Equations

Flow Rate Equations, Computing Hold-ups,

M. Watfa
Conservation of momentum

m1
V1 m1+m2
Vavg

m2
V2

m1* V1 + m2*V2 = (m1+m2)* Vavg

2 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations

Correlations: Fluid Velocities and hold-ups

Water / Oil
From spinner velocity & Conservation of momentum
Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) = Vo * Yo*ρo + Vw * Yw* ρw

From slippage velocity equation:

Vos = Vo - Vw
Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) = Vo * Yo* ρo + Yw ( Vo – Vos )* ρw

Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) = Vo * Yo* ρo + Yw* ρw * Vo – Yw*Vos* ρw

Vo= {Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) + Yw * Vos* ρw} / ( Yo* ρo + Yw* ρw )

Vo= Vavg + (Yw * Vos* ρw) / ( Yo* ρo + Yw* ρw )

3 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations – Vw is Known

Correlations: Fluid Velocities and hold-ups

Water / Oil
From spinner velocity & Conservation of momentum
Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) = Vo * Yo*ρo + Vw * Yw* ρw

If we know Vw from say phase velocity log, or oxygen activation log, or

radioactive ejector log- then the equation for Vo can be written as
follows:

Vo = [ Vavg* (Yo*ρo + Yw* ρw ) - Vw * Yw* ρw ] /Yo*ρo

4 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa

4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations

Correlations: Fluid Velocities and hold-ups

Gas / Liquid
From Spinner average velocity & conservation of momentum
Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL * ρL) = Vg *Yg*ρg + VL * YL * ρL
From slippage velocity
Vgs = Vg- VL
Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL * ρL) = Vg * Yg* ρg + YL ( Vg – Vgs )* ρL
Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL * ρL) = Vg * Yg* ρg + YL * ρL * Vg – YL*Vgs* ρL
Vg= {Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL * ρL) + YL * Vgs* ρL} / ( Yg* ρg + YL * ρL)
Vg= Vavg + (YL * Vgs* ρL ) / ( Yg* ρg + YL * ρL )
5 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations – Velocity of liquid is Known

Correlations: Fluid Velocities and hold-ups

Gas / Liquid
From Spinner average velocity & conservation of momentum
Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL * ρL ) = Vg *Yg*ρg + VL * YL * ρL

If we know VL ( Vw or Vo) from say phase velocity log, or oxygen

activation log, or radioactive ejector log- then the equation for Vg can be
written as follows:

Vg = [ Vavg * ( Yg*ρg + YL* ρL ) - VL * YL* ρL ] / Yg*ρg

6 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa

4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations

Two Phase Rate Calculation Water-Oil

Oil
Qt = Vavg . A
Water
Qt = Qw + Qo Qt = total flow
Qw= Water flow rate
Qo = Vo . Yo . A
Qo = Hydrocarbon flow rate
Qw = Vw . Yw . A Vos= Slippage velocity
Vw = water velocity
Vos =Vo – Vw Vo = Hydrocarbon velocity
Yw= Water hold up
Vavg . (Vw . ρw + Yo. ρo )
Yo= Hydrocarbon hold-up
= Yw . Vw . ρw + Vo . Yo. ρo
A= Fluid flow area

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4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations

Two Phase Rate Calculation Liquid-Gas

Gas
Qt = Vavg . A
Water
Qt = Qliq + Qg Qt = total flow
Qliq= Liquid flow rate
Qg = Vg . Yg . A Qg = Gas flow rate
Vgs= Gas Slippage velocity
Qliq = Vl . Yl . A Vliq = Liquid velocity
Vg = Hydrocarbon velocity
Vgs =Vg – Vl Ylq= Water hold up
Yg= Hydrocarbon hold-up
Vavg( Vl. ρl + Yg . ρg ) = Yl . Vl. ρl + A = Fluid flow area
Vg . Yg . ρg Liquid could be any of: Water, or
Oil, or Water + oil

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4.4 Nomenclature & Equations

Simplifying the Mathematics 1 cubic meter = 6.29 barrels

1 cubic foot = 0.178 barrels

V in ft/min Q in barrels/day ?

Diameter (D) in
Inches

 If the average velocity is in ft/min

 And the diameter is in inches
 The flow rate (Q) in Barrels/ day (bl/d) will equal

Q = 1.399 x V x D2
9 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations

For full-bore flowmeter:

Flow area = Area of Casing
Tool OD=dtool 
Flow area  . DC
2

Casing ID=Dc For inline flowmeter:

Flow area = Area of Casing ID – Area of Tool
OD

Flow area 
4

. Dc2  d tool
2


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 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations for full-bore spinner
Vavg = Vspin x C C=0.83
ft/min D in inches

Qt = 1.399 x Vavg x Dc2 bl/day 1

Qw = 1.399 x Vw x Yw x Dc2 bl/ day

2
Qo = 1.399 x Vo x Yo x Dc2 bl/ day
3
Qg = 1.399 x Vg x Yg x Dc 2 bl/ day

Qliq = 1.399 x Vliq x Yliq x Dc2 bl/ day 4

The coefficient 1.399 is the conversion factor to give flow rates in bl/day whilst
keeping velocity in ft/min and diameter in inches. Here, Vavg, Vw, Vo and Vg are
obtained from Vspin after applying the turbulence correction (0.83). Also for a metric
system: 1 m3 = 6.29 barrels
11 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations for in-line spinner
Vavg = Vspin x C C=0.83 1 m3 = 6.29 barrels
ft/min D & d in inches
Qt = 1.399 x Vavg x (Dc2 – dtool2) bl/day 1

Qw = 1.399 x Vw x Yw x (Dc2 – dtool2) bl/ day 2

Qo = 1.399 x Vo x Yo x (Dc2 – dtool2) bl/ day
3
Qg = 1.399 x Vg x Yg x (Dc – 2 dtool2) bl/ day

Qliq = 1.399 x Vliq x Yliq x (Dc2 – dtool2) bl/ day 4

The coefficient 1.399 is the conversion factor to give flow rates in bl/day whilst
keeping velocity in ft/min and diameter in inches. Here, Vavg, Vw, Vo and Vg are
obtained from Vspin after applying the turbulence correction (0.83). Also for a metric
system: 1 m3 = 6.29 barrels
12 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Flow Rate Equations

Computing spinner average velocities:

Laminar Flow:
Vavg = 0.5 x Vmax

Turbulent Flow:
Vavg = 0.83 x Vmax

The Flowmeter tools (Vspin) normally measures Vmax

The flow is normally turbulent in casings and tubings.

13 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa

 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Computing Hold-ups- Two Phase

1- Water / Oil 3- Oil / Gas

a- Electric Sensor measures Yw directly a- Optical Sensor measures Yg directly
Yo = 1-Yw Yo = 1-Yg
b – Gradiomanometer ρgr only b – Gradiomanometer ρgr only
hence Yw = (ρgr – ρo) / (ρw – ρo) hence Yo = (ρgr – ρg) / (ρo – ρg)
Yo = 1-Yw Yg = 1-Yo

2- Water/ Gas
a- Electric Sensor measures Yw directly
Yg = 1-Yw
b- Optical Sensor measures Yg directly
Yw = 1-Yg
c– Gradiomanometer ρgr only
hence Yw = (ρgr – ρg) / (ρw – ρg)
Yg = 1-Yw
14 Copyright ©2001-2011 NExT. All rights reserved Material: M. Watfa
 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Computing Hold-ups - Three Phase

1- Ghost and FloView

 Yw known
 Yg known
 Yo is obtained from: Yo = 1.0 – (Yw + Yg)

2- Ghost and Gradio

 Yg is known
 Gradio equation: ρgr = ρw * Yw + ρo * Yo + ρg * Yg
 Yw + Yo + Yg = 1.0
 Derived equation: Yo = {ρw + Yg * ( ρg – ρw ) - ρgr } / ( ρw – ρo )

3- FloView and Gradio

 Yw is known
 Gradio equation: ρgr = ρw * Yw + ρo * Yo + ρg * Yg
 Yw + Yo + Yg = 1.0
 Derived equation: Yo = { ρgr – ρw * Yw - ρg * (1 – Yw) } / (ρo – ρg )

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 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Graphical Solution: 3-phase Electric Sensor

1
Density Yw
0.9
0.6 0.31
0.8 0.8 0.37
0.7 0.85 0.58
0.3 0.16
Water Hold-up

0.6
0.8 0.14
0.5
0.8 0.68
0.4 1 0.72
0.3 0.4 0.1
0.2

0.1 Oil density= 0.75

0 Gas density= 0.15
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Water density= 1.1
Density (gm/cc)

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 4.4 Nomenclature & Equations
Optical Sensor

rhow 1.1
rhoo 0.6
rhog 0.15

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