Fatigue failure mechanism of 3D tubing strings used in high-pressure, high-temperature and high-yield curved gas wells

Abstract

In view of the fatigue failure of tubing strings by flow-induced nonlinear vibration (FINV) in high-temperature, high-pressure and high-yield (3H) curved gas wells, a three-dimensional (3D) FINV model of the tubing string is established using the micro-finite method, energy method and Hamilton variational principle, and verified by a similar experiment of tubing vibration. Meanwhile, the cumulative damage theory is used to establish the fatigue life prediction method of tubing string combined with the stress response which was determined by the proposed FINV model and the S-N curve of the tubing material (13Cr-L80) which was measured by fatigue test. Thus, the influences of production rate, well trajectory parameters (inclination angle and well section length), as well as the installation position of downhole tools (packer and centralizer) on the fatigue life of the tubing string are systematically analyzed. The results obtained demonstrate that, first, with the increase of production rate, the fatigue life of the tubing string decreases, and the field production allocation should be far away from the sudden production rate which can be determined using the proposed analysis method. Second, in the well trajectory design, the vertical section length should be reduced, while that of build-up section and the angle of stable inclined section should be increased. Third, the packer and centralizer should be placed in the optimal position, which depends on the well structure, downhole tool size, etc. and can be determined using the proposed analysis method. The research results provide a theoretically sound guidance for designing and practically sound approach for effectively improving the fatigue life of tubing string in 3H curved gas wells.