文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Sand transport characteristics and critical sand-carrying velocity of gas-water mixtures in wellbores during hydrate production

作者：Deng, Junyu[1,2];Zhang, Rui[1];Mu, Huan[2];Liu, Jian[2];Zhao, Xudong[3];Song, Yufei[2];Li, Yuquan[2];Shi, Jialin[4]

机构：[1]China Univ Petr East China, Sch Petr Engn, Qingdao 266580, Peoples R China;[2]CNPC Offshore Engn Co Ltd, Beijing 100028, Peoples R China;[3]CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engn Co Ltd, Changqing Drilling Co, Xian 710018, Peoples R China;[4]East China Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Chem & Mol Engn, State Key Lab Chem Engn, Shanghai 200237, Peoples R China

年份：2026

卷号：6

期号：4

外文期刊名：JOURNAL OF PIPELINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

收录：;EI(收录号：20261820607460);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:001803288800001)】；

基金：This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFC3009204) , and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52174015) .

语种：英文

外文关键词：Natural gas hydrate; Horizontal wells; Sand carrying fluid; Critical sand carrying velocity; Laboratory experiments

摘要：Sand production in weakly cemented silty-fine sediments poses a significant challenge to the stable and efficient operation of horizontal hydrate production wells. This study moves beyond site-specific observations to elucidate the fundamental gas-water-sand multiphase transport mechanisms through systematic laboratory simulations. By examining the coupled influence of inclination angles and gas-liquid ratios (GLR), the evolution of particle-fluid interactions was characterized. Results reveal three distinct transport regimes: wall-concentrated, critical, and wall-dispersed flow. A critical deviation angle of 55 degrees was identified, at which the sand-carrying capacity reaches its minimum. This phenomenon is mechanistically attributed to the extremum in the transverse gravitational component and interfacial friction, which maximizes particle slippage. Quantitatively, the transport efficiency exhibits a nonlinear dependence on GLR, with a critical threshold around 50, beyond which further increases provide limited enhancement in gas-phase drag. Furthermore, the critical sand-carrying velocity is found to be physically coupled with the churn-to-annular flow transition, where the motive force shifts from liquid-phase buoyancy to gas-phase shear. A mechanistic-empirical model was established with high fidelity (R2 = 0.99577), demonstrating a liquid-phase saturation effect where additional liquid volume provides negligible gains in carrying capacity. These findings provide a scalable theoretical framework and precise operational envelopes for optimizing sand management strategies in marine hydrate recovery.