The gravel packing technology for water control completion in horizontal wells: a study on fundamental flow behavior based on CFD numerical simulation

Gravel packing for water control (GPWC) in horizontal wells integrates sand retention and water cut reduction, yet its flow behavior remains insufficiently quantified. This study employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate 15 cases varying valve number, spacing, size, inlet velocity, fluid type, and multi-type combinations. Results show that flow distribution among identical valves is nearly uniform, with mean deviations typically 3–5% and maximum deviations below 10%. Inlet velocity changes from 0.75 to 2.5 m/s preserved distribution patterns while valve velocities scaled linearly with inlet velocity, maintaining mean deviation at 3.0%. Multi-valve combinations revealed flow stratification proportional to valve cross-sectional area, producing up to 226% differential between 0.3 and 0.5 mm valves, though within-size dispersion stayed