Implementação de unidade experimental para controle da pressão anular de fundo durante o processo de cimentação de poços de petróleo

Abstract

The process of well cementing is very complex, beyond the fact that cement paste presents high density, different rheology fluids are injected into the annulus, altering downhole pressure due to changes on hydrostatic pressure and frictional losses. Knowing the operational window and assuring downhole pressure inside this constraint is primordial for security and well life cycle purposes. Due to downhole variations caused by the disturbances, the superior (fracture) and inferior window limits can be exceeded. As a result, loss circulation problems (mud penetration into a fracture) or kick (reservoir fluid inflow into the annulus) can disturb the cementing process, leading to serious accidents, financial losses, environmental damage and human losses. In order to represent the most important phenomena of cementing process, an experimental unit was built using on line flow, density and pressure measurements. Downhole pressure control through pumping 8, 11 and 14 ppg (lb/gal) fluids was analyzed under loss circulation and kick phenomena. The tracking of the downhole pressure at the set point, by employing a feedback control loop (PI), was implemented through using the opening index of the choke valve as the manipulated variable.