Flow Through Chokes

and Choke Performance

1
List of Contents
▪ Introduction
▪ Sonic and Subsonic Flow
▪ Single Phase Liquid Flow
▪ Single Phase Gas Flow
▪ Multiphase Flow
▪ Examples of Chokes
▪ Resources

2
 Introduction
Why using chokes?
sand production
Choke classification

adjustable
slugging
fixed (positive)

Oil and gas coning

3
Sonic and Subsonic Flow
▪ When the fluid flow velocity in a choke reaches the traveling velocity
of sound in the fluid under the in situ condition, the flow is called
‘‘sonic flow.’’
▪ If this pressure ratio is less than a critical pressure ratio, sonic (critical)
flow exists. If this pressure ratio is greater than or equal to the critical
pressure ratio, subsonic (subcritical) flow exists.
k or Cp/Cv is the specific heat
ratio. The value of the k is about
1.28 for natural gas. Thus, the
critical pressure ratio is about
0.55 for natural gas. A similar
constant is used for oil flow.
4
Single Phase Liquid Flow

5
Single Phase Liquid Flow

6
 Single Phase Liquid Flow

40 °𝐴𝑃𝐼 =51.5 Fig 5.2: Cd=1.02 ∆P

Ibm/ft3 = 0.04 psi
Q=200 stb/d=0.017
ft3/s
D1=2 in
D2=1 in=1/12 ft
∆𝑃 =? psi

7
Single Phase Gas Flow
▪ Pressure equations for gas flow through a choke are derived based on
an isentropic process. This is because there is no time for heat to
transfer (adiabatic) and the friction loss is negligible (assuming
reversible) at chokes.

8
Single Phase Gas Flow

9
Single Phase Gas Flow (gas hydrates)

10
Single Phase Gas Flow

11
Single Phase Gas Flow-Example

12
Single Phase Gas Flow-Example

13
Single Phase Gas Flow-Example 2

14
Single Phase Gas Flow-Example 2

15
[Problems in Gas Hydrates: Practical Guidelines for Field
Remediation
J. E. PAEZ, DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY, R. BLOK, MARTEC LTD., H.
VAZIRI, AND M. R. ISLAM, SPE]

16
Single Phase Gas Flow

The flow is called "critical," and changes

in the pressure downstream of the
choke do not affect the flow rate,
because pressure disturbances cannot
travel upstream faster than the sonic
velocity.
Figure 10-12 shows the dependence of
flow rate through a choke on the ratio of
the downstream to upstream pressure
for a compressible fluid, with the rate
being independent of the pressure ratio
when the flow is critical.

17
Multiphase Flow

18
Multiphase Flow

19
Multiphase Flow-Example

20
Multiphase Flow-Example

21
Multiphase Flow

22
Multiphase Flow

23
 The major drawback of Sachdeva’s multiphase
Multiphase Flow choke flow model is that it requires free gas quality
as an input parameter to determine flow regime
and flow rates, and this parameter is usually not
known before flow rates are known. A trial-and-
error approach is, therefore, needed in flow rate
computations.
1. The accuracy of Sachdeva’s choke model can be
improved by using different discharge coefficients
for different fluid types and well types. 2. For
predicting liquid rates of oil wells and gas rates of
gas condensate wells, a discharge coefficient of
CD=1.08 should be used. 3. A discharge coefficient
CD=0.78 should be used for predicting gas rates of
oil wells. 4. A discharge coefficient CD=1.53 should
be used for predicting liquid rates of gas condensate
wells.
24
Resources
▪ Ghalambor, A, and Guo, B, “Petroleum Production
Engineering.”
▪ Economides, M.J, and Hill, A.D, “Petroleum Production
Systems.”
▪ https://www.slb.com/valves/choke-valves
▪ https://www.sintef.no/en/oil-and-gas1

25