Experimental Study of a Temperature Field in a Shut-in Well in Relation to Determining Behind-the-Casing Flow Using Active Thermometry

Abstract —This paper presents results of experimental studies of a thermal field in the barrel of a shut-in (no fluid movement in the casing) well in relation to determining a behind-the-casing upward flow using the method of active thermometry. The studies are carried out using the physical model of a well that is a vertically oriented steel pipe with a system of externally attached copper tubes simulating a behind-the-casing flow. The pipe contains a local heating section, above which a temperature probe is located to record thermal disturbance from the heating section. The effect of free convection in a fluid on the temperature field in the pipe during and after heating is described. It is revealed that there are high-frequency temperature oscillations on sensors that record the temperature of the inner surface (wall) of the pipe and fluid above the heating area, whose value reaches higher than 2 °C and decreases when the distance to the heating region becomes longer. There is an empirical relationship that relates the time of arrival of the temperature disturbance front associated with free convection and the distance to the pipe heating region. Azimuthal temperature distribution curves on the inner wall of the pipe above the heating section are constructed in the absence and presence of a behind-the-casing flow. Qualitative criteria have been obtained indicating the presence of an azimuthally localized behind-the-casing flow (sector flow) of fluid based on the azimuthal temperature distribution analysis.