Experimental research on flow pattern transition of gas-liquid two-phase variable flow in horizontal wellbore

Because there are some similarity and difference between gas-liquid two-phase flows in a regular horizontal pipe and in a horizontal wellbore, some transition criterions valid for regular pipe flow need to be modified or extended to wellbore flow. On the basis of theoretical research of flow pattern transition, an experimental device for investigating flow pattern transition was designed. The flow pattern transition simulation of gas-liquid two-phase variable mass flow in horizontal wellbore was carried out. The flow pattern transition of one-phase liquid inflow from single perforation upside of pipe wall and one-phase liquid inflow from single perforation downside of pipe wall were experimented, respectively. A lot of experimental data were obtained. The former theoretical model was modified on the experimental data. The calculated results of the modified theoretical model are in good agreement with the experimental data.