Two-phase flow models for thermal behavior interpretation in horizontal wellbores

Abstract

The interpretation of Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) real-time temperature data from downhole is essential to understand wellbore production and production operations management. This paper presents a multi-phase wellbore thermal behavior prediction model for the interpretation of wellbore fluid thermal responses. Based on our previous simulation results on single-phase flow in horizontal wellbores, a two-phase flow model (ηs-driven model) is developed for steady-state conditions in the form of homogeneous and drift-flux models applied to both openhole and perforated completion types. Case studies include the examination of water entry thermal effect and gas mixing thermal effect comparing between the two modeling approaches. Results show that the phenomena of water breakthrough and gas blended in oil can be detected from fluids temperature profiles.