Skip to main content

Gas Migration Velocity

Gas migration velocity is the speed at which gas moves or migrates through a wellbore or formation during drilling operations.  In the context of oil and gas drilling, this concept is critical because gas migration can pose significant safety and operational challenges, such as kicks, blowouts, or pressure imbalances.  When drilling  penetrates a gas-bearing formation, gas can enter the wellbore if the pressure of the formation exceeds the pressure exerted by the drilling fluid (mud).  The gas then migrates upward through the wellbore due to buoyancy and pressure differentials.

 
Key Points about Gas Migration Velocity
 
Pressure Gradient  -  The difference in pressure between the gas source and the wellbore environment.
Fluid Properties  -  The density and viscosity of the drilling mud affect how easily gas can move through it.
Wellbore Geometry  -  The diameter and inclination of the wellbore influence the flow path and speed of gas migration.
Gas Bubble Size  -  Smaller bubbles tend to migrate more slowly due to greater resistance from the surrounding fluid, while larger bubbles rise faster.
Annular Flow Dynamics  -  The movement of gas in the annulus (the space between the drill pipe and the wellbore wall) is affected by the flow regime (laminar or turbulent).
 
In practice, drilling engineers monitor gas migration velocity to manage well control.  For example, if gas migrates too quickly, it can reduce the hydrostatic pressure of the mud column, leading to an influx of more gas or fluids (a "kick").  Tools like gas detectors and pressure sensors, along with models of gas migration behavior, help predict and mitigate these risks.  Mathematical models, such as those based on Stokes' law for small gas bubbles or empirical correlations for larger gas slugs, are often used to estimate this velocity.

 

Gas Migration Velocity Formula
Symbol English Metric
\( v_g \)  = Gas Migration Velocity \(ft \;/\; h\) \(m \;/\; h\)
\( \Delta p \) = Pressure (psi) \(lbf \;/\; in^2\) \(Pa\)
\( d \) = Depth \(ft\) \(m\)
\( \Delta t \) = Time Over which the Rise in Casing Pressure Occurs \(h\) \(h\)

 

Gas Migration Velocity Formula
Symbol English Metric
\( v_g \)  = Gas Migration Velocity \(ft \;/\; h\) -
\( p \) = Increase in Casing Pressure (psi) \(psi \;/\; hr\) -
\( PG \) = Pressure Gradient for Drilling Mud \(psi \;/\; ft\) -

 

The gas migration velocity in drilling operations depends on the physical context, such as whether the gas is moving as dispersed bubbles, slugs, or in a static or dynamic fluid environment.  There isn’t a single universal formula, but several models are commonly used depending on the situation.
 

Which Formula to Use

Small Bubbles  -  Use Stokes’ law for dispersed gas in static or low-flow conditions.
Large Slugs  -  Use the Taylor bubble model for significant gas pockets in a static well.
Circulating Well  -  Combine annular mud velocity with slip velocity.

 

Small Gas Bubbles (Stokes’ Law Approximation) Formula

  • For small, spherical gas bubbles rising through a static drilling fluid (mud), the migration velocity can be approximated using Stokes’ law. This applies when the flow is laminar and bubble sizes are small (typically less than 0.1 inches or 2-3 mm in diameter).
  • This assumes the gas bubbles are small enough for viscous forces to dominate over inertial forces (low Reynolds number).
  • In practice, \(\; \rho_g << \rho_m\;\;\) so \(\;\; \rho_g - \rho_p  \approx  p_m \)     
Symbol English Metric
\( v_g \)  = Gas Migration Velocity \(ft\;/\;sec\) \(m\;/\;s\)
\( g \) = Gravitational Acceleration  \(ft \;/\; sec^2\) \(m \;/\; s^2\)
\( \rho_m \)  (Greek Symbol rho) = Drilling Mud Density   \(lbm\;/\;ft^3\) \(kg\;/\;m^3\)  
\( \rho_g \)  (Greek Symbol rho) = Gas Density  \(lbm\;/\;ft^3\) \(kg\;/\;m^3\) 
\( d_g \) = Gas Bubble Diameter \(in\) \(mm\)
\( \mu \)  (Greek symbol mu) = Drilling Mud Dynamic Viscosity \(lbf-sec\;/\;ft^2\)   \(Pa-s \)

 

Large Gas Slugs (Taylor Bubble Model) Formula

  • For larger gas pockets or slugs migrating in a wellbore (common in vertical or near-vertical wells), the migration velocity is less dependent on bubble size and more on buoyancy and fluid dynamics.  This is a widely accepted empirical formula for gas slugs in a stagnant liquid column.
  • The constant 0.35 is derived from experimental data and represents the rise velocity of a Taylor bubble (a large, bullet-shaped gas slug) in a vertical pipe.
  • This model is more applicable when gas forms continuous slugs rather than dispersed bubbles.  
Symbol English Metric
\( v_g \)  = Gas Migration Velocity \(ft\;/\;sec\) \(m\;/\;s\)
\( g \) = Gravitational Acceleration  \(ft \;/\; sec^2\) \(m \;/\; s^2\)
\( D \) = Wellbore or Annulus Diameter \(in\) \(mm\)

  

Dynamic Conditions (Flowing Well) Formula

  • In a circulating well (where drilling mud is being pumped), the gas migration velocity is influenced by the upward flow of the mud.  The apparent gas migration velocity becomes the sum of the mud’s annular velocity and the gas’s slip velocity.
  • vm determined by the mud flow rate and the annular area cross-sectional (vm  =  Q / A, where Q is the flow rate and A is the annular area).
  • The slip velocity depends on whether the gas is in small bubbles or large slugs (use the appropriate formula above).
Symbol English Metric
\( v_g \)  = Total Gas Migration Velocity \(ft\;/\;sec\) \(m\;/\;s\)
\( v_m \) = Drilling Mud Annular Velocity  \(ft \;/\; sec^2\) \(m \;/\; s^2\)
\( v_{slip} \) = Slip Velocity  \(ft \;/\; sec^2\) \(m \;/\; s^2\)

 

Piping Designer Logo 1