Prediction and analysis of annular pressure caused by temperature effect for HP/HT/HHS and water production gas wells in Sichuan Basin

Abstract

AbstractFor the “three-high” gas wells in Sichuan Basin which are often regulated for production rate and shut-in for maintenance, annular pressure by temperature effect is a kind of wellbore safety threat that cannot be ignored. In this work, the wellbore temperature and pressure calculation model of gas–liquid two-phase flow with non-hydrocarbon correction and the prediction model of annular pressure by temperature effect is developed. Moreover, the judgment chart of annular pressure type is established through a large number of simulation calculations with different gas production rates and water production rates. Example calculation shows that whether water production and non-hydrocarbon components are considered in the prediction model has a non-negligible influence on calculation results. The predicted annular pressure is compared with that obtained from the actual measurement showing a good agreement. Meanwhile, the judgment chart realizes the valid determination of annular pressure type for three “three-high” gas wells in Sichuan Basin. Influential factors analysis indicates that reducing the thermal expansion coefficient of annulus fluid, adding the hollow glass spheres or injecting highly compressible protective liquid into the annulus and installing compressible foam material on the inner wall of casing are effective methods to control the annular pressure by temperature effect. To reserve partial annulus space can effectively reduce the annular pressure by temperature effect. For most of “three-high” gas wells in Sichuan Basin, the optimum height of annulus air cavity is 100 m.