A5.Choke Performance - Solutions

ENPE 533/622
PETROLEUM PRODUCTION ENGINEERING/SUBSURFACE PRODUCTION OPERATIONS
ASSIGNMENT 5: CHOKE PERFORMANCE

DUE: 12 noon W 8 Feb 2023
Feel free to use spreadsheets GasDownChokePressure.xls and

GasUpChokePressure.xls. Be sure you understand assumptions and physical basis for
the equations in the spreadsheets.
1) A single phase liquid of viscosity 0.002 Pa-s flows at a rate of 1.84 x 10-3 m3/s through a
nozzle-type choke of ID 0.0381 m in tubing of ID 0.0508 m.
a. Determine the pressure drop across the choke using the conventional design
Δ𝑃
equation 𝑞 = 𝐶𝐷 𝐴𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒 √2 𝜌
Use the Guo and Ghalambor correlation for CD, Eq. 5.4 in the textbook.
C_D corrln 1.17 nozzles

\Delta P from approx designeqn 782 Pa
b. Determine the correct value of the discharge coefficient C’D which would be used
𝐶′𝐷 𝐴𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒 𝛥𝑃
with the exact design equation 𝑞 = √2 .
𝐴 2 𝜌
√1−( 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒 )
𝐴𝑢𝑝
coeff C'_D for rigorous \delta KE 0.97
c. Suppose your summer intern has calculated the pressure drop using the
conventional discharge coefficient CD in the exact design equation. Is her
calculation consistent with the conservation of energy? Answer this question by
calculate the change in total fluid energy across the choke, i.e. (P + KE)choke – (P +
KE)up.
Using CD = 1.17 in the design equation of part (b), we calculate Δ𝑃 = 𝑃𝑢𝑝 − 𝑃𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒 = 534 Pa.
The kinetic energies upstream and in the choke are 340 J/m3 and 1074 J/m3 respectively. The
change in total fluid energy is therefore (1074 – 340) – 534 = 200 J/m3. This means the total
fluid energy would have increased by 200 J/m3 as the fluid passes through the choke. This
violates the law of conservation of energy because there is no external source of energy in the
choke. A discharge coefficient in the exact design equation cannot be greater than 1.
d. Calculate the change in total fluid energy across the choke for part (a). Is your
calculation consistent with the conservation of energy?
From part (a) we have Δ𝑃 = 𝑃𝑢𝑝 − 𝑃𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑘𝑒 = 782 Pa. The kinetic energies are the same as in
part (c). Thus the change in total fluid energy is (1074 – 340) – 782 = -48 J/m3. This means the
total fluid energy decreased by 48 J/m3 as the fluid passed through the choke. This is consistent
with the law of conservation of energy because energy is irreversibly dissipated as the fluid
enters and passes through the choke.
2) Textbook Problem 5.2
For sonic flow, Gilbert’s values for the constants C, m and n in the multiphase sonic flow
equation apply, and yield Pup = P1 = Pwh = 117 psia
a) For a specific heat ratio of 1.3, the critical pressure ratio is 0.546. The ratio of
downstream pressure of 210 psia to upstream pressure of 850 psia is smaller than the
critical ratio. So the gas flow rate is given by the sonic flow equation 5.8 in text book.
The Reynolds number in choke is larger than 106, and for d2/d1 = 0.5, the discharge
coefficient is CD = 0.62. At an upstream pressure of 850 psia, we find q = 12,900 MSCFD.
b) Flow in choke is sonic, so the downstream temperature is given by Textbook Eq. 5.11
with the ratio Poutlet/Pup equal to the critical ratio, which is 0.546 from part (a). For the
purposes of estimating Tdown assume that the ratio of compressibility factors at
upstream and downstream conditions is close to unity. Then Tdown is 14 F or -10 C, well
below the freezing point of water. Supplying some heat is advisable.
c) For sonic flow at an upstream pressure of 850 psia, the pressure at the exit of the choke
will be the critical pressure: Pdn = (0.546)Pup = 464 psia.
The relevant equations are built into GasUpChokePressure.xls. At a downstream

pressure of 350 psia and a specific heat ratio of 1.25, the flow through the choke would become
sonic at an upstream pressure of 350/0.555 = 631 psia. The flow rate at this upstream pressure
comes from the sonic gas flow equation 5.8; for CD = 0.95 and a choke ID of 0.5 in, we find q =
3430 MSCFD. The measured gas production rate is 4000 MSCFD so the upstream pressure must
be larger than the critical pressure. Using Eq 5.8 with q = 4000 MSCFD we find Pup = 734 psia.
5) For the data given in Textbook Problem 5.5,

a. Plot the Choke Performance curve, i.e., plot q vs p1
The relevant equations are built into GasUpChokePressure.xls. The downstream

pressure p2 is fixed at 350 psia. For a specific heat ratio of k = 1.25, the critical pressure ratio is
0.555. Thus the critical upstream pressure is 631 psia. Thus for values of p1 > 631 psia, the flow
rate q will be sonic and thus a linear function of p1 , Eq. 5.8 in textbook. For p1 < 631 psia, the
flow rate will be subsonic and thus a nonlinear function of p1 , Eq. 5.5 in textbook. The resulting
performance curve looks like this:
b. What is the flow rate when flow becomes sonic?
At p1 = 631 psia, the flow rate q = 3440 MSCF/D. This point is marked in the performance curve.

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ENPE 533/622

PETROLEUM PRODUCTION ENGINEERING/SUBSURFACE PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

ASSIGNMENT 5: CHOKE PERFORMANCE

Feel free to use spreadsheets GasDownChokePressure.xls and

C_D corrln 1.17 nozzles

coeff C'_D for rigorous \delta KE 0.97

2) Textbook Problem 5.2

3) Textbook Problem 5.3

4) Textbook Problem 5.5

The relevant equations are built into GasUpChokePressure.xls. At a downstream

5) For the data given in Textbook Problem 5.5,

The relevant equations are built into GasUpChokePressure.xls. The downstream

b. What is the flow rate when flow becomes sonic?

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