Since the structure of horizontal gas wells is more intricate than that of vertical wells, there is a lack of consistency in the form of liquid-carrying in different portions. Applying the commonly utilized liquid-carrying hypothesis of vertical gas wells into horizontal gas wells is therefore challenging. The maximum liquid volume that the gas flow could raise, the gas flow rate, and the maximum amount of energy that could be produced from a specific amount of gas flow should all be considered when determining the liquid volume that the gas flow could lift. This study is the first to integrate theoretical analysis with laboratory testing to analyze the gas–liquid flow law of drainage stability at varied tubing depths. The impact of gas drainage stability is then verified through the laboratory experiments. The novel model of various tubing depths, which is based on the energy of inflow and outflow from the horizontal well, is cleverly built. According to the study, the fluctuation is typically less when the tubing reaches the heel of the horizontal section than it is in the other sections, and the relative error of the new model, which is validated using laboratory tests, is typically less than 10%. The research showed that for horizontal gas wells with a normal structure, the gas flow and liquid discharge are most stable when the tubing reaches the heel of the horizontal section. Instead of depending exclusively on crucial liquid-carrying gas flow rates, the new model uses the combination of gas and liquid flow rates to make decisions concerning liquid loading and to quantify the liquid removal in real time, which is more realistic. The research illustrates how the study could provide a factual basis for assessing the capacity of horizontal gas wells to raise the liquid.

Horizontal well production technology gradually occupies a dominant position in the petroleum field. With the rise in water production in the later stage of exploitation, slug flow phenomena will exist in horizontal, inclined and even vertical sections of gas wells. To grasp the flow law of slug flow and guide engineering practice, the flow law of slug flow at various inclination angles (30°~90°) is studied by means of the combination of laboratory experiments (including high frequency pressure data acquisition system) and finite element numerical simulation. The results reveal that because of the delay of pressure variation at the corresponding position of pipeline resulting from gas expansion, the highest point of pressure change curve corresponds not to the highest point of liquid holdup curve (pressure change lags behind 0.125 s of liquid holdup change). Thus, the delay of pressure should be highlighted in predicting slug flow using pressure parameter change; otherwise the accuracy of prediction will be affected when slug flow occurs. It is generally known that liquid holdup and pressure drop are the major factors affecting the pressure variation and stable operation of pipelines. Accordingly, the results of finite element numerical simulation and Beggs-Brill model calculation are compared with those of laboratory experiments. The numerical simulation method is applicable to predicting the pressure drop of the pipeline, while the Beggs-Brill model is more suitable for predicting the liquid holdup variation of the pipeline. The research conclusion helps reveal the slug flow law, and it is of a scientific guiding implication to the prediction method of flow parameters under slug flow pattern in the process of gas well exploitation.

The problem of efficient gas lift for gas well annulus packers that rely on their own energy plungers is considered. The complex related gas-liquid problem is addressed in the frame of model where the gas inflow dynamics and liquid inflow dynamics of the considered shale gas wells are weakly coupled. On this basis, and with the aiding support of indoor simulation experimental data, a new gas plunger lift design taking into account liquid leakage is obtained. Finally, a dedicated software relying on this approach is developed and used to verify the reliability of the model by means of field examples.

Capacity prediction is the basis for the optimization of oil and gas well production work systems and parameter optimization design. Horizontal wells are becoming increasingly popular for oil and gas extraction. However, the seepage law of reservoirs produced with horizontal wells is more complicated than that of reservoirs produced with vertical wells, especially when the bottom hole flowing pressure or formation pressure is less than the saturation pressure of crude oil in the reservoir. Oil and gas two-phase seepage can occur in a part or all areas of the wellbore and reservoir. Because the oil and gas two-phase seepage characteristics of reservoir oil well production will be reduced—possibly greatly reduced—the formation seepage law is complex. Thus, it is very important to better predict the horizontal well capacity. To address this, a method and process of establishing a transient calculation model of two-phase flow in horizontal wells are introduced in detail from three aspects: fluid physical properties, reservoir oil and gas two-phase seepage, and the coupling model of the inflow performance and flow in the wellbore. The model is found to be reliable through verification with production data from five wells in two oilfields. The established model simplifies the reservoir model, does not involve very complex meshing, and only simulates one well. Therefore, the calculation speed will be faster than that of other reservoir numerical simulation methods under the same conditions.

Previous multiphase pipe flow tests have mainly been conducted in horizontal and vertical pipes, with few tests conducted on multiphase pipe flow under different inclined angles. In this study, in light of mid–high yield and highly deviated wells in the Middle East and on the basis of existent multiphase flow pressure research on well bores, multiphase pipe flow tests were conducted under different inclined angles, liquid rates, and gas rates. A pressure prediction model based on Mukherjee model, but with new coefficients and higher accuracy for well bores in the study block, was obtained. It was verified that the newly built pressure drawdown prediction model tallies better with experimental data, with an error of only 11.3%. The effect of inclination, output, and gas rate on the flow pattern, liquid holdup, and friction in the course of multiphase flow were analyzed comprehensively, and six kinds of classical flow regime maps were verified with this model. The results showed that for annular and slug flow, the Mukherjee flow pattern map had a higher accuracy of 100% and 80–100%, respectively. For transition flow, Duns and Ros flow pattern map had a higher accuracy of 46–66%.