Hui Liu, Hongtao Liu, Quan Zhang, Ming Fan, Bangtang Yin, Xuerui Wang, Xiaohui Sun,

Zhiyuan Wang,
Effect of liquid viscosity on the gas–liquid two phase countercurrent flow in the
wellbore of bullheading killing,
Geoenergy Science and Engineering,
Volume 221,
2023,
111274,
ISSN 2949-8910,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2022.111274.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920410522011263)
Abstract: Studying the gas–liquid two-phase countercurrent flow under high liquid
viscosities is key in designing the well-killing parameters of the bullheading
method; however, currently, in-depth research on this issue is limited. Herein,
using a self-designed vertical visualization wellbore gas–liquid two-phase flow
experimental system with a tube diameter of 0.1 m and liquid viscosity in the range
of 1–50 mPa s, a simulation experiment of bullheading killing was conducted. The
effects of liquid viscosity on the bubble morphology, bubble migration, and gas–
liquid countercurrent flow pattern were analyzed, and the mechanism of back
pressing of gas during the well-killing process of the bullheading method in a
large-scale tube was revealed. Moreover, the influencing factors and variation in
the critical displacement of bullheading were analyzed. The results revealed that
the stability of Taylor bubbles increased and the number of small bubbles decreased
with the increase in liquid viscosity, resulting the gradual shrinkage or
disappearance of the churn flow and bubbly flow, expansion of the region of slug
flow, and downward movement of the transition boundary between bullet-cup flow and
slug flow. On approaching the critical liquid displacement during the process of
simulated bullheading, Taylor bubbles rapidly dissociated into small bubbles and
turned around during the rising process, forming a gas–liquid downward flow,
following which the gas was successfully pressed back. In addition, our analysis
revealed that the press-back effect is not always positively correlated with the
viscosity of the kill fluid. The critical displacement of the well-killing fluid
first decreased and then increased with an increase in the liquid viscosity.
Finally, based on the experimental results, an improved calculation method for the
critical displacement of bullheading considering the influence of liquid viscosity
was established, which could provide important theoretical guidance for the
parameter design of bull heading.
Keywords: Bullheading; Liquid viscosity; Gas–liquid countercurrent; Flow pattern
transformation; Taylor bubble; Critical displacement