Impact of water cut increase and emulsion viscosity variation on pressure gradient during oil production

Kinate, Bright Bariakpoa; Akindele, Olalekan Kunle; Amadi, Ugwunna Dickson; Kpea-ue, Marvin Lezor

doi:10.21608/jpme.2025.298954.1202

Impact of water cut increase and emulsion viscosity variation on pressure gradient during oil production

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Petroleum Engineering Rivers State University

² Department of Data Science,Artificial Intelligence and Modeling. University of Hull, United Kingdom

³ Department of Petroleum and Gas, University of Salford,Manchester,United Kingdom

⁴ Department of Petroleum Engineering, Rivers State University

10.21608/jpme.2025.298954.1202

Abstract

Evaluation and prediction of emulsion flow behavior will play a pivotal role in reduction of flow assurance issue resulting from emulsion. Although emulsions formation cannot be completely stop but can be reduced and mitigated by optimization of water content. In this work, PROSPER a well modeling package was used to develop a wellbore model to investigate water cut increase on pressure gradient within the wellbore during heavy oil recovery. Gradient traverse estimation were implemented at a wellhead pressure of 500 psig and a liquid rate of 1500 STB/day. The model was run for with and without emulsion viscosity for no water cut (base case) and water cut of 25%, 50% and 75%. Results shows that as the water cut increases, the bottom hole flowing pressure(BHFP) and pressure gradient decreases for without emulsion viscosity and increases for with emulsion viscosity scenario.Base case of no water cut gave the same pressure gradient for with and without emulsion viscosity. The sensitivity scenario without emulsion had 3.5%, 6.2%, and 8% reduction in pressure gradient for 25%,50% and 75% water cut when compared with base case. Further analysis reveals that for with emulsion there was 3.4%, 11.2% and 14.6% increase in the pressure gradient for 25%,50% and 75% water cut when compared with base case .For higher water cut (25%, 50%, 75%), there was a separation between the two gradient. The pressure drop increases with emulsion viscosity increase. High water cut increases the difference between the two due to emulsion viscosity increase.

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