Experimental study of flow patterns and pressure drops of heavy oil-water-gas vertical flow

A stainless steel apparatus of 18.5 m high and 0.05 m in inner diameter is developed, with the heavy oil from Lukeqin Xinjiang oil field as the test medium, to carry out the orthogonal experiments for the interactions between heavy oil-water and heavy oil-water-gas. With the aid of observation windows, the pressure drop signal can be collected and the general multiple flow patterns of heavy oil-water-gas can be observed, including the bubble, slug, churn and annular ones. Compared with the conventional oil, the bubble flows are identified in three specific flow patterns which are the dispersed bubble (DB), the bubble gas-bubble heavy oil (Bg-Bo), and the bubble gas-intermittent heavy oil (Bg-Io). The slug flows are identified in two specific flow patterns which are the intermittent gas-bubble heavy oil (Ig-Bo) and the intermittent gas-intermittent heavy oil (Ig-Io). Compared with the observations in the heavy oil-water experiment, it is found that the conventional models can not accurately predict the pressure gradient. And it is not water but heavy oil and water mixed phase that is in contact with the tube wall. So, based on the principle of the energy conservation and the kinematic wave theory, a new method is proposed to calculate the frictional pressure gradient. Furthermore, with the new friction gradient calculation method and a due consideration of the flow characteristics of the heavy oil-water-gas high speed flow, a new model is built to predict the heavy oil-water-gas pressure gradient. The predictions are compared with the experiment data and the field data. The accuracy of the predictions shows the rationality and the applicability of the new model.