Published April 2026, Pg. 31-39

Section: Oil and gas field development and exploitation

UOT: 622.654.56

DOI: 10.37474/0365-8554/2026-04-31-39

Relationship between sand transport risk and flow regime transitions in two- and three-phase flow in oil and gas wells, criterion maps for flow regimes

Sh.Z. Ismayilov PhD in Tech. Sc. - Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University

I.J. Karimov - Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University

P.Sh. Ismayilova - Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University

During the vertical flow of liquid and gas in oil and gas wells, various flow regimes such as bubbly, slug, annular, and emulsion flow are formed. Transitions between these regimes are accompanied by sharp changes in velocity and pressure, which directly affect the detachment and transport of sand particles.
As the Reynolds number approaches a critical value, the flow transitions from laminar to turbulent regime, which affects wall shear stress and, consequently, the motion of sand particles. Two main conditions are defined for sand: particle detachment from the formation and stable transport along the wellbore. These conditions are characterized by different critical velocities. Experimental data show that for sand particles of d = 0.5 mm, the onset of motion occurs at approximately 5.5 cm/s, while stable transport is achieved at approximately 11 cm/s.
The impact of sand on production has significant operational importance. In sand-producing wells, equipment wear increases, the number of workovers rises, and the interval between repairs decreases. Therefore, the construction of flow regime criterion maps is of practical importance.
Criterion maps based on flow stability, Reynolds number, and critical velocities allow determination of flow regime boundaries and evaluation of sand transport risk.

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