Numerical Simulation of Oil- and Water-Sands Multiphase Flow in Gathered Pipes

Abstract

In the oil mining process, we need to hold flow characteristic for oil- and water-sands, with low-middle volume fraction of the particles in gathered pipes, in order to design logging tool and build interpretation methods for the producing profile. We built governing equations and boundary conditions for the oil- and water-sands based on the three-D k-ε-kp model. The simulation results indicate the sand volume fraction affects the sedimentation quantity and rate obviously. Multiphase flow in the gathered pipe is compartmentalized three sections: oil-water separation section, transition section and full mixing section from entrance to exit and multiphase flow meter need to place in the full mixing section. Sediment mainly settles to the bottom of gathered pipes umbrella in the condition of low flow rate and content of sediment, which has little impact on the internal instrument, but need to clear timely. With the increase of sediment volume and reduce of flow race, the time which multiphase flow in the gathered pipe reached a steady state was nonlinear growth.