Abstract In this work, a simplified kick simulator is developed using the ANSYS® CFX software in order to better understand the phenomena called kick. This simulator is based on the modeling of a petroleum well where a gas kick occurs. Dynamic behavior of some variables like pressure, viscosity, density and volume fraction of the fluid is analyzed in the final stretch of the modeled well. In the simulations nine different drilling fluids are used of two rheological categories, Ostwald de Waele, also known as Power-Law, and Bingham fluids, and the results are compared among them. In these comparisons what fluid allows faster or slower invasion of gas is analyzed, as well as how the gas spreads into the drilling fluid. The pressure behavior during the kick process is also compared t. It is observed that, for both fluids, the pressure behavior is similar to a conventional leak in a pipe.

Decisions made during the steady-state design of distillation columns have a large influence on the dynamic characteristics of the operating unit. Conventionally, steady-state design is often completed before dynamics and control issues are considered. Additional complexity in the active control system must as a result be used to compensate for any resulting shortcomings in dynamic performance. Here, our aim is to improve control system performance not through more complex active control but through passive improvements arising from more favourable equipment design. An extra liquid hold-up, the middle vessel, was placed in the middle of the column by connecting the feed to an external vessel via a circulating system. To exploit and demonstrate the potential performance of this new modified design, our study was focussed on an existing pilot scale distillation column at Nottingham University. This new design was shown to be very effective in rejecting both feed composition and feed flowrate step changes.