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Multiphase flow simulators for heavy oil;

Innovations to be expected

Norbert Hoyer

February 2009

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Heavy Crude Oils

Heavy crude oils much moreimportant now than in past

Constitute large part of

remaining oil reserves

Type API gravity Density

(kg/m3)

Viscosity

(cP) s.t.c.

Bitumen 10,000

Extra heavy oil < 10 1000+ > 1000Heavy oil 10 22.3 920 1000 > 100

Medium oil 22.3 31.1 870 920 10 100

Light oil > 31.1 < 870 < 10

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Heavy Crude OilsHeavy Oil production may require specific

Production methods

Transportation methods Multiphase flow modelling

Laminar flow

Closure relations like void in slugs

Non-Newtonian flow

Flow patterns and transitions

Separation

Fluid properties Viscosities

Emulsions

Thermal flow behaviour

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Heavy Crude Oil Production Methods Primary production methods

Pumping

Multilateral wells Cold production with sand (CHOPS)

Cold EOR

Water flooding

Vapour extraction

Thermal methods

SAGD

Other(Picture: trehugger.com)

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Heavy crude oil transportation challenges

High oil viscosity

Wax and sand increase the problem Water droplets can increase or decrease viscosity Small drops give increase, large drops give decrease

Flow enhancement methods:

Keep oil temperature high Emulsify oil in water

Upgrade oil in situ

Dilute oil with condensate or light oil

Each of these methods viable under some conditions Each have their own challenges

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Emulsion Properties

Natural and added surfactantsinfluence

Interfacial tension and interfacialrheology

Emulsion stability

Phase inversion

Particles (fines) often increase

emulsion stability Newtonian and non-Newtonian

Large differences in predict ions

Major variables:

Water cut Droplet sizes

Shear rate

Temperature

Wax appearance temperature

Inversion point

WC

inv

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OLGA development levels

General development Improvements and new functionality

OVIP JIP OLGA Validation and Improvement Project

Wellbore and Near Wellbore JIP

SAGD and other improvements, OLGA Rocx

HORIZON JIP Long distance transport /complex deep water

fields

Next generation of OLGA Flow models

FACE JIP Virtual Mult iphase Flow Assurance Center

(SFI/CRI)

IFE - SINTEF - NTNU

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SPT working with lead users in Joint Industry

projects like HORIZON and OVIP

"OLGA"RESEARCH

Research

1998

PRODUCTION

VERSION

OLGA usercommunity

2009

"OLGA"

TUFFP

http://www.bp.com/home.do?categoryId=1&contentId=2006973http://www.petronas.com/http://www.bp.com/home.do?categoryId=1&contentId=2006973http://www.bp.com/home.do?categoryId=1&contentId=2006973http://www.statoilhydro.com/no/

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Heavy oil work in OVIP 2007-2009

New emulsion viscosity correlations in OLGA

Implemented correlations from open literature

Additional, improved correlation to be implemented

Improved table based input of emulsion viscosity

Modify correlation for oil-water mixing in OLGA

Stratification of oil and water at intermediate water cuts

OLGA tends to underpredict pressure drop forheavy oils

We need more detailed lab data for modelling

Slug flow

Oil/water flow

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Cross sectional flow model:

Laminar heavy oil layer turbulent gas

The Pre-integrated 2D model is combined with OLGA, yielding

a 3D model with 1D computation time

Gas: 2D velocity distribution from Horizon model

Liquid: 2D velocity distr ibution from

analytic solution for laminar flow

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Tulsa Fluid Flow Project

SPT Group participates in the Tulsa Fluid Flow Projectthrough the OVIP program in order to get high

viscosity heavy oil flow data

The OVIP program is also sponsoring a gamma

instrument for TUFFP delivered by IFE

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Systematic approach to improve OLGAs

simulation capabilities

Provide new technologies for specific productionmethods

Single component f low for steam /SAGD (and CO2)

First step in sand transportation modeling through JIP

HORIZON I

Update flow models and closure relations inongoing JIP OVIP 2007-2009

Specific tasks improving f low modeling Data collection through TUFFP

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OLGA Technology Roll-Out

Increasing interest for heavy oils in industry

SPT Group accelerating related developments

Stepwise roll-out of flow model improvements withrespect to heavy oil features

Some enabling technologies like single component flowmodels for steam (and also CO2) already available now

SAGD

Annual releases through OVIP project

OVIP improvements implemented in following annualmain releases of OLGA

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to contributions from:

Jan Nossen (IFE)

Dag Biberg (SPT Group)

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be dynamic