This study measured the liquid fallback during simulated blowout conditions. The purpose of the study was to establish a basis for developing a procedure for controlling blowouts that relies on the accumulation of liquid kill fluid injected while the well continues to flow. The results from experiments performed with air, water, 10.5 ppg and 12.0 ppg mud in an experimental 48 ft flow loop at 0°, 20°, 40°, 60° and 75° deviation angles from the vertical, as well as results from full-scale experiments performed with natural gas and water based drilling fluid in a vertical 2787-foot deep research well, are presented. The results show that the critical velocity that prevents control fluid accumulation can be predicted by Turner's model of terminal velocity based on the liquid droplet theory by also considering the flow regime of the continuous phase when evaluating the drag coefficient, and the angle of deviation from the vertical. Similarly, the amount of liquid that flows countercurrent into and accumulates in the well can be predicted based on the concept of zero net liquid flow (ZNLF) holdup. Finally all these concepts are integrated in the dynamic kill procedure, which is based on system performance analysis to better predict the feasibility of an off-bottom dynamic kill.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-0418102-111522 |
| Date | 19 April 2002 |
| Creators | Flores-Avila, Fernando Sebastian |
| Contributors | John Rogers Smith, Arnold H. Bouma, Samuel J. Bentley, Julius Langlinais, Adam T. Bourgoyne, Jr. |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0418102-111522/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University Libraries in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. |
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