Summary
Production logging tools obtained from three service move rapidly along the upper side of the pipe,
companies were tested in one-, two-, and three-phase establishing a circulating current that caused downflow
flow in an inclinable flow test facility. These tests were along the lower side of the pipe. We repeatedly observed
inspired by the often confusing production logs obtained this pattern even though the net flow of all fluids was up-
in deviated wells. The experiments have shown that two- ward. Because of this nonuniform flow profile in
phase flow regimes in inclined pipes differ markedly multiphase flow in inclined wells, responses of produc-
from those in vertical flow at similar flow rates and that tion logging tools that measure localized quantities do
these flow regimes adversely affect production logging not represent volumetric flow rates, average densities, or
tool responses. The experiments performed, the behavior holdups.
of the production logging tools, and a statistical analysis In this type of flow situation, spinner-type velocity
of the data are discussed. tools often indicate reverse flow, especially when they
Introduction are not centralized. Density and capacitance tools tend to
be immersed primarily in the denser phase in a
Production logging tools obtained from three service multiphase flow situation, preventing them from in-
companies were tested in one-, two-, and three-phase dicating average flow properties. Capacitance tools also
flow in an inclined flow test facility at Marathon Oil exhibited nonlinear calibrations in static fluids, which
Co. 's Denver Research Center. Flow rates were chosen makes their response suspect in a flowing stream. Flow
to simulate downhole conditions in producing wells in concentrating flow meters were the best tools tested for
the McArthur River field, where production logging is flow-rate measurements because they force most of the
used extensively. Liquid flow rates ranged from 70 to flow stream through a turbine inside the tools.
3,400 BID (II to 540 m 3 /d) and gas rates ranged from 0 A film made during the testing of production logging
to 7.5 McflD (0 to 210 m 3 /d) during the tests. To tools illustrates the profound effect of inclined,
simulate the wide range of well deviations in this off- multiphase flow on these devices. A 5-minute videotape
shore field, the pipe angle also was varied from vertical version of this film is available from SPE. *
to 60 from vertical. Production logging tool responses We used multivariate regression analysis to correlate
were measured over this range of conditions to under- the responses of two of the tool strings with the flow
stand tool behavior and to try to correlate measurements rates of each fluid and with the deviation angle. These
with actual flow rates. correlations were used to predict the fluid flow rates
Flow patterns observed in multi phase flow in an in- from specific sets of tool response. Correlations ob-
clined pipe were found to affect production logging tool tained, however, were not sufficiently accurate for use in
responses dramatically. In gas/liquid flow in a slanted production logging interpretation. Improvements in tool
pipe, slug flow was the predominant flow regime, design will be necessary before this technique can be ap-
whereas in oil/water two-phase flow, a stratified flow plied to field interpretations. The technique does appear
was common. In both cases, the lighter phase would valid for tools that measure average fluid properties
across the pipe .
Now with U. of Texas.
'Contact SPE Continuing Education Office, 6200 N. Central Expwy., Drawer 64706,
01492136/82/0101-0208$00.25 Dallas, TX 75206. A 3/.-in. (1.9-cm) videotape format is available at $35.00 prepaid
Copyrigh1 1982 Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME (includes "surface mail" postage). Other formats are available at higher cost.
z
e-
~~<
;:::::
. . ",/ . . dicated that tools are required that measure averaged
properties of the flow stream. Even though no equations
3:
o ----- ..::.~ that are ready for field adaptation are developed, the
o,
.;~.., potential of this analysis method is demonstrated, and
.
a.. --' . Pipe Angle
::> 0 . ..----- / (degrees) necessary improvements in tool designs and data acquisi-
/-,' y 0 0 tion methods are pointed out.
~.. "'~~ 6 5 A detailed examination of one of the tool string's
-1
..,~.,
-'- -::::;:./ x 15
responses was undertaken to develop an understanding
-2 ~-+<~/- 30 of relationships between tool response and observed
+ 45
D 60 fluid flow rates. From these relationships, correlations
25 50 75 100 125 were developed to predict fluid flow rates, given the
KEROSENE RATE (gpm) tools' responses. This approach also was applied to the
Fig. 10-Spinner Tool C two-phase response.
second tool string. The statistical package used was the
Biomedical Computer Program (BMDP) available from
the U. of California. 4
Data from Tool String C were analyzed first and most
5
extensively. Several data crossplots were generated to
Slope = 24.6 fpm/rps develop relationships between flow parameters and tool
4 responses. With an understanding of these relationships,
a regression analysis of the data was performed to
3 develop equations of tool responses as functions of flow
parameters. These fitted equations then were used to
calculate predicted flow rates, given the tool responses;
these values were compared with the observed flow rate.
Fluid velocities were measured with Spinner Tool C.
The observed tool response was correlated to observed
fluid flow rates. Spinner Tool C was used to observe
velocities both at the center and at the bottom of the pipe.
-1 Because spinner tool measurements in the center of the
pipe were found more consistent and more representative
of the true flow situation than measurements taken at the
bottom, only centralized spinner data were used for
statistical analysis of tool response.
50 75 Hio 125
Fig. 9 shows Spinner Tool C response for flow of a
WATER-KEROSENE RATE (gpm)
single fluid phase at pipe angles from 0 to 60 from ver-
Fig. 11-Spinner Tool C three-phase response. tical. This plot shows a straight-line relationship between
flow rate and spinner response, independent of pipe
angle. The line intersects the flow rate axis at a small
Pipe Angle
5 positive value corresponding to the flow rate required to
(degrees) 50 gpm Kerosene
0 0
overcome bearing friction.
~ 5 Flow becomes much more complex with the introduc-
4 x 15 tion of a second phase, as shown in Fig. 10 for a
30 kerosene/gas system. With the presence of two phases of
+ 45 differing densities, the angle of inclination has a strong
Cii 3 o 60
effect on spinner response (Fig. 4). However, at a given
~
z angle of inclination and a fixed gas rate, tool response is
#
3: 2 linear with respect to kerosene flow rate. This relation-
0
0 ship is shown in Fig. 10 for six angles of inclination and
!l. a constant gas rate of 7.9 Mcf/D (224 m 3 / d).
::>
~. Spinner Tool C response is recorded in up rotations
~----~---------- .... minus down rotations. Other functions of flowmeter
Or---~=-=------~-'~--=c;~~~--~ response, such as the sum of up and down rotations, are
-==.:to
not linear with respect to liquid flow rate. This distinc-
-1~_~ _ _~_ _~_~___~____~__~ tion is most significant at low liquid and high gas rates
o 2 3 4 5 6 7 when reverse rotations are substantial.
GAS RATE (cfm) Fig. 11 shows Spinner Tool C responses for three-
phase flow with a water fraction of 50% of total liquid
Fig. 12-Spinner Tool C dependence on gas flow rates. rate. The flowmeter response was linear with respect to
2438 JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
total liquid rate for a constant gas rate and angle of in- OK CALCULATED (gpm)
clination. Apparently, in three-phase flow, the two liq-
uid phases emulsified and behaved as a single phase.
This is also true for water fractions of 10% and 90%.
The effect of gas rate on flowmeter response also was
studied. Fig. 12 shows the change in flowmeter response
with gas rate at varying angles and a constant liquid
(kerosene) rate. From the appearance of this plot and o
;,.;:
similar plots of other rates, the following function was
001
chosen to fit the effect of gas rate on flowmeter response. OlO
C/l
m
:D
<
m
0 ....
COOl
If only the positive square root is used, this equation "0
defines a half ellipse that inverts from the top half of the 2.
ellipse to the bottom half as the angle increases through
15 .
With this information, the flowmeter response was fit-
ted to the three fluid flow rates and to the angle of in-
clination by use of the stepwise regression analysis pro-
gram. The resulting least squares equation is
Fig. 13-Comparison of predicted and actual kerosene flow
Rv = -0.528+0.339qk +0.0308qw rates for Tool String C correlation.