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Volume 114
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Efficient sand transport in wellbores: Exploring optimal superficial liquid and gas velocity configurations through multiphase flow analysis
Raed I. Bourisli a *, Abdullah S. Ebrahim b, Makarand Patil c, Jatin Agarwal c, Damodaran Vedapuri c
a Mechanical Engineering Department, Kuwait University, PO Box 5969, Safat, 13060, Kuwait
b Petroleum Engineering Department, Kuwait University, PO Box 5969, Safat, 13060, Kuwait
c EFD group, Tridiagonal Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Maharashtra, India
10.1016/j.partic.2026.04.019
Volume 114, July 2026, Pages 353-364
Received 30 November 2025, Revised 12 April 2026, Accepted 27 April 2026, Available online 5 May 2026, Version of Record 14 May 2026.
E-mail: raed.bourisli@ku.edu.kw
Highlights

• Identified particle-transport thresholds via critical superficial gas velocity.

• Experiments and OLGA modeling reveal conditions preventing particle bed formation.

• Gas breakout enhances particle entrainment and stabilizes churn-flow transport.

• Particle–wall shear and multiphase interactions mapped across production regimes.


Abstract

This study investigates the influence of superficial liquid and gas velocity configurations on flow regimes and sand transport dynamics in a 4.276″ production tubing of a Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) well. Using OLGA simulations, the minimum superficial gas velocity (Vsg) required to avoid sand accumulation at varying superficial liquid velocities (Vsl) was identified. For higher production rates (Vsl = 0.2 m/s, ∼1000 bpd), a minimum Vsg of 0.1 m/s is necessary to achieve a churn flow regime conducive to effective sand transport. At lower production rates (Vsl = 0.04 m/s, ∼200 bpd), churn flow and adequate sand mobilization occur at Vsg values above 0.02 m/s. Under single-phase conditions (Vsg = 0 m/s), simulations revealed sand deposition near the toe of the well, resulting in stationary bed formation. The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining multiphase flow—particularly, churn flow—at the bottom hole to enhance sand transport efficiency and prevent deposition beneath the Electric Submersible Pump (ESP). The work provides a field-scale identification of superficial gas velocity thresholds governing sand transport below electric submersible pumps, based on the combined interpretation of full-scale experiments and OLGA-based multiphase modeling.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Sand transport; Superficial velocity; Multiphase flow modeling; Electric submersible pumps (ESP); OLGA simulation
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