Study on Flow Characteristic of Non-Newtonian fluid in Eccentric Annulus

Abstract

This study studied the flow characteristic of non-newtonian in eccentric annulus of highly-deviated well. On the basis of dimensionless analysis of motion equations and continuity equation, Hele-Shaw model suitable for fluid flow in the annulus was derived. Combined with H-B rheological model, velocity and stream distribution model were founded and calculated by numerical method. Furthermore, two-dimensional flow characteristic in eccentric annulus was got and the influence of different factors (such as yield stress, pressure gradient or eccentricity) on velocity distribution in condition of laminar flow was analyzed. Width of flow core in the annular is proportional to yield stress and inversely proportional to pressure gradient. In eccentric annulus, eccentricity influences the stream distribution remarkably: with the increment of eccentricity, the contour lines of stream function gradually centralize in the widest annular gap, however distribute the most loosely in the narrowest annular gap. Axial velocity is the largest in the widest gap. The larger eccentricity is, the larger contrast of axial velocity between in the widest gap and in the narrowest gap is. There is the largest azimuthal velocity in an annular gap of a certain azimuthal angle, however which equals to zero in the widest and narrowest annular gap separately. The larger eccentricity is, the more homogeneous azimuthal velocity is. The velocity contrast in the entire annulus can be smoothed by increasing pressure gradient, power law index or decreasing yield stress.