OLGA User Group Meeting 2014

Leading the Innovation

OLGA 2014
Particle(Sand) Transport Modeling and Simulation
Gjermund Weisz / Bin Hu
Flow Portfolio Manager / OLGA Product Champion
 Physical Models for Sand Transportation In Pipes
Suspended load

Velocity
Bed load
Bed
1. Two additional mass equations
• Amount in suspended load Particle diameter
• Amount in bed load
2. Incipient condition of bed load
• Moment balance
3. Bed load thickness and velocity
• Nielsen correlation
4. Incipient condition of suspended load
• Shear velocity > settling velocity
5. Suspension concentration and velocity
• Eddy viscosity along center line
• Entrainment between bed and suspension
6. Modification to Flow Model
• Viscosity correction, density
• Reduced effective flow area due to bed

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Contents

• Model overview
• How to build a case
• An example
• Compatibility and licensing

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How to build an OLGA case

OPTIONS
Select the "ADVANCED" option for the
"PARTICLEFLOW" key

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How to build an OLGA case

PARTICLES
Define the keyword "PARTICLES"

Only one particle size is allowed in the

current version. If the "PARTICLES"
keyword is not defined, the default value as
shown in the screenshot will be used.

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How to build an OLGA case

PARTICLEOPTIONS
• The default angle of repose for sand is
30 DEG
• The default porosity of the sand bed is
30%

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How to build an OLGA case

INITIAL CONDITIONS
The steady-state preprocessor ignores the
slip between the particles and fluids. It
does not consider the bed formation either.

But in case of need, you may specify the

two keys:
• PARTICLEFRACTION
• PARTICLEBEDFRACTION
under the INITIALCONDITIONS keyword.

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How to build an OLGA case

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
The particles can be introduced to the flow
system via
• SOURCE
• WELL
• RESERVOIRINFLOW
• NODE
by defining the key PARTICLEFRACTION.
This key is available for all the keywords
above. It is the particle mass fraction of the
total mixture.

The input of this key can be actuated by a

controller, e.g., a TABLECONTROLLER
can be used to sense the total flow and
then revert back the particle fraction to
mimic the situation where the particle inflow
is dependent on the inflow rate.

The particles can also be generated via the

drilling bit (cuttings)

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An Example

• A deviated well produces to platform

via a 3km subsea pipeline in a low rate
• The well has a large size tubing, but a
small choke opening to restrict the
production as high rate may result in
sand production from the reservoir
• The operator wants to check if they GT is sensed
want to open the choke to fully and and the signal
how much sand will be produced is used to look
up the sand
• … and most important, in case of shut- fraction
in, whether the sand will accumulate at
the bottom of the well and may even
block the riser base and some other
low points along the flow line
• Many thanks to the OLGA 2014
release. Their concern can now be
checked by the simulation

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Total mass flow rates and sand mass flow rates
@ bottomhole, wellhead, riserbase, risertop

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How the sand behaves in the wellbore and the pipeline - demo

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Special notes

• When DRILLING = ON (mud tracking is used), the particles

are introduced to the system via FEED instead of
PARTICLEFRACTION
• Particles and process equipment
– For heat exchanger, both suspension load and bed load go
through
– For pumps, compressors, and valves with effective opening area
less than the pipe area, suspension load can go, but bed load
cannot go through
– For separators, the suspension load can go through, but bed load
stays

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Compatibility and licensing

• Particle flow is not compatible with COMPOSITIONAL =

BLACKOIL nor with COMPOSITIONAL = SINGLE.
• The ADVANCED model is not currently compatible with
COMPOSITIONAL = ON, Slug Tracking nor Pig.
• Particle transport function is with the OLGA base license.

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