Effect analysis of non-condensable gases on superheated steam flow in vertical single-tubing steam injection pipes based on the real gas equation of state and the transient heat transfer model in formation

• Published in: Journal of petroleum exploration and production technology Vol. 8; no. 4; pp. 1325 - 1330
• Main Authors: Sun, Fengrui, Yao, Yuedong, Li, Xiangfang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2018; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Energy Systems; Enhanced oil recovery; Enthalpy; Equations of state; Gases; Geology; Heat; Heat flow; Heat loss; Heat transfer; Heat transmission; Industrial and Production Engineering; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Injection; Mathematical models; Momentum; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Multi-component; Natural gas; Non-condensing gases; Offshore Engineering; Oil recovery; Original Paper - Production Engineering; Pressure drop; Profiles; Real gas effect; Steam flow; Superheated steam; Temperature profile; Temperature profiles; Thermophysical models; Thermophysical properties; Transient heat transfer; Tubing; Vertical wellbores; Well drilling; Non-condensing gases; Vertical wellbores; Real gas effect; Thermophysical properties; Superheated steam; Multi-component
• ISSN: 2190-0558; 2190-0566
• DOI: 10.1007/s13202-017-0419-y

Huge amount of efforts were done on saturated steam flow in wellbores with relatively little work on superheated multi-component thermal fluid (SMTF) flow in wellbores. In this paper, based on the continuity, energy and momentum balance equations, a flow model in the vertical wellbores is proposed. Then, coupled with the real gas model and transient heat flow model in formation, a comprehensive model is established for estimating thermophysical properties of SMTF in wellbores. Results show that (a) the effect of mass content of non-condensing gases on temperature profiles is negligible. The enthalpy of SMTF decreases rapidly with increasing of mass content of non-condensing gases. (b) When the injection rate is small, heat loss is the main factor on temperature drop, while when the injection rate is large enough, pressure drop becomes the dominant factor on temperature drop. (c) The two components of non-condensing gases and superheated steam in SMTF have a relatively independent mechanism of enhanced oil recovery, which should be selected based on the unique characteristics of each reservoir.