Visualization of Fines Migration in the Flow Entering Apertures through the Near-Wellbore Porous Media

Abstract

Various slotted liners geometries are used to control the sand production in SAGD operations. The geometry of a slot (shape and size) not only affect sand production but it may also influence fine deposition and scaling at the slot entrance. Failure of SAGD wells due to the deposition of particles is an important issue that needs to be investigated at the pore scale. This study provides a fundamental understanding of fines transport and the plugging potential at the entrance of the slots on slotted liners. Three slot profiles including straight shape, keystone shape and seamed (rolled top) shape are examined experimentally in relation to the preceding conditions of pore spaces in porous media. The potential of slot plugging is also studied from the fluid flow motion perspective. This task is achieved by visualization of the flow passing through the near well bore region of different slot geometries using an optical technique, namely, particle image velocimetry. Motion of small particles (D = 20μm) in the oil flow are captured before entering the slot, at the entrance and after leaving the slot entrance. The changes in the streamlines and velocities are analyzed to estimate the potential plugging locations. The results highlights how changing the entrance geometry of the slots may increase the deposition potential in and around a slot. The flow of the oil within the near wellbore porous media have also indicated that depending on the locations of the porous media within the flow structure, different deposition pattern may take place. Based on the result of this study it can be concluded that among the slots, keystone has the highest potential for the particle build up within and at the entrance of the slot.

Determining the pressure distribution of a multi-phase flow through a pore space using velocity measurement and shape analysis

“…The pressure distribution in the fluids can also be determined from measurement of the velocities inside the droplet and the continuous phase [50]. The change in the pressure gradient within the droplet should have a similar trend as the one represented by the change in the curvatures of the leading and trailing faces of the droplet as shown in figure 6(b).…”

Measurement of the flow behavior index of Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids via analysis of the flow velocity characteristics in a mini-channel

“…The rheology of the fluid determines the flow parameters such as flow velocity and pressure field. Knowledge of rheological properties of the fluid flow behavior helps to obtain better understanding of the resultant pumping energy required for fluid transport [4], the energy required to transport the material [5] or the potential locations of the material deposition in a flow passage [6]. Hence, the quantification of rheological properties of the fluid in a continuous manner would be beneficial to understand the flow phenomena both for a single-phase flow or for flows carrying suspended particles.…”