OPTIMIZATION OF CUTTINGS TRANSPORT IN VERTICAL, INCLINED AND HORIZONTAL SEGMENTS OF THE WELL

Transportation of drill cuttings is affected by drilling mud velocity profile and the
position of the drill pipe in the well. Drilling mud velocity varies across the annulus,
from zero value at the boundaries, to maximum value at the middle; and for any
degree of eccentricity, the flow profiles would change. In this case mean velocity
cannot predict adequately the cuttings behavior. Researchers have investigated the
etTect of eccentricity on annular velocity profile and have shown it to have major
impact. However, the effect of the variation in annular geometry in the annular flow
behavior, and in turn the drill cuttings flow behavior has not been properly studied.
The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of differential flow profile in
cuttings transport modeling. Governing equations for Newtonian and non-Newtonian
(power-law) fluids flow in eccentric (offset between the centers of the drill pipe and
well bore) annulus are developed using bipolar coordinates system.