Drilling Engineering

Drilling Engineering - PE 311

Laminar Flow in Pipes and Annuli

Newtonian Fluids

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 Drilling Engineering

Frictional Pressure Drop in Pipes and Annuli

Under flowing conditions

In the annulus: Pwf = DPf(a) + rgTVD (1)

In the drillpipe: Pp – Pwf = DPf(dp) + DPb – rgTVD

Pwf = Pp - DPf(dp) – DPb + rgTVD (2)

From (1) and (2) give

Pp = DPf(dp) + DPf(a) + DPb

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 Drilling Engineering

Frictional Pressure Drop in Pipes and Annuli

When attempting to quantify the pressure losses in side the drillstring and in the annulus it is
worth considering the following matrix:

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 Drilling Engineering

Momentum Equation

Assumptions:

1. The drillstring is placed concentrically in the casing or open hole

2. The drillstring is not being rotated

3. Sections of open hole are circular in shape and of known diameter

4. Incompressible drilling fluid

5. Isothermal flow

Momentum equation:


dV  
r   F  P  r g    
dt

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 Drilling Engineering

Force Analysis

d ( r ) dp
r
dr dL

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 Drilling Engineering

Force Analysis

p1 (2rDr )  p2 (2rDr )  (r  Dr ) r Dr [2DL]  r r (2DL)

d ( r ) dp
r
dr dL

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 Drilling Engineering

Force Analysis

d ( r ) dp
r
dr dL
dp
 d (r )   r dL
dr

r dp C1
 
2 dL r

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

r dp f C1
 
2 dL r
B.C. r = 0 -->  = 0: then C1 = 0
r dp

2 dL
For Newtonian fluids   mg  m du/dr

B.C. r = R --> u = 0: then

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

R R
 dP 4
Q   udA   u 2rdr Q R
8m dL
0 0

 dP 4
 
R
1 dP 2 Q R  uR 2
Q r  R 2 2rdr
0
4m dL 8m dL

2 dP
 
R
1 dP 2
Q 
4m dL 0
r 2  R 2 rdr u
8m dL
R

2 dP  R 4 R 4 
Q   
4m dL  4 2 

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Maximum velocity:

Average fluid velocity in pipe u = umax / 2

From this equation, the pressure drop can be expressed as:

dP mu
In field unit: 
dL 1,500d 2

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

r dp
From equation: 
2 dL

w
f 
Combining with the definition of Fanning friction factor: 1 2
ru
2

Pressure drop can be calculated by using Fanning friction factor:

Field unit:

This equation can be used to calculate pressure under laminar or turbulent conditions

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

From this equation, the pressure drop can be expressed as:

Combining this equation and equation gives

where

This equation is used to calculate the Fanning friction factor when the flow is laminar. If Re <
2,100 then the flow is under laminar conditions

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

r dp
Combining these two equations   and
2 dL

The relationship between shear stress and shear rate can be express as

Where is called the nominal Newtonian shear rate. For Newtonian fluid, we can used

this equation to calculate the shear rate of fluid as a function of velocity.

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Determine whether a fluid with a viscosity of 20 cp and a density of 10 ppg

flowing in a 5" 19.5 lb/ft (I.D. = 4.276") drillpipe at 400 gpm is in laminar or
turbulent flow. What is the maximum flowrate to ensure that the fluid is in laminar
flow ? Calculate the frictional pressure loss in the drillpipe in two cases:

Q = 400 GPM

Q = 40 GPM

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Velocity:

Reynolds number:

NRe = 17725 : The fluid is under turbulent flow.

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

With turbulent flow and assuming smooth pipe, the Fanning friction factor:

0.0791 0.0791
f  0.25
 0.25
 0.00685
Re 17725

dP fru 2 0.00685  10  8.937 2

   0.0496 psig / ft
dL 25.8d 25.8  4.276

Wrong calculation !!!!!!! Laminar flow !!!!!!!

dP mu 20  8.9 5
   8.2  10 psi / ft
dL 1,500d 2
1,500  4.276 2

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 Drilling Engineering

Pipe Flow – Newtonian Fluids

If Q = 40 GPM, the fluid velocity is: u = 0.89 ft/s

The Reynolds number: Re = 1,772  Laminar flow

dP mu 20  0.89
Frictional pressure loss:    0.00065 psi / ft
dL 1,500d 2
1,500  4.276 2

f = 16 / Re = 0.009

dP fru 2 0.009  10  0.89 2

   0.00065 psig / ft
dL 25.8d 25.8  4.276

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

r dp C1
From the general equation for fluid flow:   
2 dL r

For Newtonian fluids:

dv r dp C1
  mg   m  
dr 2 dL r

dv r dp C1
m  
dr 2 dL r
r dp C1
 dv  (  )dr
2m dL mr
r dp C1
  dv   2m dL  mr )dr
(

r 2 dp f C1
v  ln r  C2
4m dL m

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

r 2 dp f C1
v  ln r  C2
4m dL m
We need two boundary conditions to find C1 and C2

B.C. 1: r = r1 --> u = 0

B.C. 2: r = r2 --> u = 0 r2
r1

 r2 
f  2 r 
   
1 dp ln
u r  r 2
 r 2
 r 2

4m dL  
2 2 1
 ln r2 
 r1 

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Flow rate can be calculated as: Q   v( 2r ) dr

 r2 
1 dp f  2 2 r  2rdr
   
ln
Q   v(2r )dr   r  r  r 2
 r 2

4m dL  
2 2 1
r
 ln 2
r1 

 
Q
 dp f  4
r  r 4

r2  r1  
2 2 2

8m dL  
2 1
r2
 ln
r1 

Average velocity can be expressed as


Q   r22  r12 u 
SI Unit Field Unit
dp f 8m u mu
Pressure drop:  
dL    
 2 2 r2  r1 
2 2
 d  d1 
2 2

r2  r1  r  1,500d 22  d12  2

d2 
 ln 2   ln
d1 
 r1  
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 Drilling Engineering

Summary - Newtonian Fluids

Field unit:

Note: equivalent diameter for an annular section: de= 0.816 (d2 – d1)

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Example: A 9-lbm/gal Newtonian fluid having a viscosity of 15 cp is being circulated in a 10,000-ft

well containing a 7-in. ID casing and a 5-in OD drillsring at a rate of 80 gal/min. compute the static
and circulating bottomhole pressure by assuming that a laminar flow pattern exists.

Solution:

Static pressure: P = 0.052 r D = 0.052 x 9 x 10,000 = 4,680 psig

Average velocity:

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Frictional pressure loss gradient

dp f mu 15(1.362)
   0.0051 psig / ft
dL    7 5
2 2 
 d 2
 d1 
2
1,5007 2  52  
1,500d 22  d12  2   ln 7 
 ln d 2   5 
 d1 

Or:

Circulating bottom hole pressure:

P = 4,680 + 0.0051 x 10,000 = 4,731 Psig

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation
Since the exact solution is so complicated, a narrow
rectangular slot approximation is used to arrive at
solutions still very useful for practical drilling
engineering applications. We represent the annulus
as a slot which has the same area and the same
height with the annulus. This approximation is good if
D1 / D2 > 0.3

An annular geometry can be represented by a

rectangular slot with the height h and width w as
given below


Area of equivalent slot  Wh  π r2  r1
2 2

Height of slot  h  (r2  r1 )
 Widt h of slot  W  π (r2  r1 )

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

y + Dy
P1 P2

y

P1WDy - P2WDy + yWDL - y+DyW DL = 0

dp
  y  C1
dL

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

For Newtonian fluids:

dv dp
  mg  m  y  C1
dy dL

1 dp 2 C1 y
v y   C2
2m dL m
Boundary conditions: y = 0 --> u = 0 and y = h --> v = 0

C2  0

 h dp
C1 
2 dL

v
1 dp 2 h dp
2m dL
y 
2m dL
y
1 dp 2
2m dL

y  hy 

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Flow rate:

 
h h h
1 dp 2 Wh 3 dp
q   vdA   vWdy   y  hy Wdy  
0 0 0
2 m dL 12m dL

Wh  π (r2  r1 ) and h  r2  r1
2 2

π dp f 2
q (r2  r1 )(r2  r1 )2
2

12 μ dL

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Average velocity:


q  Av   r22  r12 v 
π dp f 2
 (r2  r1 )(r2  r1 )2
2

q q 12 μ dL (r2  r1 )2 dp f
v   

A  r22  r12  
 r22  r12 12m dL

Frictional pressure losses gradient

_
dp f 12 μ v

dL (r2  r1 )2

Field unit
_
dp f μv

dL 1000(d 2  d1 )2

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Determination of shear rate:

_
h dp r2  r1  12 μ v
w   
2 dL 2 (r2  r1 )2

w 6v 12v
gw   
m r2  r1  d 2  d1 

Field unit:

w 144v
gw  
m d 2  d1 

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Field Unit:

_
dp f 8μ v 8v
 gw 
dL R2 D

_
dp f 12 μ v 12v
 gw 
dL (r2  r1 )2 d 2  d1 

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Example: A 9-lbm/gal Newtonian fluid having a viscosity of 15 cp is being circulated in a

10,000-ft well containing a 7-in. ID casing and a 5-in OD drillsring (ID = 4.276’’) at a rate of 80
gal/min. Compute the frictional pressure loss and the shear rate at the wall in the drillpipe and
in the annulus by using narrow slot approximation method. Assume that the flow is laminar.
Also, calculate the pressure drop at the drill bit which has 3 nozzles: db = 13/32’’

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

Q 80
Velocity of fluid in the drillpipe: u dp    1.79 ft / s
2
2.448d dp 2.448  4.276 2

Q 80
u ann    1.36 ft / s
Velocity of fluid in the annulus:

2.448 d 2  d1
2 2
 
2.448  7  5
2 2

dP m  u dp 15  1.79
Pressure drop in the drillpipe:    9.79  10 4 psig / ft
dL dp 1500d dp 1500  4.276
2 2

Pressure drop in the annulus: dP m  u ann 15  1.36

   0.0051 psig / ft
dL ann 1000d 22  d12  1000  7  52

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 Drilling Engineering

Annular Flow – Newtonian Fluids

Narrow Slot Approximation

d b2 
Drill bit area: At  3 3 13 / 322  0.39 in 2
4 4

8.311  10 5 rq 2 8.311  10 5  9  80 2
Pressure drop at the bit: DPb    34.87 psig
C d2 At2 0.95 2  0.39 2

dP dP dP
Total pressure drop:    DPbit
dL Total dL dp dL ann

 9.79  10 4  0.005110,000  34.87  60.78  34.87  95.66 psig

dP
dL Total

144v 144(1.362)
gw    98 1 / s
Shear rate at the wall:
d 2  d1  7  5

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