1. ASME/API/ISO Gas-Lift Workshop, February 10, 2004 Multiphase Technology- Past, Present and Future by Jim Brill Professor Emeritus The University of Tulsa

2. Topics  Historical Perspective of Multiphase Flow Technology  Technology Development  Who Did It? (Sources)  Why? When? (Acceptance)  What’s Next? (Voids)  How? (Current Dilemmas)

3. Historical Background  Empirical Period (1950-1975)  Awakening Years (1970-1985)  Modeling Era (1980-present)

4. Empirical Period (1950-1975)  Simplified conservation equations  Homogeneous mixtures  Mostly low pressure, air-water data  Limited instrumentation and data analysis capabilities  Flow patterns - either not considered or valid only for data set used  Empirical liquid holdup and friction factor correlations

5. Awakening Years (1970-1985)  Limited modeling before 1976  Began with incredible contributions from Dukler, Taitel, and their students  Significant contributions from nuclear industry  Opened doors for technology developed over past 25 years  Commercial, user-friendly, steady- state flow software

6. Modeling Era (1980-Present)  Major contributors were vastly improved instrumentation, visualization, PCs, and data acquisition/processing/analysis  Mechanistic models with improved closure relationships  Lower level of empiricism  Transient simulation capabilities abound (OLGA, Tacite, PLAC)  Emergence of unified models

7. Who Did It? (Technology Sources)  Empirical Period (1950-1975)  Major Oil Co. Labs (50%)  Academia (50%)  Awakening Years (1970-1985)  Academia (75%)  Major Oil Co. Labs (25%)  Modeling Era (1980- Present)  Academia (≈100%)

8. Why and When? (Technology Acceptance)  Key Acceptance Events  Multiphase Offshore Pipelines – Early 1970s  Success of Design/Analysis Software  Flow Assurance – Early 2000s  Deep and Ultra Deep Water Challenges  Paraffin Deposition Models  Multiphase Heat Transfer  Hydrate Plug/Flow Models  Severe Slugging  Chemical Mitigation  Design or Over-Design

9. What’s Next? Some Technology Voids  Flow Assurance in Cold Environment - Ultra Deep Water  Formation and Deposition of Solids (Wax, Hydrates, Naphtanes, Scales)  Management of Deposits (Prevention, Removal)  Separation  Multiphase Flow  Oil-Water and Gas-Oil-Water Flow  Downward Multiphase Flow  Low Liquid Loading  Multi-Dimensional Experiments and Modeling  Transient Flows (Naturally Occurring, Induced)  Production Stability Issues for Field-Wide Simulation  Fluid Behavior  Rheology of Heavy Oil - Water Systems  Kinetics of Phase Equilibrium  Unconventional Components (CO2, H2S)

10. How? Future Technology (an Industry Dilemma)  Mergers  Irreversible Dismantling of Technology Centers  Constant Reorganization  Cost Cutting – 90 Day Myopia  Linkage of Research to “Customers”  Demise of Basic Research  Demographics  Perception – Current Technology is Good Enough?

11. How? Future Technology (an Academic Dilemma)  Loss of Much of Industry Funding  Insecure Government Funding  Majors Might Wait for Technology Until Publications Appear  Few Domestic Graduate Students  Academic Structure  Publish or Perish  Tenure  Grad Students vs Post Docs  Vulnerability of Consortia/JIPs