WHOC12-338
DOWNHOLE STATIC MIXER EVALUATION IN EXTRA-HEAVY CRUDE OIL IN THE FAJA
PTROLFERA DEL ORINOCO
S.MARFISSI, F.BRITO, F.CAMPOS, A. LUJAN
PDVSA E&P
This paper has been selected for presentation and/or publication in the proceedings for the 2012 World Heavy Oil Congress
[WHOC12]. The authors of this material have been cleared by all interested companies/employers/clients to authorize dmg events
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Abstract
Static Mixers are widely used in the Oil & Gas
industry, especially in applications like the blending of
gases into liquids at high pressures to meet specific
process requirements (Multiphase Dispersion).
This project was based on the placement of a downhole
static mixer in a well (8 API) located in the Orinoco
Oil Belt. Initially a field test was carried out in a pilot
area, where the static mixer was evaluated to verify if
such equipment was capable of changing the flow
regime of a multiphase flow from stratified or slug flow
to bubble flow, generating this significant reduction of
the fluid density, that is, the homogenization of the
multiphase stream.
Considering the results obtained in the field test at
surface in which the fluid density was reduced using a
static mixer, this application was evaluated in a
producing well with a progressive cavity pump,
obtaining a 23% reduction of diluent consumption,
maintaining the same API gravity of the diluted crude
oil. Likewise, the oil production rate was similar to the
1
previous one even when a pump with lower capacity
was used.
Additionally, it was observed that the annular pressure
decreased, indicating a lower free gas rate at the
intake of the pump when it is compared to the case with
no downhole static mixer. The use of the motionless
mixer will allow increasing the progressing cavity
pump run life; therefore the company will have
considerable savings by reducing maintenance cost
and diluent consumption.
Introduction
The volumetric efficiency of the progressive cavity
pumps (BCP), as well as other types of pumps, is
affected significantly by the presence of free gas in its
interior. That is why in cases where it is expected to
have significant fractions of gas to the pump inlet, is
recommended to invest efforts in the gas separation
commonly settling anchors static gas or gas-liquid
separators into the production tubing, these cases
should be noted that the separator acts as a system
which has two effects, as free gas separating creates an
additional pressure drop.
The second effect is harmful, since it induces a further
release of gas and increases the volume occupied by
the mass of free gas. It is known that in gas separation
bottom by conventional equipment not represent a
whole of it, remaining gas in the pump inlet, which
creates problems in terms of the amount of gas present
which prevents the liquid handling system, for this
reason was evaluated using a downhole static mixer in
a heavy oil well with high production gas, in order to
achieve a higher concentration dispersed in the crude
gas which allows ease of movement of the continuous
phase, and avoid the work of the pump with high
volumes of gas.
Measurements of the run with no elements showed
considerable variation ranging between 0.21 and
density 0.90 g/cc3, showing the inconsistency of fluid
flow in the pipe. The oil used in the tests came from a
well whose API gravity is 12 and the results served as a
guide for the evaluation, since it is difficult to
characterize (density, viscosity, etc.) multiphase flow
in pipes.
Comparatively, the mixing behavior showed an
improvement, showing the density ranges where the
results were less than 0.3 g/cc3. Described above can
be seen in the following chart.
Density variation vs time
1,2

Background 1

In order to verify the operation of the homogenization 0,8

Density (g/cc3)

in the crude-gas mixture, a test was made using mixers

0,6
field 1 inch in diameter connected to the flow line of a
0,4
producing well. Initially a run was made without
elements to observing the behavior of the fluid prior to 0,2

installation of mixers verifying test the behavior of the

0
density of the fluid through a mass flow meter. 6 crossing elements 6 helical element w ithout internal elements

Based on the above findings was crossing element

mixer to be evaluated in the well since it is the only
design capable of forming a high degree of mixing in a
short time and it is designed for use in viscous fluids.

It is important to note that static mixer are widely used

to mix viscous materials with complex rheology.
Examples include polymer industries, food,
fermentation, pharmaceutical and cosmetics, among the
Figure. 1. Install 1-inch mixer. Field test
most important.

2
 system efficiency and increasing the run life of the
Globally, there is no knowledge of the application of a PCP. In addition, the homogeneous stream of the
downhole static mixer so that tests are important mixture is kept in its path through the tubing.
because they represent the first time a downhole static
mixer is applied to improve lift efficiency in heavy oil
producing wells with high gas production.

Pilot Test
To install the static mixer in the well was necessary to
replace the artificial lift system, since it presented
Figure 3. Diagram of the donwhole static mixer
significant damage in the PCP. Continuous monitoring
was conducted at the well taking into account the In the appendix is described a graph of the behavior of
values of head pressure, annular pressure, speed and these variables before and after installation of the
torque rods. donwhole static mixer. Likewise, the annular pressure
was greater than the tubing pressure, inferring that the
In the period prior to the installation of the static mixer,
well was saturated with gas around the annulus and the
the well was completed with a PCP with a nominal
cavities of the pump were packaged partially by this
pump displacement of 8 barrel/rpm but after the
fluid and not oil, forming a plug flow pattern where the
installation of the a nominal pump displacement of 6
gas phase is even more pronounced.
barrels/rpm was placed.
After the installation of the static mixer is shown in the
The equipment operates as follows: The casing of the
graph of the behavior of the equipment in the annulus
mixer operates as a static gas separator (type Poorboy)
pressure and the tubing pressure as a result of the
due to its configuration as nipple holes, this causes a
mixing downhole effect, indicating that the produced
change of flow direction, which allows separation of
fluid is largely homogeneous (gas dispersion in the
the gas downhole, (a fraction of gas is diverted to the
liquid), allowing the pump to move a stable fluid.
annulus and the other fraction is entrained by the liquid
through the mixer), in conclusion, is reduced the Likewise, the figure 7 shows the stability in the curve
percentage of free gas at the inlet pump, which of the rods torque, since the pump displaces a
increases the volumetric efficiency of the pump. homogeneous mixture facilitating the lifting of the
fluid due to the reduction in density, which allow to
Once the flow of fluid (the liquid phase and gaseous
increase the speed of the pump.
phase) passes through the internal mixer, these phases
are forced into one phase uniformly distributed over Another benefit obtained using the static mixer was the
the other, forming a homogeneous mixture with a fact that the API of the mixture was maintained with a
lower density and viscosity allowing the pump to lower consumption of diluent, this due to the efficient
operate under stable conditions, increasing the overall homogenization of the flow of oil and gas in the well,

3
 which is maintained at the discharge of the pump, so it production. Since its installation, the well has remained
is estimated that there is a formation of bubble flow stable, according to the production testing, was
pattern in the flow line. obtained an production increase of 20 BOPD. This
evaluation will serve to corroborate the benefits of
Was reduced the amount of diluent that is injected into
using static mixers in extra heavy oil
the well head, due to a better in line mixing conditions
when there is a contact between the diluent with the The fluid level was measured before and after
homogeneous stream coming from the well installation of the static mixer. Before installation of
the equipment there was values 326 MSCFD in the
In the figure 5, it can be seen the explained above this
annulus of the well, after the installation the value was
similarity, where production of the well before the
40 MSCFD in the annulus, showing a significant
installation of the static mixer was 910 BOPD with a
decrease in the amount of gas in the annulus, which it
diluent consumption of 530 barrels, which represents a
is a confirmation that there is a good downhole mixing
diluent/oil ratio of 58%. However, with the use of static
process between the free gas and the oil stream. (See
mixer was able to obtain diluent/oil ratio of 35%,
figure 8 and figure 9 )
maintaining the API of the mixture at 14.5 and the
difference in production was only 180 BOPD despite Furthermore, it is important to state that a downhole
using a smaller pump lift capacity. static mixer application will be tested in a gas lift well,
in order to achieve a better mixing at the level of the
Production relation with and without static mixer. injection valve and thereby improving the lift system.
A way to visualize and confirm the benefits obtained,
1.000 we have proposed a study using the simulation of fluid
910
900 dynamics in a static mixer through the use of
729
800
700 specialized software (CFD).
600
530
500
400
254
300
200
100
14,5
0
14,6
Extra heavy oil After
Diluent
Before After API Before

Figure 5. Production behavior

Other Applications
Depending on the results of the pilot test, another static
mixer was installed in a extra heavy oil with high gas

4
Conclusin References

Using the static mixer allowed to use a smaller 1. ORELLANA, E. Computational fluid
flow pump (6 barrel/rpm) with little difference dynamics of a static mixer using the software
in the oil production Fluent, BIO-BIO University, Concepcin,
2006.

Effect reversal pressure (wellhead pressure >

2.
annular pressure), is an indication that the
produced fluids are largely homogeneous
(dispersion of gas in the liquid).
SINGH, M., ANDERSON, P. y MEIJER, H.
Understanding and optimizing the SMX
static mixer, Ponencia presentada en
Macromolecular rapids communications,
Weinheim, 2009.

The API of the stream in maintained with a

3.
lower diluent consumption, due to the
efficient homogenization of the flow of oil
and gas in the well.
The reduction of the amount of diluent
HIRSCHBERG, S., KOUBEK, R., MOSERC,
F., SCHCKD, J. An improvement of the
Sulzer SMX static mixer significantly
reducing the pressure drop, Ponencia
presentada en la 13th European Conference on
Mixing, Londres, Abril 2009.

injected is due to an efficient contact between

4.
the diluent stream with the stream coming
from the homogeneous production tubing
Hannemann, A., Kunststofftechnik, G.,
Filtration Systems with Static Mixers in the
Process of Plastic Castings, Editorial Emma
Fiorentino Technical Publications, February
2006

Acknowledgement
Special thanks to Mr. Leomar Parra who provided
unconditional support for installation and monitoring
of the second static mixer, making the project
materialize.

Nomenclatura
Barrel/rpm = barrels per revolution

gr/cc3 = grams per cubic centimeter

MSCFD = Thousands of cubic feet per day

API = Degrees API

BOPD = Barrel Oil Per Day

5
Appendices
350

325
Instalacin
300 m ezclador 18/11/2009

275

250

225
THP / Pcasing (psi)

RPM / Torque (%)

200

175

150

125

100

75

50

25

0
8/1/2009 10/20/2009 1/8/2010 3/29/2010 6/17/2010 9/5/2010 11/24/2010 2/12/2011 5/3/2011 7/22/2011 10/10/201112/29/20113/18/2012

Fecha
THP (Psig) Casing (P sig) To rque (%) RPM

Figure 7. Behavior of the operating variables of the well

Figure 8. Log fluid level before to installation of static mixer

6
Figure 9. Log fluid level after to installation of static mixer