Application of Fluid Phenomena and Study of the Method of Transient Characteristics of Downhole (Oil and Gas) Fluidic Pulsating

Tool using FLUENT-ANSYS

by Bharat Pawar, Harit Naik, Tim Hunter

at 2011 ANSYS Users Conference Pune

Problem, Definition, and Objective

Loss of production or injectivity because of near wellbore conductivity problems caused by Scales Paraffin Migrating fines Asphaltene deposits Lost or dehydrated drilling mud Well not producing at maximum potential Ineffective stimulation treatments (acidizing, fracturing, etc.) as a result of near wellbore blockage or restrictions The objective of this paper is to review efforts to simulate the tool behavior using FLUENT-ANSYS and study the application of fluid phenomena and transient characteristics of fluid behavior surrounding the tool. Further, design parameters are selected and fine-tuned based on simulation results to get the desired frequency, mass flow rate (bbl/min), pressure drop, outlet vector plot, etc.
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Existing TechniquePulsating Tool

Outlet 1 Proprietary Pulsating Tool1

Inlet

Outlet 2

Proprietary pulsating tool is based on Coanda effect. Several performance characteristics of this tool are further enhanced with the help of FLUENT- ANSYS simulation. Tool is run on coiled tubing Unique design causes the tool to oscillate as fluid is pumped through the tool. Fluid can be acid, water, seawater, diesel, nitrified fluids, etc.
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Basic PrincipleCoanda Effect

The principle of a fluid oscillator (FO) is the Coanda effect. The Coanda effect is the tendency of a fluid jet to be attracted to a nearby surface. This effect is explained with the help of the figures below.2

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Simulation Methodology
Transient FLUENT simulation of basic design

Parametric design optimization to identify critical geometrics

Conceptual design optimization to get further enhancement

Prototyping-I Rapid prototyping and lab test

Design changes

Prototyping-II Steel prototype and lab test

Correlation and design validation

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Pulsating Tool
The pulsating tool discussed here has been specifically designed for highpressure, submerged operation, along with a specific oscillation frequency target.
Feedback loops Inlet throat

Outlets

Switching jet

Cross-section of this pulsating tool pattern

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Simulation Parameters
Input Parameters Output Parameters Mass flow rate Pressure drop Oscillation pattern Oscillation frequency Mass flow ratio Vector plot

Inlet pressure
Mass flow rate Outlet pressure Flow media Simulation type Energy Turbulence model Solver Solution methods

500 to 2,000 psi

0.5 to 3 bbl/min Atmospheric Water 2-D and 3-D (parallel processing) No energy equation activated K-Omega SST Pressure-based, transient PISO-pv coupling and standard pressure discretization, second order 1e-5 0.0002 sec 2,000 0.4 sec
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Computational Domain of Pulsating Tool

Convergence criteria Time step size No. of time steps Flow time
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Parametric Optimization3
To visualize the oscillatory flow through the tool, incremental snapshots of relative fluid velocity were saved during the transient response simulation.

A,BK are design parameters

Parameter

sensitivity

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Mass Flow Rate & Frequency From Outlet Port

Mass Flow At Outlets

Frequency, Hz

FFT

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Transient Modeling of Pulsating Tool

To visualize the oscillatory flow through the tool, incremental snapshots of relative fluid velocity were saved during the transient response simulation.

Time

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Prototyping and Test Setup

Example of EDM manufacturing process Experimental test setup

Manufacturing

Testing

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Benefits and Summary

For different inlet pressure, close correlation for mass flow rate and oscillation frequency was observed between experimental measurement and FLUENT-ANSYS prediction. FLUENT-ANSYS prediction of results helps accelerate product-development time. New design of tool imparts lower oscillation frequency for deeper penetration into formations. Higher energy output over a narrower frequency range than a conventional tool. No moving parts or seal; robust design. This next-generation tool should effectively increase the efficiency of wells.4

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Challenges and Future Scope

Simulation was very sensitive to CFD mesh. Mesh-sensitivity study was carried out to eliminate the mesh dependency. New design involves thin, deep sections, which decrease the manufacturability

and life of the tool and insert.

Tool size limits the scope of intricate shapes. Efforts were made to keep it simple and manufacturing-friendly. Future scope is to test this tool in the field.

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Acknowledgement and References

The authors thank the management of Halliburton for their support and permission to publish this paper. They would also like to express gratitude to all the team members who contributed to the job design, preparation, and execution of the operation to achieve the results presented in this paper.
REFERENCES 1. Webb, E.D., Tucker, J.C., Meadows, M.L., and Pipkin, R.L. 2005. Apparatus and Method for Creating Pulsating Fluid Flow. US Patent No. US6976507B1. 2. Webb, E.D., Schultz, R.L., Howard, R.G., and Tucker, J.C. 2006. Next Generation Fluidic Oscillator. Paper SPE 99855 presented at the SPE/ICoTA Coil Tubing Conference and Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas, US, 45 April. 3. Roger, R.P. and Chan, S.C. 20033. Numerical Study of Fluidic Bistable Amplifiers. Paper AIAA 2003-3459 presented at 33rd AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference, Orlando Florida, USA, 2326 June. 4. Kritsanapkak, K. and Tirichine, S. 2010. Effectively Enhancing the NWB Stimulation Treatment using Fluidic Oscillation Technique. Paper SPE 136065 presented at the SPE Production and Operations Conference and Exhibition, Tunis, Tunisia, 810 June.

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Thank You.

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