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Procedia
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29 (2012) 4273 4277
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2012 International Workshop on Information and Electronics Engineering (IWIEE)

Simulation Analysis Study on the Flow Field of the Collar in

Sucker Rod
Jing-cheng LIUa,c*,Hong-tu WANGb,c,Jun-lian HEc,Shun-peng ZENGa,c
a
College of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, 401331,China
2
Key Laboratory for Exploitation of Southwestern Resources & Environmental Disaster Control Engineering, Ministry of
Education,Chongqing University,Chongqing,400030,China
3
Chongqing Petroleum and Natural gas Society,Chongqing,400030,China

Abstract

During oil well production, it was a serious phenomenon of wax deposition on the parts such as oil production system
section break.For the fluid flow problem of the collar in sucker rod, the research of this thesis applies Flunt software
to perform numerical simulation of the flow conditions under different outputs, and presents relevant velocity vector
and velocity nephogram of the crude oil at the collar in sucker rod. Through analysis, it was believed that the wax
deposition could not be efficiently settled only by high fluid velocity raised by output increase, and the relevant
technical measures were proposed to prevent wax deposition, providing the theoretical thesis for paraffin removal and
control at oil well.

2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Harbin University
of Science and Technology Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Keywords:wax deposition,the collar,sucker rod,numerical simulation, paraffin removal and control

1. Introduction

The wax deposition always goes with the petroleum extraction. And this issue, common in oil and
natural gas field exploitation in China, results in many troubles even accidents for normal oil well
production. Thus the problem was directly related to the improvement of production rate and recovery
factor from reservoir and numerous relevant problems had been brought to production process due to this
issue. In the production process of oil well, the wax deposition was serious for some production system

*
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: liujingcheng1980@126.com.

1877-7058 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2012.01.656
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parts such as section break[1],[2].Taking account of Flunt software simulating the complicated fluid within
the range from incompressible state to highly compressible[3]-[9], this thesis research applies such software
to perform simulation analysis on the flow field at the collar in sucker rod. Meanwhile, the relevant
technical measures could be used to prevent wax deposition at wellbore.

2. Simulation Modeling

Based on the structure characteristics and the flow features of the collar in sucker rod, the simulation
modeling was performed for the relevant flow law, and the grids were divided, as seen from Fig.1.

Fig.1 The simulation modeling for the flow field of the collar in sucker rod

3. Numerical Simulation and Analysis

The numerical simulation was performed under the different flow conditions when the oil well outputs
were 5m3/d, 15m3/d, 30m3/d and 40m3/d in application of Flunt software.For the velocity vector of crude
oil flow at the collar in sucker rod under different outputs, see Fig.2.For the relevant velocity nephogram
of crude oil flow at the collar in sucker rod, see Fig.3,while the velocity nephogram corresponding icons,
see Fig.4.

5m3/d

15m3/d

30m3/d
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40m3/d

Fig.2 The velocity vector of crude oil flow at the collar in sucker rod under different outputs

5m3/d

15m3/d

30m3/d

40m3/d

Fig.3 The velocity nephogram of crude oil flow at the collar in sucker rod under different outputs
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5m3/d 15m3/d 30m3/d 40m3/d

Fig.4 The velocity nephogram corresponding icons of crude oil flow at the collar in sucker rod under different outputs

Known from Fig.2,Fig.3and Fig.4, the flow velocity was very big around the collar,while the flow
velocity of two ends of collar with variable cross-section was very small,and the relative flow velocity of
two ends near sucker was nearly 0.With the output increases,this trend was slowed.But slow is not
obvious.This trend of upper end of the collar was more serious,which would lead to wax could not be
carried away and stay in the two ends of collar,and wax deposition on the two ends of collar would be
more serious with the increase in produce time.Especially,serious wax deposition would be appeared in
upper end of the collar.

4. Wax Deposition Prevention Measures

The simulation results of the collar in sucker rod flow were known under different outputs, and wax
deposition easily occured at upper end of the collar. The wax deposition problem could not be efficiently
settled only through velocity increase due to output increase and it was suggested to apply the following
prevention measures.
(1)Based on the simulation research of fluid mechanics, optimize the collar in sucker rod structure
and improve the flow at the ends.
(2)Apply the measures such as electric heating and insulated tubing to raise the well bore
temperature in order to reduce the wax precipitation velocity.
(3)Improve the wax precipitation conditions of the crude oil at the well bore through adding blending
thin oil and adding corresponding chemical agents.
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5. Conclusions

(1)For the structure characteristics and the flow features of the collar in sucker rod, the simulation
modeling was performed for the relevant flow law, and the grids were divided.
(2)For the fluid flow problem of tthe collar in sucker rod, the Flunt Software was applied to perform
numerical simulation for the flow under different outputs. It could be seen from the velocity vector and
velocity nephogram of crude oil flow under various outputs: the serious wax deposition could be seen
around upper end of the collar and it could not be efficiently settled only through raising the flow velocity
due to output increase.
(3)The corresponding technical measures were proposed to prevent the wax deposition at upper end
of the collar.

Acknowledgment

This work is a result of partial support under the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant
NO.504106),the National Key Fundamental Research and Development Program of China(Grant
NO.2005CB221502),tthe technical plan project of land housing administration(2009-01),Scientific and
technical project of Sichuan coal mine group(2009-08),Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing
educational committee(KJ101402 and KJ101408),and Research Foundation of Chongqing University of
Science & Technology(CK2010Z11 and CK2010Z15).

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