STABILITY OF FLOW IN A STEAM–WATER GEOTHERMAL WALL

It has been shown that the existing notion about fl ow stability in a steam–water well cannot explain all experimentally observed features of the interrelationship between the wellhead pressure and the fl ow rate. We propose a new interpretation of the stability condition based on the analysis of the reaction of the well and the feed reservoir to bottom hole pressure fl uctuations at given conditions at the well inlet and outlet. It has been established that the stable regime corresponds to a negative value of the criterion defi ned as a ratio between the derivative characteristics of the well and the reservoir, and to obtain a characteristic, it is necessary to take into account the pressure loss in the equipment placed between the wellhead and the medium with a constant pressure. Such an approach and the new interpretation explain the practically observed features of the interrelationship between the wellhead pressure and the fl ow rate. It has been shown that the additional drag on the wellhead can stabilize the operating conditions of the well.
   
Author:  A. N. Shulyupin
Keywords:  well, wellhead, bottom hole, steam–water mixture, pressure, fl ow rate, underground reservoir, stability
Page:  614