Measuring solid cuttings transport in Newtonian fluid across horizontal annulus using electrical resistance tomography (ERT)

• Published in: Flow measurement and instrumentation Vol. 77; p. 101841
• Main Authors: Qureshi, M. Fahed, Ali, Moustafa H., Ferroudji, Hicham, Rasul, Golam, Khan, Muhammad Saad, Rahman, Mohammad Azizur, Hasan, Rashid, Hassan, Ibrahim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2021
• Subjects: Annulus; Electrical resistance tomography; Multiphase flow; Multiphase flow; Electrical resistance tomography; Annulus
• ISSN: 0955-5986; 1873-6998
• DOI: 10.1016/j.flowmeasinst.2020.101841

The in-situ visualization of flow in the opaque pipes and annulus is a major cause of concern for studying hole cleaning issues and multiphase flow patterns in the oil and gas industry. Electrical resistance tomography is one of the latest non-intrusive technologies, which can provide real-time cross-sectional images of multiphase flow patterns in opaque pipes and annulus. Most studies conducted using the ERT system in the area of multi-phase flow is limited to opaque pipes and two-phase systems. Therefore, in this work is the suitability of the ERT technology has been tested to examine the three-phase flow (air-liquid-solid) and solids cuttings transport in a horizontal flow loop annulus system at wide operating conditions. The effect of different eccentricities (0–50%), inner pipe rotation speed (0–120 RPM), liquid flow rates (164–373 kg/min) and air input pressure (0–0.8 bar) on solids concentration in the specified ERT zone was examined using ERT concentration tomograms. •Use of Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) to examine three-phase flow regime.•Effect of eccentricity on solids transport across the annulus using ERT.•Effect of liquids flow rates on solids transport across the annulus using ERT.•Effect of airflow rate on solids transport across the annulus using ERT.