Title: Fuzzy logic modelling of liquid-solid two-phase flow in horizontal and inclined wellbores

Authors: Mehmet Sorgun; Tevfik Denizhan Muftuoglu; Erman Ulker

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Cigli, Izmir, Turkey ' Department of Civil Engineering, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Cigli, Izmir, Turkey ' Department of Civil Engineering, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Cigli, Izmir, Turkey

Abstract: In this study, liquid-solid two-phase flow in horizontal and inclined wellbores is modelled using fuzzy logic approach. Cuttings transport experiments were conducted at flow loop using water as a drilling fluid. Cuttings bed thickness inside annulus was recorded during experiments for various flow rate, hole inclination, inner pipe rotation speed and the rate of penetrations (ROP). Cuttings bed thickness is estimated using a fuzzy logic (FL) model. Experimental data was collected from cuttings transport experiments in order to train proposed models. Results showed that the cuttings bed thickness could be estimated using the developed model with a reasonable accuracy when compared with the experimental results. Also, the thickness of the stationary bed can be detected within an error range of ±6.8, more accurately than the widely used models available in the literature. The method in the present study may handle the challenges on the field within a reasonable time and budget due to its ease to describe the variables and gather the necessary information for solving the problems on the field sufficiently. [Received: August 22, 2015; Accepted: January 28, 2017]

Keywords: cuttings transport; fuzzy logic; liquid-solid flow; pipe rotation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2018.095989

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2018 Vol.19 No.4, pp.438 - 448

Accepted: 28 Jan 2017
Published online: 06 Nov 2018 *

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