Flow Behavior of Foam as a Well Circulating Fluid

Abstract

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 47th Annual Fall Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in San Antonio, Tex., Oct. 8–11, 1972. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by who the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon request to the Editor of the appropriate journal provided agreement to give proper credit is made. provided agreement to give proper credit is made. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines. Abstract Equations for steady-state flow of aqueous foam in circular pipes were formulated from laboratory and pilot-scale experimental data. pilot-scale experimental data. These equations were incorporated into a mathematical model of foam circulation in oil wells. The model was tested in two oil wells, and predictions were satisfactory for predictions were satisfactory for engineering calculations. Accuracy of the model may be increased further by accounting for liquid holdup during foam circulation in large-diameter wells. Introduction Aqueous foams have proven effective and economic as circulating fluids in well cleanout and drilling operations, and are becoming increasingly important for a wide range of oil field work. Information on the flow behavior of foam in oil wells is important for designing and conducting these foam operations. Previous work on foam rheology by David and Marsden pertained to capillary tubes only, and validity of results in oil field-size systems is not known. Mitchell measured flow characteristics of foam in tubes up to 0.1 inch in diameter. Results were used by Krug and Mitchell to develop a calculation method for circulation of foam in oil wells, but no field-scale experiments were reported to demonstrate accuracy of their predictions Work published by Wenzel et al. was for larger pipe sizes, but the foam was drier pipe sizes, but the foam was drier than that normally used in oil field applications. The foam flow equations presented herein have been tested in field-scale systems. These equations should improve the industry's ability to design and conduct oil field foam operations.