Design, Analysis, and Full-Scale Erosion Testing of a Downhole Flow Control Device for High Rate Water Injection Wells

摘要

There is an increased need for flow control devices that will operate at very high flow regimes in production and injection modes. The deepwater locations of these wells require that this equipment and the well casing operate reliably over the life of the well. This paper presents the design and full-scale injection erosion flow testing of a new sliding sleeve port geometry. An improved flow port shape incorporates features contoured by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to dramatically lower erosion for high flow rates. Extensive material testing formed the basis of an erosion model used in the design and configuration of the port geometry. The erosion model and design work are compared and contrasted in a full-scale flow test. This test was run on the pumping vessel "HR Hughes" at the flow rates, sand content, and sand type expected at the reservoir. This project demonstrates the ability of this flow control equipment to operate at downhole flow regimes higher than anything previously encountered. The full-scale testing of the sleeve port design verified aspects of the design analysis and confirmed the value of this type of testing to ensure design integrity and verify that these devices can operate reliably over the life of a given well. The flow control devices will enable producers to maximize production for a given size of tubing and expand operational flexibility.