correlation requires that a flow pattern be determined. Since the original flow pattern
map was created, it has been modified. We have used this modified flow pattern map for our calculations.
The transition lines for the modified correlation are defined as follows:
Where:
= liquid input volume fraction
The flow type can then be readily determined either from a representative flow pattern map or according
to the following conditions, where
.
Where:
D = inside pipe diameter (ft)
= Froude Mixture Number (unitless)
g = acceleration of gravity (32.2 ft/s2)
= mixture velocity (ft/s)
SEGREGATED flow
if
and
or
and
INTERMITTENT flow
if
and
or
and
DISTRIBUTED flow
if
and
or
and
TRANSITION flow
if
and
Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

Once the flow type has been determined then the liquid holdup can be calculated. Beggs and Brill divided
the liquid holdup calculation into two parts. First the liquid holdup for horizontal flow,
determined, and then this holdup is modified for inclined flow.
and therefore when
separate
is smaller than
for each flow type.
, is
must be greater than or equal to

is assigned a value of
. There is a
SEGREGATED
INTERMITTENT
DISTRIBUTED
TRANSITION
Where:
Once the horizontal in situ liquid volume fraction is determined, the actual inclined liquid holdup,
,is obtained by multiplying
by an inclination factor,
Where:
= Inclination factor (unitless)
= horizontal liquid holdup (unitless)
= inclined liquid holdup (unitless)
= Beggs and Brill coefficient (unitless)

= angle of inclination from the horizontal (degrees)
is a function of flow type, the direction of inclination of the pipe (uphill flow or downhill flow), the liquid
velocity number (
), and the Froude Mixture Number (
).
is defined as:
Where:
= superficial liquid velocity (ft/s)
= liquid velocity number (unitless)
= liquid density (lb/ft3)
= gas/liquid surface tension (dynes/cm)
For UPHILL flow:

SEGREGATED
INTERMITTENT
DISTRIBUTED
For DOWNHILL flow:
ALL flow types
Note:
assume
must always be greater than or equal to 0. Therefore, if a negative value is calculated for
= 0.
Once the inclined liquid holdup (

) is calculated, it is used to calculate the mixture density,
The mixture density is, in turn, used to calculate the pressure change due to the hydrostatic head (
) of the vertical component of the pipe or well.
Where:
gc = conversion factor
= pressure change due to hydrostatic head (psi)
= elevation change (ft)
= mixture density (lb/ft3)
Friction Pressure Loss

The first step to calculating the pressure drop due to friction is to calculate the empirical parameter, S.
The value of S is governed by the following conditions:
otherwise,
Where:
S = Beggs and Brill coefficient (unitless)
(unitless)
Note: Severe instabilities have been observed when these equations are used as published. Our
implementation has modified them so that the instabilities have been eliminated.
A ratio of friction factors is then defined as follows:
Where:
= no-slip friction factor (unitless)
= two phase friction factor (unitless)
We use the Fanning friction factor, calculated using the Chen equation. The no-slip Reynolds Number,
, is also used, and it is defined as follows:
Where:
= no-slip Reynold's Number (unitless)
= no-slip viscosity (cp)
= no-slip density (lb/ft3)
Finally, the expression for the pressure loss due to friction,
is:
Where:
L = length of pipe section (ft)
= frictional pressure loss (psi)
Fanning Gas Correlation (Multi-Step Cullender and

Smith)
The Fanning Gas Correlation is the name used in this document to refer to the calculation of the
hydrostatic pressure difference (
) and the friction pressure loss (
) for single-phase gas flow,
using the following standard equations.
This formulation for pressure drop is applicable to pipes of all inclinations. When applied to a vertical
wellbore it is equivalent to the Cullender and Smith method. However, it is implemented as a multisegment procedure instead of a 2 segment calculation.
Friction Pressure Loss

The Fanning equation is as follows:
Where:
D = inside diameter of pipe (in)
f = Fanning friction factor (function of Reynolds number)
V = average velocity (ft/s)

= pressure loss due to friction effects (psi)
= density (lb/ft3)
This correlation can be used either for single-phase gas (Fanning Gas) or for single-phase liquid (Fanning
Liquid).
Single-Phase friction factor (
The single-phase friction factor can be obtained from the Chen (1979) equation, which is representative of
the Fanning friction factor chart.
Where:
k = absolute roughness (in)
k/D = relative roughness (unitless)
Re = Reynolds number (unitless)
The single-phase friction factor clearly depends on the Reynolds number, which is a function of the fluid
density, viscosity, velocity and pipe diameter. The friction factor is valid for single-phase gas or liquid flow,
as their very different properties are taken into account in the definition of Reynolds number.
Where:
= viscosity (lb/fts)
Since viscosity is usually measured in "centipoise", and 1 cp = 1488 lb/fts, the Reynolds number can be
rewritten for viscosity in centipoise.
Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

The calculation of hydrostatic head is different for a gas than for a liquid, because gas is compressible
and its density varies with pressure and temperature, whereas for a liquid a constant density can be
safely assumed. Either way the hydrostatic pressure difference is given by:
Where:

= gas density (lb/ft3)
Since
varies with pressure, the calculation must be done sequentially in small steps to allow the
density to vary with pressure.
Fanning Liquid Correlation

The Fanning friction factor pressure loss (
(
) can be combined with the hydrostatic pressure difference
) to give the total pressure loss. The Fanning Liquid Correlation is the name used in this program
to refer to the calculation of the hydrostatic pressure difference (
) and the frictional pressure loss (
) for single-phase liquid flow, using the following standard equations.
Fanning Liquid - Friction Pressure Loss

The Fanning equation is widely thought to be the most generally applicable single-phase equation for
calculating frictional pressure loss. It utilizes friction factor charts (Knudsen and Katz, 1958), which are
functions of Reynolds number and relative pipe roughness. These charts are also often referred to as the
Moody charts. We use the equation form of the Fanning friction factor as published by Chen (1979).
Where:
k = absolute roughness (in)
k/D = relative roughness (unitless)
Re = Reynolds number (unitless)
The method for calculating the Fanning friction factor is the same for single-phase gas or single-phase
liquid.
The Fanning equation is as follows:
Where:
f = Fanning friction factor (function of Reynolds number)
V = average velocity (ft/s)

= pressure loss due to friction effects (psi)
= density (lb/ft3)
This correlation can be used either for single-phase gas (Fanning Gas) or for single-phase liquid (Fanning
Liquid).
Fanning Liquid - Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

The calculation of hydrostatic head is different for a gas than for a liquid, because gas is compressible
and its density varies with pressure and temperature, whereas for a liquid a constant density can be
safely assumed. For liquid, the hydrostatic pressure difference is given by:
Where:
=elevation change (ft)
Since
does not vary with pressure, a constant value can be used for the entire length of the pipe.
Gray Correlation
The Gray correlation was developed by H.E. Gray (Gray, 1978), specifically for wet gas wells. Although
this correlation was developed for vertical flow, we have implemented it in both vertical, and inclined pipe
pressure drop calculations. To correct the pressure drop for situations with a horizontal component, the
hydrostatic head has only been applied to the vertical component of the pipe while friction is applied to the
entire length of pipe.
First, the in-situ liquid volume fraction is calculated. The in-situ liquid volume fraction is then used to
calculate the mixture density, which is in turn used to calculate the hydrostatic pressure difference. The
input gas liquid mixture properties are used to calculate an "effective" roughness of the pipe. This
effective roughness is then used in conjunction with a constant Reynolds Number of
to calculate the
Fanning friction factor. The pressure difference due to friction is calculated using the Fanning friction
pressure loss equation.
Gray: Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

The Gray correlation uses three dimensionless numbers (shown below), in combination, to predict the in
situ liquid volume fraction. These three dimensionless numbers are:
And:
Where:
g = gravitational acceleration (32.2 ft/s2)
= Ratio of superificial liquid velocity of superficial gas velocity (unitless)
= superficial gas velocity (ft/s)
= gas / liquid surface tension (
They are then combined as follows:
Where:
= input liquid volume fraction (unitless)

= in-situ liquid volume fraction (liquid holdup) (unitless)
Once the liquid holdup (
) is calculated it is used to calculate the mixture density (
). The mixture
density is, in turn, used to calculate the pressure change due to the hydrostatic head of the vertical
component of the pipe or well.
Where:
Note: For the equations found in the Gray correlation,
is given in
. We have implemented
them using with units of dynes/cm and have converted the equations by multiplying
by 0.00220462.
(0.00220462dynes/cm = 1
Gray: Friction Pressure Loss

The Gray Correlation assumes that the effective roughness of the pipe (
(defined previously). The conditions are as follows:
if
then
if
then
Where:
k = absolute roughness of the pipe
= effective roughness of the pipe (in)
The effective roughness (
) must be larger than or equal to 2.77 10-5.
) is dependent on the value of
The relative roughness of the pipe is then calculated by dividing the effective roughness by the diameter
of the pipe. The Fanning friction factor is obtained using the Chen equation and assuming a Reynolds
Number of
. Finally, the expression for the friction pressure loss is:
Where:
= two-phase friction factor
L = length of pipe (ft)
= pressure change due to friction (psi)
Note: The original publication contained a misprint (0.0007 instead of 0.007). Also, the surface tension (
) is given in units of
. We used a conversion factor of 0.00220462 dynes/cm = 1
Hagedorn and Brown Correlation

Experimental data obtained from a 1500ft deep, instrumented vertical well was used in the development
of the Hagedorn and Brown correlation. Pressures were measured for flow in tubing sizes that ranged
from 1 " to 1 " OD. A wide range of liquid rates and gas/liquid ratios were used. As with the Gray
correlation, our software will calculate pressure drops for horizontal and inclined flow using the Hagedorn
and Brown correlation, although the correlation was developed strictly for vertical wells. The software
uses only the vertical depth to calculate the pressure loss due to hydrostatic head, and the entire pipe
length to calculate friction.
The Hagedorn and Brown method has been modified for the Bubble Flow regime (Economides et al,
1994). If bubble flow exists the Griffith correlation is used to calculate the in-situ volume fraction. In this
case the Griffith correlation is also used to calculate the pressure drop due to friction. If bubble flow does
not exist then the original Hagedorn and Brown correlation is used to calculate the in-situ liquid volume
fraction. Once the in-situ volume fraction is determined, it is compared with the input volume fraction. If
the in-situ volume fraction is smaller than the input volume fraction, the in-situ fraction is set to equal the
input fraction (
=
). Next, the mixture density is calculated using the in-situ volume fraction and
used to calculate the hydrostatic pressure difference. The pressure difference due to friction is calculated
using a combination of "in-situ" and "input" gas-liquid mixture properties.
Hagedorn and Brown: Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

The Hagedorn and Brown correlation uses four dimensionless numbers to correlate liquid holdup. These
four numbers are:
Where:
D = inside pipe diameter (ft)
= superficial gas velocity (ft/s)
= liquid viscosity (cp)
= gas / liquid surface tension (dynes/cm)
Various combinations of these parameters are then plotted against each other to determine the liquid
holdup(
).
For the purposes of programming, these curves were converted into equations. The first curve provides a
value for
. This
value is then used to calculate a dimensionless group,
be obtained from a plot of

dimensionless group of numbers,
vs.
. Finally, the third curve is a plot of
can then
vs. another
. Therefore, the in-situ liquid volume fraction, which is denoted by
, is calculated by:
Where:
= in-situ liquid volume fraction (liquid holdup) (unitless)
= Hagedorn and Brown Correctionfactor (unitless)

The hydrostatic head is once again calculated by the standard equation:
And:
Where:
g = gravitational acceleration (32.2 ft/s2)
Hagedorn and Brown: Friction Pressure Loss

The friction factor is calculated using the Chen equation and a Reynolds number equal to:
Note: In the Hagedorn and Brown correlation the mixture viscosity is given by:
Where:
= gas viscosity (cp)
= liquid viscosity (cp)
= mixture viscosity (cp)
The pressure loss due to friction is then given by:
And:
Where:
f = Fanning friction factor
L = length of calculation segment (ft)
= pressure change due to friction (psi)
Modifications
We have implemented two modifications to the original Hagedorn and Brown Correlation. The first
modification is simply the replacement of the liquid holdup value with the "no-slip" (input) liquid volume
fraction if the calculated liquid holdup is less than the "no-slip" liquid volume fraction.
if
<
then
Where:
= input liquid volume fraction (no-slip liquid hold up)
The second modification involves the use of the Griffith correlation (1961) for the bubble flow regime.
Bubble flow exists if
<
where:
And:
= Parameter which defines boundary between bubble and slug flow (unitless)
If the calculated value of
is less than 0.13 then
is set to 0.13. If the flow regime is found to be
bubble flow then the Griffith correlation is applied, otherwise the original Hagedorn and Brown correlation
is used.
The Griffith Correlation (Modification to the Hagedorn and

Brown Correlation)
In the Griffith correlation the liquid holdup is given by:
where:
= 0.8 ft/s
The in-situ liquid velocity is given by:
Where:
= in-situ liquid velocity (ft/s)
The hydrostatic head is then calculated the standard way.
The pressure drop due to friction is also affected by the use of the Griffith correlation because
into the calculation of the Reynolds Number via the in-situ liquid velocity (
calculated using the following format:
enters
) . The Reynolds Number is
The single phase liquid density, in-situ liquid velocity and liquid viscosity are used to calculate the
Reynolds Number. This is unlike the majority of multiphase correlations, which usually define the
Reynolds Number in terms of mixture properties not single phase liquid properties. The Reynolds number
is then used to calculate the friction factor using the Chen equation. Finally, the friction pressure loss is
calculated as follows:
The liquid density and the in-situ liquid velocity are used to calculate the pressure drop due to friction.
Petalas & Aziz Mechanistic Model

Determine Flow Pattern
To determine a flow pattern, we do the following:
Begin with one flow pattern and test for stability.
Check the next pattern.
Build Flow Pattern Map.
Example Flow Pattern Map
Dispersed Bubble Flow

Exists if
where
and if
Stratified Flow
Exists if flow is downward or horizontal ( 0)
Calculate
(dimensionless liquid height)
Momentum Balance Equations:
where
and
fG from standard methods where
fL from
where
fsL from standard methods where
fi from
where
Use Lochhart-Martinelli Parameters
where
where
Geometric Variables:
Solve for hL/D iteratively.

Stratified flow exists if
(Note: when cos 0.02 then cos = 0.02)

where
and
(Note: when cos 0.02 then cos = 0.02)

Stratified smooth versus Stratified Wavy
if
where
and
then have Stratified Smooth, else have Stratified Wavy.
Annular Mist Flow

Calculate
(dimensionless liquid height)
Momentum Balance Equations
where
and
(1)
from standard methods where
from standard methods where
fi from
(2)
Use Lochhart-Martinelli Parameters
where
where
Geometric Variables:
Solve for
iteratively.
Annular Mist Flow exists if
where
from
Solve iteratively for
Bubble Flow
Bubble flow exists if
(3)
where:
C1 = 0.5
= 1.3
db = 7mm
(4)
In addition, transition to bubble flow from intermittent flow occurs when
where:
(see Intermittent flow for additional definitions).
Intermittent Flow
Intermittent flow exists if
where:
If EL > 1, EL = CL
and:
where
is from standard methods where:
for fm < 1, fm = 1
where
is from standard methods where:
if
1. If
and
then Slug Flow
2. If
and
then Elongated Bubble Flow
3. Froth Flow
If none of the transition criteria for intermittent flow are met, then the flow pattern is designated as Froth,
implying a transitional state between the other flow regimes.
Footnotes
1.
, where:
(dyn/cm)
(lb/ft3),
(lb/ft3), VSG (ft/s),
(cP),
2.
, where:
(lb/ft3), VC (ft/s), DC (ft),
(dyn/cm)
3.
, where:
(lb/ft3),
, where:
(lb/ft3),
(lb/ft3), (dyn/cm)
4.
(lb/ft3),
(dyn/cm)
5.
,
where: D (ft),
(lb/ft3),
6.
(lb/ft3),
(dyn/cm)
, where:
(lb/ft3),
(dyn/cm)
Nomenclature
A = cross sectional area
C0 = velocity distribution coefficient
D = pipe internal diameter
E = in situ volume fraction
FE = liquid fraction entrained
g = acceleration due to gravity
hL = height of liquid (stratified flow)
L = length
P = pressure
Re = Reynolds number
S = contact perimeter
VSG = superficial gas velocity
VSL = superficial liquid velocity
(lb/ft3),
= liquid film thickness

= pipe roughness
= pressure gradient weighting factor (intermittent flow)
= Angle of inclination
= viscosity
= density
= interfacial (surface) tension
= shear stress
= dimensionless quantity
Subscripts
b = relating to the gas bubble
c = relating to the gas core
F = relating to the liquid film
db = relating to dispersed bubbles
G = relating to gas phase
i = relating to interface
L = relating to liquid phase
m = relating to mixture
SG = based on superficial gas velocity
s = relating to liquid slug
SL = based on superficial liquid velocity
wL = relating to wall-liquid interface
wG = relating to wall-gas interface
C0 = velocity distribution coefficient
References
Petalas, N., Aziz, K.: "A Mechanistic Model for Multiphase Flow in Pipes," J. Pet. Tech. (June
2000), 43-55.
Petalas, N., Aziz, K.: "Development and Testing of a New Mechanistic Model for Multiphase Flow
in Pipes," ASME 1996 Fluids Engineering Division Conference (1996), FED-Vol 236, 153-159.
Gomez, L.E. et al.: "Unified Mechanistic Model for Steady-State Two-Phase Flow," Petalas, N.,
Aziz, K.: "A Mechanistic Model for Multiphase Flow in Pipes," SPE Journal (September 2000),
339-350.
Turner Correlation
The Turner correlation assumes free flowing liquid in the wellbore forms droplets suspended in the gas
stream. Two forces act on these droplets. The first is the force of gravity pulling the droplets down and the
second is drag force due to flowing gas pushing the droplets upward. If the velocity of the gas is sufficient,
the drops are carried to surface. If not, they fall and accumulate in the wellbore.
The correlation was developed from droplet theory. The theoretical calculations were then compared to
field data and a 20% fudge factor was built-in. The correlation is generally very accurate and was
formulated using easily obtained oil field data. Consequently, it has been widely accepted in the
petroleum industry. The model was verified to about 130 bbl/MMscf.
The Turner correlation was formulated for free water production and free condensate production in the
wellbore. The calculation of minimum gas velocity for each follows:
Where:
G = gas gravity (unitless)
k = calculation variable
= pressure (psia)A
T = temperature (R)
= minimum gas velocity required to lift liquids (ft/s)
Z = compressibility factor (unitless)
From the minimum gas velocity, the minimum gas flow rate required to lift free liquids can then be
calculated using:
where:
A = cross-sectional area of flow (
= gas flow rate (MMscfd)
Important Notes
If both condensate and water are present, use the Turner correlation for water to judge behaviour
of a system.
Turner correlation utilizes the cross-sectional area of the flow path when calculating liquid lift
rates. For example, if the flow path is through the tubing, the minimum gas rate to lift water and
condensate will be calculated using the tubing inside diameter. When the tubing depth is higher in
the wellbore than the mid-point of perforations (MPP) in a vertical well, the Turner correlation
does not consider the rate required to lift liquids between the MPP and the end of the tubing.
Ultimately, the liquid lift rate calculations are based on the inside diameter (ID) of the tubing or the
area of the annulus and not on the casing ID unless flow is up the "casing only".
For each time step:
sorbed gas composition is known, (
initial pressure is known (
calculate free gas mole fraction (
Given
and
).
)
)
and using deliverability equation:
calculate total gas production (
).
calculate component gas production (
).
Using component mass balance:
calculate new sorbed gas composition (
Using MBE:
calculate new average reservoir pressure, (
) and average water saturation (
Copyright 2011 Fekete Associates Inc.

Wellbore Calculations Multiphase Flow Definitions

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wellbore Calculations Multiphase Flow Definitions

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Home > Theory and Equations > Wellbore Calculations

We can also write this as:

is the gas rate at

The input volume fractions,

In-Situ Volume Fraction (Liquid Holdup)

) can be significantly different from the input liquid fraction (

Liquid Holdup Effect

), whereas the no-slip

), whereas the no-slip

), whereas the mixture density

and the gas

= oil flow rate (at stock tank conditions)

Gas/Oil Interfacial Tension

Gas/Water Interfacial Tension

Flow Pattern Map

Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

for each flow type.

must be greater than or equal to

= Beggs and Brill coefficient (unitless)

), and the Froude Mixture Number (

For UPHILL flow:

Once the inclined liquid holdup (

Friction Pressure Loss

Fanning Gas Correlation (Multi-Step Cullender and

Friction Pressure Loss

V = average velocity (ft/s)

Single-Phase friction factor (

Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

= elevation change (ft)

Fanning Liquid Correlation

) can be combined with the hydrostatic pressure difference

to refer to the calculation of the hydrostatic pressure difference (

) and the frictional pressure loss (

) for single-phase liquid flow, using the following standard equations.

Fanning Liquid - Friction Pressure Loss

V = average velocity (ft/s)

Fanning Liquid - Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

Gray: Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

= input liquid volume fraction (unitless)

Gray: Friction Pressure Loss

) must be larger than or equal to 2.77 10-5.

) is dependent on the value of

. Finally, the expression for the friction pressure loss is:

. We used a conversion factor of 0.00220462 dynes/cm = 1

Hagedorn and Brown Correlation

Hagedorn and Brown: Hydrostatic Pressure Difference

value is then used to calculate a dimensionless group,

be obtained from a plot of

. Finally, the third curve is a plot of

. Therefore, the in-situ liquid volume fraction, which is denoted by

= Hagedorn and Brown Correctionfactor (unitless)

Hagedorn and Brown: Friction Pressure Loss

The Griffith Correlation (Modification to the Hagedorn and

) . The Reynolds Number is

Petalas & Aziz Mechanistic Model

Begin with one flow pattern and test for stability.

Check the next pattern.

Build Flow Pattern Map.

Example Flow Pattern Map

Dispersed Bubble Flow

(dimensionless liquid height)

Momentum Balance Equations:

Use Lochhart-Martinelli Parameters

Solve for hL/D iteratively.