Parametric study of cutting transport in vertical, deviated, and horizontal wellbore using CFD simulations
Khashayar Mohammadzadeh, Soheil Akbari, Seyed Hassan Hashemabadi
Abstract
We study particle transmission in a deviated wellbore using computational fluid dynamics simulation. The effects of some drilling parameters on particle transport are studied such as particle characteristics, wellbore inclinations, and eccentricities. The particulate flow is simulated by the algebraic slip mixture (ASM) model, and the Herschel–Bulkley model expresses the rheology of the drilling fluid. The influence of fluid velocity shows that it improves the cutting transportation but its effect attenuates in higher velocities. However, a high viscosity and yield stress fluid results in the most favorable wellbore cleaning, and the deviation of wells reduces the transportation of cuttings.