Gas Lift

Production Optimisation
Lecture 12a: Gas Lift - Section 4 Designing Continuous Flow Gas Lift Installation
Recommended R d dT Text: t A Artificial tifi i l Lift Methods, M th d Kermit E. Brown, Volume 2a PennWell Publishing Co, Tulsa, OK, 1980
Akim Kabir Senior Lecturer Department of Petroleum Engineering Curtin University of Technology

Aug 2008
Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 1

Gas Lift

Gas Lifted Wells - Nomenclature

PRESSURE (PSI)
0 500 1000 CASING PRESSURE 500 0

Mandrel Depths
DEPTH (FT T TVD)

Fluid Level

Casing pressure

1000

1500

2000

Static g gradient Flowing gradient

2500

3000

3500

SIBHP

FBHP

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 2

Gas Lift

Pressure essu e Profiles o es in Continuous Co uous Flow ow

Pwh Pcs
PRODUCED FLUID INJECTION GAS 0 0 PRESSURE (PSI) 500

TUBING PRESSURE, Pt

CASING PRESSURE, Pc
1000

Dummy

L
Valve 1 D Valve 2 Valve 3 Valve 4 Valve 5

DEPTH

Dummy

Point of Gas Injection

Point of Balance SIBHP S FBHP F

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 3

Gas Lift

Why y so many y Gas Lift Valves?

No Gas Injection - Well Dead
0 500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

Fluid Level ---->0

500 CASING PRESSURE

1000 DEPTH (FT T TVD)

1500

2000

2500 GLV Opening pressures3000 SIBHP

3500

More hardware means more $ and more leak potential but I the In th example l on the th left, if we only set one orifice valve in the bottom mandrel, we would need on surface a CHP of 1000 psig (dashed thick line) to unload l d th the well. ll With the unloading valves, a CHP of 600 psig is sufficient (dotted line) CAPEX savings on compression
Slide 4

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Gas Lift

Well Unloading We U o d g Process ocess

Kicking off the well is an operation where lift gas is injected at the shallower injection points and transferred to the deeper valves to finally reach the deepest operating gas lift valve where the constant operating gas injection rate is maintained. To achieve this (transfer inj. inj point), point) the shallower valves had to be able to close sequentially. Once kicked off, the shallower gas lift valves to remain closed and gas i j t d at injected t the th deepest d t operating ti valve l only. l
Any platform shutdown or closing in of wells, the whole process to be repeated.

For the Production Pressure Operated valve (PPO) the above process is done automatically as long as the maximum gaslift pressure is available. For the Injection j Pressure Operated p Valve (IPO) ( ) the gaslift g pressure p had to be reduced (or it does by itself) to close the shallower valves and need to operate at lower operating system press to keep the shallower valves closed.

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 5

Gas Lift

IPO Valve Unloading

No Gas Injection - Well Dead
INJECTION GAS 0 0 500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

Fluid Level
Dummy
500

CASING PRESSURE

Dummy

1000

Valve 1

DEPTH (FT TVD)

Initial Open up, Well not flowing

1500

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 6

SIB BHP

Gas Lift

IPO Valve Unloading

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at Valve 1

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

Valve 1

DEPTH (FT TVD D)

1500

Gas Injected at Valve 1

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 7

SIB BHP

Gas Lift

IPO O Valve V ve Unloading U o d g

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas entering V2 & V 1 closing

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

V l 1 Valve

DEPTH (FT TVD D)

Valve 1 still open p

1500

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

Gas started entering valve 2

2000

CHP started decreasing

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 8

SIBHP

Gas Lift

IPO Valve Unloading

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at V2, V1 closed

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

Valve 1

DEPTH (FT TVD D)

1500

CHP decreased till valve 1 closed Valve 2 passing gas

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

G started Gas d entering i valve 3

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 9

SIB BHP

Gas Lift

IPO Valve Unloading g

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at V3, V1 V2 closed

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

Valve 1

DEPTH (FT TV VD)

Valve 1 closed
1500

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

CHP decreased further till valve 2 closed Valve 3 passing gas

2500

Gas started entering the orifice valve

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 10

S SIBHP

Gas Lift

IPO O Valve V ve Unloading U o d g

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at Orifice, V1 V2 V3 closed PRESSURE (PSI)

500 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

V l 1 Valve

DEPTH (FT TV VD)

Valve 1 Closed
1500

Valve 2 closed
2000

Valve 2 V l 3 Valve Orifice

CHP decreased further till valve 3 closed Lift gas injected at orifice SIBHP

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 11

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Initial Open Up Without Gas Injection

No gas injection Well Dead
INJECTION GAS 0 0 500 PRESSURE (PSI) CASING PRESSURE 1000

Fluid Level
D Dummy
500

Dummy

1000

Valve 1

DE EPTH (FT TVD)

Initial Open up, Well not t flowing fl i

1500

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 12

SIBH HP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Lift Gas Injected at Valve 1 (Unloading)

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at Valve 1

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

DEPTH (FT TVD) D

Valve 1

1500

Gas Injected at Valve 1

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 13

SIBHP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Lift Gas Start Entering Valve 2

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas entering V2 & V 1 closing

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

D Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

DE EPTH (FT TVD)

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 starts closing Gas started entering valve 2

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 14

SIBH HP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Gas injected at Valve 2

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at V2, V1 closed

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy y

500

Dummy

1000

DEPTH (FT TVD) D

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 Closed Valve 2 passing gas

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 15

SIBHP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Gas started entering at Valve 3

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at V3, V2 closing

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

D Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

DE EPTH (FT TVD)

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 Closed Valve 2 closing Gas started entering Valve 3

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 16

SIBH HP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Gas injected at Valve 3 (unloading)

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at V3, V1 V2 closed

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

D Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

DE EPTH (FT TVD)

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 Closed Valve 2 closed Gas entering Valve 3

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 17

SIBH HP

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Lift Gas starts entering at the last mandrel
PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas entering orifice, V3 closing

500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy

500

Dummy

1000

DE EPTH (FT TVD)

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 Closed Valve 2 closed

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

Valve 3 starts closing

2500

3000

Lift gas start entering at the orifice SIBH HP

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 18

Gas Lift

PPO G/L Valve Lifting at the Deepest Mandrel

PRODUCED FLUID 0 0 CASING PRESSURE

Gas injected at Orifice, V1 V2 V3 closed PRESSURE (PSI)

500 1000

INJECTION GAS

Dummy y

500

Dummy

1000

DEPTH (FT TVD) D

Valve 1

1500

Valve 1 Closed Valve 2 closed Valve 3 closed

Valve 2 Valve 3 Orifice

2000

2500

3000

Lift g gas injected at orifice SIBHP

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 19

Gas Lift

IPO Valves Transfer Operation

0 0

PRESSURE (PSI)

Available Casing Pressure (Kick-off)

DEPTH (FT TVD)

20 psig drop for transferring injection down by one valve

Valve Closing Press IPO -1 IPO-2 IPO-3 Valve Opening Press

Orifice

FBHP P

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 20

SIBHP P

Gas Lift

PPO Valve Transfer Operation

When gas is injected through the 1st valve the fluid f gradient will become lighter more and more until the point that the valve is about to close and the lifting depth is transferred to the next d deeper mandrel. d l This Thi point i t is i called ll d transfer pressure(Pt). The Pt is used for calculating of valve opening i pressure The margin between the final flowing pressure and Pt is required to avoid the re-opening i of f the th valve l Transfer T f Margin The differential pressure between casing i and d the th unloading l di gradient di t is i required to compensate the pressure drop across the valve
0 0 500 PRESSURE (PSI) 1000

500

To avoid the re-opening i of f 1000 the valve

DEPTH (FT T TVD) 1500

PPO -1 PPO-2 50 psig

2000

PPO-3

Orifice
2500

3000

3500

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 21

SIBHP

Gas Lift

PPO Transfer Pressure

Pressure
Gas in Gas in

Depth

Transfer Pressure

Qgas

Top Valve

Flow Response Characteristics

Bottom Valve

Pressure

B
Slide 22

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Gas Lift

Point of Gas Injection for Continuous Flow

PRESSURE (PSI)
0 0 500

Kick-off Pressure (Pko)

1000

Definitions

Gas Lift Line/System Pressure

500

Kick-off Pressure (Pko) Pko = Psystem safety factor This can be used for unloading g a well

1000

Static liq. level

DEPTH (FT T TVD) 1500

Surface Operating Pressure (Pso) Pressure that can be maintained at the well-site to operate the gas lift valve. Pso = Pko safety f t f factor t Normally a GLed well operates with a CHP = Pso or less. Operating Differential (Pdiff) It is the difference between operating gas inj. press. at depth (Pc) and established flowing tubing pressure at depth (Pt) Point of Balance Pwf Pr

2000

Pdiff
2500

Point of Gas Inj

3000

Point of Balance
3500

Mid Perforation
Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 23

Gas Lift
PRESSURE (PSI)
0 0 500

Kick-off Pressure (Pko)

1000

500

Static liq. level

1000

DEPTH (FT T TVD)

1500

2000

Pdiff

2500

Point of Gas Inj

3000

Point of Balance

3500

Mid Perforations Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Pwf

Pr

Slide 24

Gas Lift

Point of Gas Injection j for Continuous Flow

PRESSURE (PSI) 0 0 1100

Kick-off Pressure (Pko)

2100

CLASS EXERCISE #2
Tubing ID = 3, 100% Oil (35 API) Depth = 8000, Desired Qo= 4000 b/d Desired THP= 100 psig, Rs= 200 scf/bbl Pr (at 8000) = 2900 psig Gas Gravity = 0.65

DEPTH (F FT TVD)

Pso = 1200 psig PI = 5 bbl/psi/d Bottom hole Temp = 160 F Flowing THT = 120 F Pdiff
Point of Gas Inj

Assume Pdiff = 100 psi Gas Compress. Factor, z = 0.88 Kill fluid gradient = 0.5 psi/ft

Point of Balance

Calculate Point of gas injection Gas Volme Port P t Si Size Slide 25

Mid Perforation
Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Pwf

Pr

Gas Lift

Calculation Steps p
Plot depth scale on vertical Plot p pressure scale on horizontal Plot Pr From PI calculate press. drawdown req. Calculate Pwf Draw the static gradient line from SBHP (Kill Fluid Grad.) From Pwf draw a gradient line for Oil (R 200) (Rs=200) Mark Pso Draw casing pressure line from Pso down to flowing gradient line Mark point of balance / pt. of GI Plot FTHP at 0 depth Find GLR to connect FTHP with to the point of gas injection Find Qg necessary for lifting Find correct orifice size Calculate Point of gas injection Gas Volme Port Size Slide 26

CLASS EXERCISE #2
Tubing ID = 3, 100% Oil (35 API) Depth = 8000, Desired Qo= 4000 b/d Desired THP= 100 psig, Rs= 200 scf/bbl Pr (at 8000) = 2900 psig Gas G Gravity G = 0.65 Pso = 1200 psig PI = 5 bbl/d/psi Bottom B tt h hole l Temp T = 160 F Flowing THT = 120 F Assume Pdiff = 100 psi Gas Compress. Compress Factor, Factor z = 0.88 0 88 Kill fluid gradient = 0.5 psi/ft

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Gas Lift

The Vertical Flowing Pressure Gradient Curves

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 27

Gas Lift

Procedure for Using the Vertical Flowing Pressure Gradient Curves

Procedure: 1. Select the gradient curve corresponding to the given condition 2. Enter at the known flowing tubing head pressure(FTHP) 3. Draw a vertical to intersect the given GLR line 4. Draw a horizontal line from this point to intersect the depth axis 5. Use this point as the staring point 6 6. Add the required depth to this point 7. Draw the horizontal line to intersect the given GLR line 8. Draw the vertical line up to the pressure scale. The intersection point is the pressure at the required depth Example: Tubing ID = Gross Production = Water-Cut = API = GLR = FTHP = Tubing Depth 1. 1 2. 3. 4. 5.

2.5 inches 1000 BPD 50 % 35 35 300 scf/bbl 290 psig = 7000 feet

Draw a vertical line from 290 psig to intersect the 300 GLR line Draw a horizontal from this intersection point to intersect the depth axis, in this case 2230 ft Since the starting point is 2230 ft, 2230 + 7000 = 9230 ft Draw a horizontal line at 9230 ft to intersect the 300 GLR line Draw a vertical line up to the pressure scale. The flowing pressure for these given condition at 7000 ft is 2200 psig

Section 4 Continuous Flow Design

Slide 28