MODELING CUTTINGS TRANSPORT MECHANISM IN HORIZONTAL WELL

Cuttings transport becomes a major problem to handle in oil and gas industry. It
is a complex process to transport cuttings from vertical well and it is become more
complex if the well is horizontal. Transporting cuttings from wellbore is important
because if the well is inadequate in hole cleaning, it can lead to many serious problem.
Since then, for the past few decades, many researches and studies have been made,
objectively to understand in detail the mechanism of cuttings transport in wellbore. The
problem was identified and researchers tried to come out with possible methods to
overcome this problem.
There are many models and methods have been developed to investigate the
cuttings transport in wellbore. Mathematical model, empirical model, theoretical model,
and also experimental work have been done in order to solve the problem. Some
characteristics and parameters that affect the transportation process have been identified.
In this project, the modeling using simulation's software is a new method used in study
the cuttings transport mechanism in horizontal well. ANSYS II. 0 is used in this project
as a tool in modeling and simulating the cuttings transport mechanism.
The use of ANSYS I I .0 in modeling cuttings transport mechanism in horizontal
well provides a simple workable method compared to experimental work. ANSYS 11.0
allowed user to investigate the unlimited parameters and the operational conditions of
the wellbores also can be designed at any conditions. It means that, using this software
eliminates all physical difficulties in study the cuttings transport mechanism.
The main purpose of this project is to model a cuttings transport mechanism in
horizontal well using ANSYS. The wellbore conditions will be design in this software
and the investigation of the parameters that effect the transportation is done by
comparing various set of parameters. Using two different sizes of particles, 0.185 inches
and 0.274 inches, the simulation simulate three type of fluid with different density,
998.2 kg/m3
, I 198 kg/m3
, and 1497 kg/m3 by setting its annular velocity to 20 m/s, 40
mls, and 60 m/s. The result of the project is expected to be in graph diagram, where it
compares all parameters.