Calculation of Pressure Drops in Flowing Wells

Abstract

In a previous paper, the results of some experimental work on themeasurement of slippage in the flow of oil and gas mixtures through verticalpipes were presented. The data obtained were correlated and equations werededuced from which the performance of the experimental gas-lift could bepredicted with reasonable accuracy. However, attempts to apply the equations tothe calculation of pressure drops in actual flowing wells yielded erroneousresults. At the time the results of the experimental work were published, nosatisfactory explanation could be offered for the failure of the empiricalequations to express properly the performance of wells. However, recent workhas led to the development of a new hypothesis which presupposes certainconditions affecting the flow of oil and gas in wells. When the proposedequations are corrected to allow for these conditions, an agreement between theobserved and calculated performance of the actual wells is obtained which inmost cases is quite satisfactory, although it is subject to certainlimitations. In this paper, the method of calculating the pressure drop inactual wells is considered, and the application of the method to the design oftubing is discussed. (For nomenclature used in this discussion, see Table1.)