TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 3 described reservoir deliverability. However, the achievable oil production rate from a well is determined by wellhead pressure and the flow performance of production string, that is, tubing, casing, or both. The flow performance of production string depends on geometries of the production string and properties of fluids being produced. The fluids in oil wells include oil, water, gas, and sand. Wellbore performance analysis involves establishing a relationship between tubular size, wellhead and bottom-hole pressure, fluid properties, and fluid production rate. Understanding wellbore flow performance is vitally important to production engineers for designing oil well equipment and optimizing well production conditions.
Oil can be produced through tubing, casing, or both in an oil well depending on which flow path has better performance. Producing oil through tubing is a better option in most cases to take the advantage of gas-lift effect. The traditional term tubing performance relationship (TPR) is used in this book (other terms such as vertical lift performance have been used in the literature). However, the mathematical models are also valid for casing flow and casing-tubing annular flow as long as hydraulic diameter is used. This chapter focuses on determination of TPR and pressure traverse along the well string. Both single-phase and multiphase fluids are considered. Calculation examples are illustrated with hand calculations and computer spreadsheets that are provided with this book.
Single-phase liquid flow exists in an oil well only when the wellhead pressure is above the bubble-point pressure...
