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An Empirical Correlation Governing Gascondensate Flow Through Chokes

A. Mirzaei-Paiaman

National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), Ahvaz, Iran

Version of record first published: 16 Jan 2013.

To cite this article: A. Mirzaei-Paiaman (2013): An Empirical Correlation Governing Gas-condensate

Flow Through Chokes, Petroleum Science and Technology, 31:4, 368-379
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2010.529552

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Petroleum Science and Technology, 31:368379, 2013

Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1091-6466 print/1532-2459 online
DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2010.529552

An Empirical Correlation Governing

Gas-condensate Flow Through Chokes
A. Mirzaei-Paiaman1
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National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), Ahvaz, Iran

Field production test data from 17 gas condensate wells in seven Iranian fields were used to develop
an empirical correlation governing two-phase flow of gas condensate through wellhead chokes under
sonic flow condition. In the new correlation liquid flow rate is a function of choke upstream pressure,
choke size, and producing gas to liquid ratio. The predicted liquid flow rates using the new correlation
are in excellent agreement with actual data. Statistical error analysis shows that results are statistically
superior to those predicted by other published correlations considered in this work.
Keywords: empirical correlation, gas-condensate, two-phase flow, wellhead choke

1. INTRODUCTION
During the last half century, numerous theoretical and empirical correlations have been proposed to
study two-phase flow behavior of fluids through wellhead chokes (e.g., Gilbert, 1954; Baxendell,
1957; Ros, 1960; Achong, 1961; Poettmann and Beck, 1963; Fortunati, 1972; Ashford and Pierce,
1975; Pilehvari, 1981; Mirzaei-Paiaman, in press). Due to the complexity of the theoretical
correlations, the empirical ones are highly preferred to use. Majority of the empirical correlations
are for sonic flow condition and almost based on certain range of data from oil-gas or water-gas
systems. Since these correlations lack the generalization capability, care should be taken in using
such correlations and these correlations should be applied within the range of fluid properties and
system data from which they were developed.
The first and only available correlation for gas-condensate system was proposed in 1990 by
Osman and Dokla. In their work data were gathered from eight wells from a gas condensate
reservoir located in the Persian Gulf region, using 592.63,823.3 STB/day condensate flow rates,
01,002.6 STB/day water flow rates, 3.91101.33 MMSCF/day gas flow rates, 2,9505,200 psia
choke upstream pressures, and 2872/64 in choke sizes. The main limitation of the mentioned
work is limited range of data; therefore, as it was said, application should be only limited to the
range of data used. However, they checked four forms of correlations against data. The first form,
which is the most popular form of such correlations, was to correlate choke upstream pressure
with the liquid production flow rate, gas to liquid ratio (GLR), and choke size. The second form
Address correspondence to A. Mirzaei-Paiaman, National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), Ahvaz, Iran. E-mail:
Mirzaei1986@gmail.com

368

GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

369

was developed using gas production flow rate instead of the liquid production flow rate in the first
form. The third and fourth forms were developed using the pressure drop across the choke instead
of choke upstream pressure. They found that there was only a negligible difference in accuracy
of all forms.
The aim of this work is to present an empirical correlation with wide range of data, governing
two-phase flow of gas condensate through wellhead chokes under sonic flow condition. A wide
range of data makes the new correlation more applicable for a variety of fields throughout the
world.

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2. NONLINEAR MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS

In this work nonlinear multiple regression analysis was used to develop correlation of interest.
The general purpose of multiple regression analysis is to learn more about the relationship
between several independent variables .Xi / and a dependent variable .Yi /. Since the relationship
between dependent variable and independent variables considered in this work is exponential,
exponential function as a nonlinear function should be used. When there are n independent
variables X1 ; X2 ; : : : ; Xn , the multiple exponential regression equation is in the general form
as Eq. (1).
Yi D A0 X1A1 X2A2 : : : XnAn ;

(1)

where A0 is the constant, and A1 to An are regression coefficients corresponding to X1 , X2 ; : : : ; Xn ,

respectively.
Estimation of regression coefficients of an exponential model requires the use of logarithmic
transformation applied to both sides of the equation as Eq. (2).
log.Yi / D log.A0 / C A1 log.X1 / C A2 log.X2 / : : : C An log.Xn /:

(2)

Using the previous transformation, the original exponential function becomes linear in the logarithms of the dependent and independent variables. The coefficients A1 to An are then estimated
directly in transformed regression. An antilogarithm must be computed to get A0 .

3. DISCUSSION
In this work, 51 sets of field production test data from 17 gas condensate wells in seven Iranian
fields were used to develop a new empirical correlation. The reported production test data include
liquid flow rate, choke upstream pressure, choke size, and GLR. All chokes were fixed type chokes.
The data were obtained from portable separators designed for well testing. All reported data
were calibrated to surface conditions by utilizing the knowledge of pressure-volume-temperature
properties of the fluids and previous production tests done in the laboratory or in the field to
describe the behavior of the fluids when changed from the separator conditions to the standard
atmospheric conditions. From all data, 41 and 10 sets of data were used to develop the new
correlation and validating that, respectively. The data were covering a wide range of production
rates and fluids property data as shown in Table 1. Figures 14 also show histograms of each type
of data with normal distribution curve.

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A. MIRZAEI-PAIAMAN

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TABLE 1
Range of Data Used
Type of Data

Range of Data

Liquid flow rate, STB/day

Choke upstream pressure, psia
Choke size, 64th of an inch
GLR, SCF/STB

266.35,706
8328,410
24128
1,74351,300

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

Histogram of liquid flow rate with normal distribution curve.

Histogram of choke upstream pressure with normal distribution curve.

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GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

371

FIGURE 3 Histogram of choke size with normal distribution curve.

FIGURE 4

Histogram of GLR with normal distribution curve.

3.1. Development of the Correlation

Nonlinear multiple regression analysis was used to develop the new correlation. Liquid production
flow rate was correlated with choke upstream pressure, choke size, and GLR, as Eq. (3). This
form of equation is general form of the most current correlations.
QL D

A:Pwh :d C
;
GLRB

(3)

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A. MIRZAEI-PAIAMAN

TABLE 2
Coefficients for Different Correlations
Correlation

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Gilbert
Baxendell
Ros
Achong
Mirzaei-Paiaman
Osman and Dokla

0.100000
0.104600
0.057470
0.261780
0.087607
0.024226

0.546
0.546
0.500
0.650
0.533
0.434

1.89
1.93
2.00
1.88
1.92
1.85

where QL is liquid production flow rate in STB/day; Pwh is choke upstream pressure in psia; d
is choke size in 64th of an inch; GLR is gas to liquid ratio in SCF/STB; and A, B, and C are
constants. These constants for some current empirical correlations are shown in Table 2.
By performing regression analysis using 41 datasets, the standard error of estimate and coefficient of determination were determined as 0.0517 and 0.9762, respectively. Constants A, B, and
C were also determined as 0.615744, 0.736, and 1.83, respectively. The final form of the new
correlation is as Eq. (4).
QL D

0:615744Pwh :d 1:83
:
GLR0:736

(4)

The powers of d and GLR in Eq. (4) show a clear difference between the two-phase flow for the
case of oil well and the case of gas condensate well. The power of d in the case of gas condensate
well is smaller than the case of oil well. Also the power of GLR in the case of gas condensate
well is greater than the case of oil well (see Table 2).

FIGURE 5

Error distribution plot of production test data.

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GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

FIGURE 6

373

Comparison of APARE for different correlations.

FIGURE 7 Comparison of MIPARE for different correlations.

As well, using the new correlation and 41 test data, error distribution analysis was performed.
Results are shown in Figure 5. This figure indicates a normal distribution of error.
3.2. Results of Comparison
To compare the accuracy of each correlation, 10 field production test data among the total 51
reliable datasets were randomly selected. These data were fairly well scattered in the whole
range of available data. Liquid flow rates were calculated using each correlation (i.e., the new
correlation, Gilbert [1954], Baxendell [1957], Ros [1960], Achong [1961], Mirzaei-Paiaman [in

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374

A. MIRZAEI-PAIAMAN

FIGURE 8

FIGURE 9

Comparison of MAPARE for different correlations.

Comparison of APRE for different correlations.

press], and Osman and Dokla [1990]) for 10 datasets. Subsequently by having actual liquid
flow rates, statistical error analysis was performed and average (APARE), minimum (MIPARE),
and maximum (MAPARE) percent absolute relative errors were determined. The average percent
relative error (APRE) and correlation coefficient were also determined. Results of this comparison
are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 for APARE, MIPARE, MAPARE, APRE, and correlation
coefficient, respectively.
As shown in the figures, the new correlation is very accurate in predicting liquid flow rate and
achieves the lowest APARE (5.31), lowest MIPARE (0.66), lowest MAPARE (15.56), and the

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GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

FIGURE 10

375

Comparison of correlation coefficient for different correlations.

FIGURE 11

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the new correlation.

most favorable APRE ( 1.68). The new correlation also achieves highest correlation coefficient
(0.99).
Furthermore, the plots in Figures 1117 show the cross plots of predicted liquid flow rate versus
actual liquid flow rates for each correlation. The cross plots indicate the degree of agreement
between the actual and the predicted values. If the agreement is perfect, then all points should lie
on the unit slope dashed line (e.g., best fit line), indicating the excellent agreement between the
actual and the predicted values. The best plot is obtained for the new correlation data as shown
in Figure 11.

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376

A. MIRZAEI-PAIAMAN

FIGURE 12

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Osman and Dokla correlation.

FIGURE 13

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Gilbert correlation.

4. CONCLUSIONS
1. A new empirical correlation for two-phase flow of gas-condensate through wellhead chokes
was proposed using filed production test data from 17 gas condensate wells in seven Iranian
fields, by the aid of nonlinear multiple regression analysis.
2. The powers of choke size term and GLR term in the new empirical correlation show a
clear difference between the two-phase flow for the case of oil well and the case of gas
condensate well. The power of choke size term in the case of gas condensate well is smaller

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GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

FIGURE 14

FIGURE 15

377

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Ros correlation.

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Baxendell correlation.

than the case of oil well. Also the power of GLR term in the case of gas condensate well
is greater than the case of oil well.
3. Statistical error analysis showed that the new correlation is highly accurate in predicting
liquid production flow rate and has the lowest APARE, lowest MIPARE, lowest MAPARE,
most favorable APRE, and the highest correlation coefficient.
4. A wide range of production and fluid property data makes the new correlation applicable
for many fields throughout the world.

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378

A. MIRZAEI-PAIAMAN

FIGURE 16

FIGURE 17

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Achong correlation.

Cross plot of liquid flow rate for the Mirzaei-Paiaman correlation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author thanks the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and its subsidiary company, National
Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), for their support during this study.

REFERENCES
Achong, L. B. (1961). Revised bean and performance formula for Lake Maracaibo wells. Shell Internal Report.

GAS-CONDENSATE FLOW

379

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Ashford, F. E., and Pierce, P. E. (1975). Determining multiphase pressure drops and flow capacities in downhole safety
valves. J. Pet. Technol. 27:11451152.
Baxendell, P. B. (1957). Bean performance-lake wells. Shell Internal Report.
Fortunati, F. (1972). Two phase flow through wellhead chokes. SPE 3742, SPE European Spring Meeting, Amsterdam,
the Netherlands, May 1618.
Gilbert, W. E. (1954). Flowing and gas-lift well performance. API Drill. Prod. Pract. 20:126157.
Mirzaei-Paiaman, A. (in press). A new empirical correlation for sonic simultaneous flow of oil and gas through wellhead
chokes for Persian oil fields. Energ. Source Part A.
Osman, M. E., and Dokla, M. E. (1990). Gas condensate flow through chokes. SPE 20988, European Petroleum Conference,
The Hague, the Netherlands, October 2124.
Pilehvari, A. A. (1981). Experimental study of critical two-phase flow through wellhead chokes. University of Tulsa Fluid
Flow Projects Report.
Poettmann, F., and Beck, R. (1963). New charts developed to predict gas-liquid flow through chokes. World Oil 156:95101.
Ros, N. C. J. (1960). An analysis of critical simultaneous gas/liquid flow through a restriction and its application to flow
metering. J. Appl. Sci. Res., A 9:374389.

NOMENCLATURE
APARE
APRE
d
GLR
MAPARE
MIPARE
Pwh
QL

average percent absolute relative error

average percent relative error
choke diameter, 64th of an inch
producing gas to liquid ratio, SCF/STB
maximum percent absolute relative error
minimum percent absolute relative error
choke upstream pressure, psia
liquid production flow rate, STB/day

SI Metric Conversion Factors

bbl  1:589873
E-01 D m3
ft3  2:831685
E-02 D m3
in  2:54
E-02 D m
psi  6:894757
E C 03 D Pa
* Conversion factor is exact