ARTICLE:

• Pressure drop, flow pattern and slip for two phase crude oil/water flow: Experiments and model predictions  download article

Arne Valle
Norsk Hydro ASA, Research Centre Porsgrunn, P.O. Box 2560, N-3901, Porsgrunn, Norway

Ole Harald Utvik
Norsk Hydro ASA, Research Centre Porsgrunn, P.O. Box 2560, N-3901, Porsgrunn, Norway

ABSTRACT

Flow experiments have been conducted in a horizontal 3 inch ID flow loop of steel at a length to diameter ratio of 1100. The fluids were light crude oil from the North Sea (ρ₀ = 741 kg/m³ and μ₀ = 1 cp.) and synthetic formation water. The fluids were saturated with hydrocarbon gas at 105 bar and 70 °C. The water-cut was varied between 0 % and 100 % at three constant liquid flow rates. Pressure drop, in-situ phase fractions and the flow patterns were measured. For water-cut below 40-45 % dispersed oil continuous flow exist and the dispersed water velocity is significant higher than the oil velocity for the highest flowrates. The model for dispersion viscosity given by Pal&Rhodes, combined with a no-slip model, predicts the pressure drop data quite well. For water-cut higher than 40-45 % stratified oil/water flow exist. There exist an inconsistency between pressure drop and in-situ phase fractions obtained from a two-fluid model. To get those parameters consistent the wall friction for the oil zone should be significantly higher and for the water zone lower compared to a single phase flow analogy.

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