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Evaluación estadística de correlaciones de fracción volumétrica de vapor para la modelación numérica de flujo bifásico en pozos geotérmicos

 

Statistical evaluation of void fraction correlations for the numerical modeling of two–phase flow in geothermal wells

 

A. Álvarez del Castillo¹, E. Santoyo²*, O. García–Valladares² y P. Sánchez–Upton¹

 

¹ Centro de Investigación en Energía (UNAM), Posgrado en Ingeniería (Energía–Geotermia), Privada Xochicalco s/n, Centro, Temixco, Mor., 62580, México

² Centro de Investigación en Energía (UNAM), Sistemas Energéticos, Privada Xochicalco s/n, Centro, Temixco, Mor., 62580, Mexico. *Autor para la correspondencia. E–mail: esg@cie.unam.mx

 

Recibido 3 de Julio 2009.
Aceptado 5 de Marzo 2010.

 

Resumen

La predicción de los perfiles de presión y temperatura en pozos geotérmicos bifásicos es una tarea fundamental para estudiar sus mecanismos de producción de flujo. La fracción volumétrica de vapor es uno de los parámetros más importantes requeridos para la predicción realista de los perfiles de producción. En este trabajo se evaluaron ocho correlaciones empíricas (Bonnecaze, modelo de Dix, Duns–Ros, Krilov, Hasan, Rouhani, modelo Homogeneo y Orkiszewski) para estimar la fracción volumétrica de vapor y modelar sus implicaciones en el flujo bifásico de pozos geotérmicos productores. Estas correlaciones fueron evaluadas mediante la modelación del flujo bifásico usando los simuladores GEOPOZO y GEOWELLS en 4 pozos productores de campos geotérmicos de México: Los Azufres, Mich. (Az–18), Los Humeros, Pue. (H–1) y (Corro Prieto, B.C. (M–90 y M–201). Los perfiles de presión y temperatura obtenidos por simulación fueron estadísticamente comparados con datos medidos en los pozos. Se encontró sistemáticamente que los perfiles simulados con la correlación del modelo de Dix provee las aproximaciones más aceptables (< 10%) al compararse con los datos medidos en los pozos evaluados, sugiriendo su uso para simular el flujo bifásico en pozos geotérmicos, ante la ausencia de correlaciones más confiables para estimar la fracción volumétrica de vapor.

Palabras clave: fracción volumétrica de gas, fracción volumétrica de líquido, flujo vapor–líquido, flujo vertical–inclinado, perfiles de producción, energía geotérmica.

 

Abstract

Predicting flowing pressure and temperature profiles in geothermal wells is a fundamental task to study the in flow production mechanisms. The gas void fraction is one of the most important parameters required for the better prediction of production profiles. Eight empirical correlations (Bonnecaze, Dix model, Duns–Ros, Krilov, Hasan, Rouhani, Homogeneous Model and Orkiszewski) for the estimation of gas void fractions and to model their implications on the two–phase flow inside geothermal wells were evaluated. These correlations were assessed through the two–phase flow modeling (using the wellbore simulators GEOPOZO and GEOWELLS) in four producer wells from Mexican geothermal fields: Los Azufres, Mich. (Az–18), Los Humeros, Pue. (H–1), and Cerro Prieto, B.C. (M–90 and M–201). The simulated pressure and temperature profiles were statistically compared with actual field data. A n acceptable agreement (< 10%) between the simulated profiles, obtained wit h the Dix model correlation, and measured data was obtained. These results enabled the modeling of two–phase flow inside geothermal wells to be reliably performed, which constitute an advantage due to the limited number of available correlations to calcula te the gas void fraction in geothermal wells.

Keywords: gas void fraction, liquid hold–up, steam–liquid flow, vertical–inclined flow, production profiles, geothermal energy.

 

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