CFD for multiphase fluid flow and transport in oil wells

KAUST; Thuwal; On-site; SAR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology invites applications for postdoctoral positions in the Physical Science and Engineering Division. The candidate will develop advanced 3D CFD models of wellbore multiphase flow using OpenFOAM and ANSYS Fluent, and perform high-performance simulations on KAUST's supercomputer.

Qualified applicants hold a PhD in a related field and are proficient in C++, Python, and Matlab; experience with multiphase flow in pipes is essential.

Qualifications

• PhD required in computational sciences, mechanical engineering, reservoir engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience with CFD for multiphase fluid flow in pipes using OpenFOAM and Ansys Fluent.
• Proficiency in scientific coding with C++, Python, and Matlab.

Responsibilities

• Develop a rigorous 3D modeling tool to simulate multiphase flow in wellbores with CFD solvers.
• Carry out simulations on KAUST's supercomputer to validate models and analyze results.

Skills

CFD multiphase flow

Scientific computing

OpenFOAM

Python

Matlab

C++

Education

PhD in computational sciences / related field

Tools

OpenFOAM

Ansys Fluent

Python

MATLAB

C++

Job description

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology: Postdoc Positions: Physical Science and Engineering Division (postdoc)

Location

Open Date

May 24, 2022

Description

Wells are commonly used in various industries, such are geothermal, hydrology, CO2 and gas storage, oil&gas and others. Wells consist of non-uniform tubings with long and complex trajectories (vertical, deviated), and are used to access the subsurface by injecting and/or producing multiple fluids of different thermodynamic states and properties. In the case of oil production, three phases often take place in the wellbore, including water, oil, and gas, where the hydrocarbon phases may change state as pressure and temperature change versus depth. When a producing well is shut-in, complex redistribution of fluids occurs within the wellbore, driven by gravity segregation, which can impact the readings of downhole instruments such as the pressure gauges. In other scenarios, when injecting multiple slugs of fluids, fluid mixing and associated reaction may occur within the wellbore which is a function of various parameters such as the Reynolds number.

The objective of this project is to develop a rigorous 3D modeling tool to model multiphase fluid flow within the wellbore using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solvers, such as OpenFOAM and Ansys-fluent. The model should account for thermodynamics, fluid mixing and chemical reactions under different flow regimes (bubbly, slug, stratified, …). Simulations will be conducted on a supercomputer at KAUST.

Qualifications

Qualified applicants should possess a Ph.D. in computational sciences, mechanical engineering, reservoir engineering, or a closely related field. The candidate should be experienced with CFD for multiphase fluid flow in pipes using OpenFOAM and Ansys-fluent, and should be proficient in scientific coding, such as C++ , Python, and Matlab.