Mechanism and control factors of hydrate plugging in multiphase liquid-rich pipeline flow systems: A review

There is nothing illogical in the concept that hydrates are easily formed in oil and gas pipelines owing to the low-temperature and high-pressure environment, although requiring the cooperation of flow rate, water content, gas-liquid ratio, and other specific factors. Therefore, hydrate plugging is a major concern for the hydrate slurry pipeline transportation technology. In order to further examine potential mechanisms underlying these processes, the present paper listed and analyzed the significant research efforts specializing in the mechanisms of hydrate blockages in the liquid-rich system, including oil-based, water-based, and partially dispersed systems (PD systems), in gathering and transportation pipelines. In addition, it summarized the influences of fluid flow and water content on the risk of hydrate blockage and discussed. In general, flow rate was implicated in the regulation of blockage risk through its characteristic to affect sedimentation tendencies and flow patterns. Increasing water content can potentiate the growth of hydrates and change the oil-water dispersion degree, which causes a transition from completely dispersed systems to PD systems with a higher risk of clogging. Reasons of diversity of hydrate plugging mechanism in oil-based system ought to be studied in-depth by combining the discrepancy of water content and the microscopic characteristics of hydrate particles. At present, it is increasingly necessary to expand the application of the hydrate blockage formation prediction model in order to ensure that hydrate slurry mixed transportation technology can be more maturely applied to the natural gas industry transportation field.     

关于加快发展我国油基钻井液体系的几点看法

油基钻井液具有抗高温、抗盐钙侵、有利于井壁稳定、润滑性好和对油气层损害程度小等优点.国外早在20世纪60年代,就十分重视油基钻井液技术的开发与应用,现已广泛作为钻深井、超深井、海上钻井、大斜度定向井、水平井和水敏性复杂地层及储层保护的重要手段.国外油基钻井液体系及配套技术比较成熟,国内在油基钻井液方面尽管开展了一些工作,但应用较少,还没有形成体系.目前,国内非常规油气资源的开发已经启动,对油基钻井液有了迫切需求.我国应在油基钻井液应用方面尽快行动起来,在借鉴国外经验和国内初步实践的基础上,首先开展油基钻井液的应用,在应用中积累经验、完善体系,并通过油基钻井液处理剂(降滤失剂、提黏切剂、封堵剂及润湿剂)的研制,逐渐形成具有国内特点,能够满足现场需要的油基钻井液体系,以及钻井液回收处理循环再利用的配套设备与方法.同时,开展油基钻井液高温下流变性、稳定性研究,以形成系统的流变性控制方法,为油基钻井液体系的应用提供理论支撑,促进国内页岩气等非常规油气资源的开发.     

含CaCl2的深水油基钻井液中甲烷水合物的生成规律研究

深水钻井常采用含有CaCl₂的油基钻井液,施工时气体侵入钻井液可能会导致水合物的生成,增加钻井风险。因此,明确钻井液中水合物的生成规律对水合物的防治工作具有指导意义。采用高压水合物搅拌釜,实验研究了含水率为10%、20%、40%的油基钻井液分别在273.15 K、275.15 K、278.15 K和CaCl₂质量浓度为3.5%、10%条件下的水合物生成规律,分析了水合物生成过程中钻井液的相对电流变化。实验结果表明,油基钻井液中水合物的生成可分为诱导、快速生成和缓慢生成三个阶段,在快速生成阶段,温度和盐度对水合物生成速率影响较小,随含水率增大,水合物生成速率增大;低含水率（10%、20%）时,水合物生成时钻井液的相对电流几乎不增大;高含水率（40%）且水合物体积分数小于15%时,钻井液的相对电流增大不明显,水合物体积分数为15% ~ 28%时,钻井液的相对电流随水合物体积分数的增大而增大,增幅为10% ~ 50%。     

多孔介质中甲烷水合物的生成特性研究进展

天然气水合物是一种清洁高效的能源,常常在自然界中的海底沉积物多孔介质孔隙中生成,同时水合物在工业上还能与多孔介质材料一起作为储存及分离气体的一种方式,因此开采利用水合物以及发挥水合物工业技术的前提都跟多孔介质有莫大的关系,对多孔介质中天然气水合物生成特性的研究进行总结与分析具有非常重要的意义。本文总结分析了国内外关于不同类型多孔介质中甲烷水合物的生成过程及特性的研究文献,将多孔介质根据其孔径大小进行划分。结果显示,在微孔介质中,甲烷水合物的生成侧重于气体的存储及运输方面;在介孔介质中,甲烷水合物的生成动力学受孔径影响较大;在大孔的沉积物中,甲烷水合物的生成及分布的机理性研究仍比较缺乏。因此,需要进一步的研究来丰富甲烷水合物在多孔介质中的生成动力学理论,本文将在文献调研的基础上为今后的研究方向提出一些展望和思路。     

氢气管输技术研究进展

利用现有“全国一张网”的天然气管道设施,将氢气掺入天然气管道输送,可有效解决中国氢气规模化输送难题。该文综述目前关于氢气管道输送的研究成果,总结氢气管道建设现状;分析输氢工艺安全性,阐述管线泄漏的危害性及防护措施,分别讨论高压输送管道、中低压配送管道和管道焊缝的相容性;归纳目前的燃气互换性方法及设备适应性。指出了目前氢气管输面临的问题：掺氢比例等参数对氢气渗透、聚集、泄漏、喷射火灾等安全问题的影响尚不明确;氢气与典型管材的相容性研究不足;缺少纯氢和掺氢管道输送技术相关标准规范体系。     

聚胺水基钻井液中天然气水合物生成过程实验研究

实验采用定容压力搜索法测量了聚胺钻井液在3℃ ~ 13℃范围内甲烷水合物的三相平衡条件。定容条件下考察了在初始压力分别为8 MPa、10 MPa、12 MPa条件下聚胺钻井液中甲烷水合物的生成过程。结果表明,聚胺钻井液对甲烷水合物生成的热力学抑制作用并不明显。同时,提高反应的初始压力会显著缩短水合物的生成时间、增加水合物的生成总量、增大反应初期生长速率以及水合物生长的不均匀性。强化聚胺钻井液的传热传质速率并降低钻探时的井下压力有利于抑制钻井液中水合物的生成。     

Micro-CT造影剂在多孔介质内水合物-水两相分辨中的应用评价

天然气水合物资源开采过程中涉及多孔介质内固(水合物)-液(水)-气(天然气)复杂相态转变及多相流体流动与热质传递,因此实现多相流体的相分辨是开展研究的关键问题之一。利用Micro-CT技术,以四氢呋喃水合物(THF)作为研究对象,开展了固(水合物)-液(水)两相分辨的造影剂效果评价研究。发现溶液内添加造影剂KI的分辨效果要远好于NaCl,KI的分辨效果随着质量分数的增加先增加后减小,最后处于较低值维持不变,KI质量分数为6%时分辨效果最好,可以实现多孔介质内小密度差的水与水合物相分辨及水合物分解过程相界面变化的动态可视化检测。基于此,利用阈值法可以进一步实现分解过程中水合物饱和度的定量分析,获取多相流动过程的各相流体原位和度变化数据。     

高含水采油期油气水混输水平管路压降试验研究

随着油田开发的不断深入,大庆油田原油综合含水不断提高,许多区块的水的质量分数已达到90%,有的甚至达到或超过了95%.由于缺乏对特高含水采油期油气水混输水平管路压降的研究,制约了高含水采油期不加热集输规模的扩大.针对大庆采油六厂高含水采油期油气水混输管道,设计了一套试验装置,试验研究高含水采油期油气水混输水平管路压降.对试验测试数据进行了回归处理及分析,得出了百米压降及油气水三相压降与油水两相压降的关系.     

Latest progress in numerical simulations on multiphase flow and thermodynamics in production of natural gas from gas hydrate reservoir

Natural gas hydrates are promising potential alternative energy resources. Some studies on the multiphase flow and thermodynamics have been conducted to investigate the feasibility of gas production from hydrate dissociation. The methods for natural gas production are analyzed and several models describing the dissociation process are listed and compared. Two prevailing models, one for depressurization and the other for thermal stimulation, are discussed in detail. A comprehensive numerical method considering the multiphase flow and thermodynamics of gas production from various hydratebearing reservoirs is required to better understand the dissociation process of natural gas hydrate, which would be of great benefit to its future exploration and exploitation.     

提高井壁稳定性的途径及水基防塌钻井液研究与应用进展

针对泥页岩地层黏土含量高,容易水化,导致钻井过程中出现严重坍塌和膨胀缩径,以及严重造浆等问题,从4个方面(合适的钻井液密度,提高钻井液的抑制性,减少钻井液滤液进入地层,强化封堵)阐述提高井壁稳定性的途径,介绍国内在钻井用化学剂方面开展的研究工作,同时介绍近年来出现的通过添加不同新型化学抑制剂形成的强抑制水基钻井液,如聚合醇钻井液、强抑制胺基钻井液、有机硅聚合物钻井液、有机盐钻井液、甲基葡萄糖苷钻井液等.提出围绕提高井壁稳定性的研究方向:提高对钻井液中低密度固相控制的认识,重点考虑固相化学控制剂的研究,通过低密度固相的控制,提高钻井液抑制性;考虑在现场钻井液检测性能中增加抑制性检测指标和方法;以低相对分子质量聚胺为代表的钻井液抑制剂是阳离子钻井液的新发展,应加强其机理研究;重视铝基化合物或络合物的研发,强化钻井液的抑制性及封堵作用.     

环状掺水工艺降温集输试验技术研究

大庆油田外围低产、低渗透油藏原油集输物性差,油井产量低,单位产能建设投资高,集输能耗大。其中,油气集输环节分别由集油、脱水、原油稳定处理及储运能耗4部分组成。各部分中,集油部分的能耗更是占到集输系统总能耗的60%～80%,设法降低集油环节的能耗是集输流程节能的关键。对此,开展了确定安全混输温度界限的室内外试验,实现原油在凝固点附近安全运行。根据中高含水期油田开发的特点,对高产液、高含水的集油环开展不加热集输试验。试验区试验结果表明,原油含水率达到并超过转相点后,其流动阻力明显下降,有利于低温集输;对于部分产液量大于20t/d、含水率大于80%的集油环,可采取季节性停掺冷输工艺;对于长期低温运行的集油环出现的开井困难情况,可采取管线热洗、通球物理清洗,增加管道泵、混输泵或工艺改造等措施加以解决;对于污水处理反冲洗效果变差的情况,需要加强适合低温处理药剂的研究与应用。     

原油管输不可逆过程火用的传递和转换规律研究

基于不可逆过程热力学的基本理论,探讨了原油管输过程各不可逆过程的强度量势场梯度驱动力作用下的火用流传递现象,结合原油管道输送过程的基本场平衡方程组和普遍化热力学体系的火用平衡动力学方程,推导了管输过程的热火用和压火用传递和转换方程,进一步建立管输过程的总火用传递方程。以某原油管道为例,对管道输送过程进行数值分析得到管输过程中热火用和压火用的传递和转换火用流分布规律,为将火用的传递转换规律应用到管道节能体系中提供理论基础和合理依据。     

Assessment of Mixture and Eulerian Multiphase Models in Predicting the Thermo-Fluidic Transport Characteristics for Fly Ash-Water Slurry Flow in Straight Horizontal Pipeline

The thermo-fluidic transport characteristics of the fly ash–water slurry flow in a straight horizontal pipe are predicted by deploying two different multiphase modeling strategies, viz. the mixture and the Eulerian multiphase models. Comparisons between the two model predictions in terms of the pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient are done along with the comparisons between the single (water) and the two phase system (slurry). Spherical fly ash particles, with diameter of 13 µm for an average inflow velocity ranging from 1 to 5 m/s and particle concentrations within 0–40% by volume for each velocity are considered as the dispersed phase carried by the carrier phase water. Significant differences between the two model predictions can be observed both from the qualitative and quantitative perspectives. This finally leads to the appropriate choice of the multiphase model for predicting the thermo-fluidic transport characteristics in slurry flow.     

页岩气水平井钻井液技术的难点及选用原则

我国页岩气资源勘探开发已全面铺开。针对页岩气的成藏特征,页岩气开发以浅层大位移井、丛式水平井布井为主。由于页岩地层裂缝发育、水敏性强,长水平段钻井中不仅易发生井漏、垮塌、缩径等问题,且由于水平段较长,还会带来摩阻、携岩及地层污染问题,从而增大了产生井下复杂情况的几率。解决井壁稳定、降阻减摩和岩屑床清除等问题是目前页岩气水平井钻井液选择和设计的关键。选择页岩气水平井钻井液的原则是确保井壁稳定、润滑、防卡和井眼清洗。油基钻井液可提高水润湿性页岩的毛细管压力,防止钻井液对页岩的侵入,从而有效保持井壁稳定,同时还具有良好的润滑、防卡和降阻作用,是国内外目前采用最多的钻井液体系。当采用水基钻井液的时,利用低活性高矿化度聚合物钻井液或CaCl2钻井液以降低页岩和钻井液相互作用的总压力;采用浓甲酸钾、Al3+盐,可以通过脱水、孔隙压力降低和影响近井壁区域化学变化的协同作用产生良好的井眼稳定作用;对于有裂隙、裂缝或层理发育的高渗透性页岩应使用有效的封堵剂进行封堵;但对于强水敏性页岩地层,水基钻井液在抑制性方面仍然存在局限性。从环境保护的角度出发,甲基葡糖苷钻井液在井壁稳定机理方面与油基钻井液相似,未来可望作为有效的钻井液体系之一。随着以页岩气为代表的非常规油气资源的不断开发,为了满足安全钻井和环境保护的需要,未来页岩气水平井钻井液技术的研究应围绕高效、低成本水基钻井液和低毒油基钻井液来展开。     

输气管线中天然气水合物的防治

天然气水合物是由天然气和水在高压低温条件下形成的类冰结晶状化合物。天然气储运过程中,天然气水合物常常造成管道、阀门和设备等的堵塞,降低了管道的输送能力。因此水合物的防治工作对于石油天然气工业日趋重要。针对水合物的防治可采取物理和化学措施,例如脱水法和添加抑制剂等。抑制剂主要包括热力学抑制剂、动力学抑制剂、防聚剂三种类型,开发环保并且低廉的动力学抑制剂和防聚剂是防治水合物的发展方向。     

The Stability Criterion Model and Stability Analysis of Waxy Crude Oil Pipeline Transportation System Based on Excess Entropy Production

Based on the theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, considering the dynamic effect of molecular diffusion and the change in thermodynamic parameters caused by wax precipitation, the phenomenological relations of different thermodynamic “force” and “flow” interactions were derived. The corresponding thermodynamic model of a waxy crude oil pipeline transportation system was built, and then, the excess entropy production expression was proposed. Furthermore, the stability criterion model of the pipeline transportation system was established on the basis of Lyapounov stability theory. Taking the oil pipeline in Daqing oilfield as an example, based on the four parameters of out-station temperature, out-station pressure, flow rate and water content, the stable and unstable regions of the system were divided, and the formation mechanisms of the two different regions were analyzed. The experimental loop device of wax deposition rate was designed, and then, the wax deposition rate under the four parameters was measured. The results showed that the stable region of the wax deposition rate fluctuation was basically in accordance with the stability region analyzed by the criterion model established in this paper, which proved that the stability criterion model was feasible for analyzing the stability of the waxy crude oil pipeline transportation process.     

A thermal immiscible multiphase flow simulation by lattice Boltzmann method

The lattice Boltzmann (LB) method, as a mesoscopic approach based on the kinetic theory, has been significantly developed and applied in a variety of fields in the recent decades. Among all the LB community members, the pseudopotential LB plays an increasingly important role in multiphase flow and phase change problems simulation. The thermal immiscible multiphase flow simulation using pseudopotential LB method is studied in this work. The results show that it is difficult to achieve multi-bubble/droplet coexistence due to the unphysical mass transfer phenomenon of “the big eat the small” – the small bubbles/droplets disappear and the big ones getting bigger before a physical coalescence when using an internal energy based temperature equation for single-component multiphase (SCMP) pseudopotential models. In addition, this unphysical effect can be effectively impeded by coupling an entropy-based temperature field, and the influence on density fields with different energy equations are discussed. The findings are identified and reported in this paper for the first time. This work gives a significant inspiration for solving the unphysical mass transfer problem, which determines whether the SCMP LB model can be used for multi-bubble/droplet systems.     

颗粒体积分数对天然气水合物多相混输泵内流特性的影响

为研究颗粒体积分数对天然气水合物多相混输泵内流特性的影响,基于ANSYS CFX软件采用非均相模型和particle模型,选用甲烷水合物颗粒体积分数为5%、10%、15%和20%的海水为介质,对多相混输泵流场进行数值模拟。结果表明：当颗粒体积分数较低时多相混输泵叶轮和导叶内旋涡较小,但随着颗粒体积分数的增加多相混输泵叶轮和导叶内轴向旋涡逐渐增大;在叶轮流道内颗粒分布较为均匀,而随着颗粒体积分数的增加,导叶内较大的旋涡影响导致颗粒在导叶内出现明显的聚集现象,在导叶叶片表面颗粒主要聚集在吸力面前半部分,其分布区域远大于压力面,即导叶吸力面更易受到磨损;随着颗粒体积分数的增加,多相混输泵的扬程和效率均逐渐降低。     

An investigation of water-gas transport processes in the gas-diffusion-layer of a PEM fuel cell by a multiphase multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model

In order to study water-gas transport processes in the gas-diffusion-layer (GDL) of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system, a multiphase, multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model is presented in this work. The model is based on the mean-field diffuse interface theory and can handle the multiphase flows with large density ratios and various viscosities. By using the standard bounce back boundary condition and an approximate average scheme for the non-slip and wetting boundary walls, respectively, detailed liquid-gas transportation in the GDL, in which exact boundary condition is difficult to be implemented, can be simulated. Unlike most of lattice Boltzmann methods based on the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook collision operator, the present model shows a viscosity-independent velocity field, which is very important in simulating multiphase flows where various viscosities coexist. We validate our model by simulating a static droplet on a wetting wall and compare with theoretical predictions. Then, we simulate a water-gas flow in the GDL of a PEM fuel cell and investigate the saturation-dependent transport properties under different conditions. The results are shown to be qualitatively consistent with the previous numerical and theoretical works.     

Experimental investigation of multiphase flow behavior in drilling annuli using high speed visualization technique

Imaging with high definition video camera is an important technique to visualize the drilling conditions and to study the physics of complex multiphase flow associated with the hole cleaning process. The main advantage of visualizing multiphase flow in a drilling annulus is that the viewer can easily distinguish fluid phases, flow patterns and thicknesses of cutting beds. In this paper the hole cleaning process which involves the transportation of cuttings through a horizontal annulus was studied. The two-phase (solid-liquid) and the three-phase (solid-liquid-gas) flow conditions involved in this kind of annular transportation were experimentally simulated and images were taken using a high definition camera. Analyzing the captured images, a number of important parameters like velocities of different phases, heights of solid beds and sizes of gas bubbles were determined. Two different techniques based on an image analysis software and MATLAB coding were used for the determinations. The results were compared to validate the image analyzing methodology. The visualization technique developed in this paper has a direct application in investigating the critical conditions required for efficient hole cleaning as well as in optimizing the mud program during both planning and operational phases of drilling. Particularly, it would be useful in predicting the cuttings transport performance, estimating solid bed height, gas bubble size, and mean velocities of bubbles/particles.