Waltrich, P. J., Posada, C., Martinez, J., Falcone, G. and Barbosa, J. R. (2015) Experimental investigation on the prediction of liquid loading initiation in gas wells using a long vertical tube. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 26, pp. 1515-1529. (doi: 10.1016/j.jngse.2015.06.023)
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Abstract
Liquid loading in gas wells is generally defined as the inability of the produced gas to lift the co-produced liquid up the tubing, resulting in liquid accumulation in the wellbore. This liquid accumulation is related to decrease in gas production and it can even cease production. The characterization of this phenomenon is often based on field monitoring, with limited measurements of pressure and liquid holdup profiles, and usually without visual observations of the phenomenon. This paper reveals there is still a significant discrepancy between the available models and the experimental data available in the literature. Besides reviewing the present state of research into this area, the current understanding about the mechanisms of liquid loading initiation is discussed in this paper and directions on how to use this understanding to model and provide solutions to liquid loading problems is also presented. An experimental investigation on the initiation of liquid loading in a gas well has been carried out using a vertical 42 m long, 0.0489 m (2 in) ID tube system. Vertical gas–liquid flows were analyzed with the aim of understanding how the liquid accumulates in a long vertical tube while decreasing the gas flow rate. This experimental study includes visual observations of the liquid transport and two-phase flow regimes, and measurements of pressure, temperature and liquid holdup along the vertical tube. The experimental observation of the liquid build-up was correlated to prediction criteria models available in the literature for liquid loading initiation.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Falcone, Professor Gioia |
| Authors: | Waltrich, P. J., Posada, C., Martinez, J., Falcone, G., and Barbosa, J. R. |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy |
| Journal Name: | Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 1875-5100 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2212-3865 |
| Published Online: | 25 June 2015 |
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