Finite element method simulation and modeling of tubing wear

Abstract

This thesis presents finite element method (FEM) based on tubing wear simulation studies. Based on wear depth observed from field data, several scenarios were simulated. These are shut-in, production and gas injection. Both burst and collapse failures modes associated with local wear tube were simulated. The results are compared with API burst and collapse models, which assumes uniform wall thickness. Moreover, for each scenario, simulation based local wear depth dependent burst and collapse models are developed.

The results from simulations show that the API models for uniform reduction in wall thickness could not be applied for tubing with local wear. The stress distribution and concentration for tubing with uniform reduction in wall thickness was shown to be very contradictory from tubing with local reduction in wall thickness.