About this Research Topic
The complex multiphase flow behavior brings about unique challenges in extracting hydrocarbon resources from deep-water wells and ultra-deep onshore wells. Although new measures and new models have been presented to predict and simulate the multiphase flow behavior in wellbore and reservoir under complex environments, most of them do not perform well when being applied to field conditions. The most interesting and urgent multiphase flow problems can be grouped into two categories. Firstly, the multiphase flow problems induced by the phase transition in wellbore and reservoir include hydrate plugging, wax deposition, sand production, failure of wellbore pressure management, etc. Secondly, the multiphase flow problems during/after wellbore stimulations (such as hydraulic fracturing) include proppant transport, backflow of fracturing fluid, multiphase flow in fractures, etc. As such, we would like to invite researchers and engineers working in relevant fields to contribute papers that aim to address the above-mentioned problems. This Research Topic aims to fill the gaps among fundamental theories, applied technologies and field practices, reporting recent innovations and advances related to the multiphase flow behavior in critical and complex environments.
This Research Topic will be dedicated to publishing experimental and theoretical studies related to the multiphase flow behavior in critical and complex environments. The Research Topic intends to cover but is not limited to the following topics:
· New multiphase flow concepts, theories, methods, experiments, and techniques.
· Microscopic/pore-scale studies of multiphase flow behavior in deep or unconventional reservoirs.
· THMC (thermal-hydrological-mechanical–chemical) coupling and multi-physical process in drilling and production.
· New stimulation approaches (horizontal wells, branch wells, hydraulic fracturing, etc.) for unconventional reservoirs.
· New experiments and modeling of multiphase flow behavior in wellbore and pipeline during drilling and production of deep-water wells and ultra-deep onshore wells.
· Advanced flow assurance theories, concepts and techniques.
· Phase transitions in multiphase flow.
· New equipment, tools and facilities for conducting multiphase flow experiments.
Keywords: Flow in wellbore, Flow assurance, Drilling and completion, Well stimulations, Multiphase flow in reservoir
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.