Abstract
Settling velocity or depositional velocity is considered a key parameter to account for in the drilling technology of oil and gas wells as well as hydrocarbon processing since an accurate estimation of this parameter allows the transport of cuttings efficiently, avoids non-productive time, and helps avoid costly problems. Understanding the settling velocity in fluid with high salinity will help for the better separation of oil and natural gas streams in processing facilities. Although a great amount of effort was given to rheology and settling velocity measurements for power-law fluid and Bingham fluids, there are limited studies available in the literature for Herschel–Bulkley (H–B) fluid with salinity. The present study analyzes the fluid rheology of non-Newtonian fluids with, and without, salinity. Moreover, experiments have been conducted to measure the settling velocity of different diameters of solid particles through Herschel–Bulkley fluids with various salinity conditions. For the rheology analysis, it is found that higher weight percentages of NaCl lead to low values of shear stresses. As well, higher weight percentages of CaCl2 concentration result in a slight increase in shear stresses per a given shear rate. On the other hand, higher percentages of salt concentration cause an increase in the terminal velocity.
Highlights
IntroductionWhere K is the fluid consistency index and n is the behavior index
Rheology of drilling fluidsFor the Herschel–Bulkley model, the following relationship is considered (Hershel and Bulkley 1926):τ = τo + K(γ )n (1)where K is the fluid consistency index and n is the behavior index
The variation of NaCl and C aCl2 concentrations would allow us to understand more about the rheological behavior of Herschel–Bulkley fluids in the presence of salts as well as accurate predictions of the settling velocity of spherical particles in such non-Newtonian fluids
Summary
Where K is the fluid consistency index and n is the behavior index. If the initial yield value o = 0 , the power-law model is obtained (Reiner 1926): τ = K(γ )n. Water M-I Gel Supreme Caustic Soda Asphasol Supreme XP-20 Black Fury Lime DRISCAL POROSEAL SAFE SCAV HS Barite [PPB]. For this model, when the fluid behavior index (n) is below 1 ( n < 1 ), the shear-thinning behavior will take place, while the shear thickening will occur when for n > 1. A fluid with ( n = 1 ) results in a Newtonian behavior with an initial yield value, resulting in the Bingham model (Bingham 1922):
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