OPERATOR & TECHNICIAN

TRAINING PROGRAM

TOTAL E & P INDONESIE

By :
ACHMAD MALIK IBRAHIM

PUSAT PENDIDIKAN DAN PELATIHAN MINYAK DAN GAS BUMI

PUSDIKLAT MIGAS CEPU

JL. SOROGO No. 1 CEPU 58315 KAB.BLORA JAWA TENGAH
TROMOL POS 1. TELEPON (2096)421888 FAKSIMILE (0296) 421891
http://www.pusdiklatmigas.com e-mail : informasi@pusdiklatmigas.com

APPROVAL

Topic

: Gas Compression for Gas Lift Injection

By

: Achmad Malik Ibrahim

Name of Training

: Operator Technician Traning Program 2 PT. Total

E&P
Indonesie

This Paper Approved in Maret 2013 at PUSDIKLAT MIGAS CEPU,

Approved by,

Preceptor,

English Corrector,

Course Leader,

PREFACE

All praises are just for Allah SWT for blessing me and for giving me
inspiration to finish thus paper on time. This paper is one of the
requirements to pass Operator Technician Training Program TOTAL E & P
INDONESIE which is held in PUSDIKLAT MIGAS CEPU from October, 2 sc
2012 until March, 14th 2013.
The title that discussed in this paper is GAS COMPRESSION FOR
GAS LIFT INJECTION. In the progress of making this paper, of course I
cannot do it without help and motivation from all people around me. On
this occasion, I would like to extend my thanks and high appreciation to :
1. The Management of TOTAL E & P INDONESIE
2. The Management of PUSDIKLAT MIGAS CEPU
3. Mr. Purnomo Sidi as the Course Leader
4. Mr. Totok
5. All of instructors and staff in PUSDIKLAT MIGAS CEPU
6. My family who always support me
7. All of people who have helped to finish this paper
All corrections, suggestions and criticisms to me will be highly
appreciated for the improvement of this paper.

Cepu, 20 February 2013

Writer,

Achmad Malik Ibrahim

ABSTRACT
Gas lift is the method of artificial lift that uses an external source of
high preassure gas supplementing formation gas to lift the well fluids. The
primary consideration in the selection of a gas-lift system to lift the fluid, a
grounp of wells, or an entire field is the availability and compression cost
of gas.
There are two types of gas lift methods which are widely used they
are continous flow gas lift and intermittent gas lift. Most wells are gas lifted
by continuous flow, which means the gas is injected continuously into the
production conduit at a maximum depth on the basis of the variable
injection gas pressure. In the other way, diffrent with continuous flow gas
lift, an intermittent gas lift requires high instantancous gas volume to
displace liquid slugs to the surface. The intermittent gas lift operation is
used, if sufficient drawdown in the Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) is not
possible by continuous flow.
The type of installation is influenced principally by whether the wells
is to be placed on continuous or intermittent flow. In determining the initial
type of installation, judgment should be based on future well performance,
including BHP decline and Productivity index (PI) decrease. Type of gas
installation usually used are open installation, semi closed instalation, and
closed iinstallation.
The application of gas lift is particularly for lifting the fluid where
high pressure gas is available. Gas compressors may have been installed
for gas injection, or high pressure gas well may be nearby. This paper will
describe more about gas lift principle and gas compretion

CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

I. INTRODUCTION
1.1

Background
Well is produced using its own drive mechanism to lift hydrocarbon

fluid from productive zones. Such a well is usually called natural flow well.
Pressure difference is the basic principle. When a well no longer flow
naturally, as a result of decline in natural reservoir energy, it becomes
necessary to supplement that reduced or lost energy artificially. This is
done by installing an artificial lift system to restore or imporve production
rate. One of any production methods is gas lift system.
Gas lift system is an artificial lift method that uses energy from the
gas (high pressure gas), which is inserted in annulus and the gas enters
the tubing string through many gas lift valve to rovide lifting energy. There
are two types of gas lift methods which are widely used, continuous flow
gas and intermittent gas lift. Basically, this method lifts the hydrocarbon
fluid by lowering system density, so that high drawdown pressure can be
gained. This is reached by mixing gas to fluid.
1.2

Objectives
Besides to fulfilling requirement for finishing the Operator &
Technician Training Program (OTP) TOTAL E & P INDONESIE in
Pusdiklat Migas Cepu, I write this papre to get better understanding
of gas lift, including its principle, equipment andthe operation.

1.3

Scope
This paper will discuss about Gas Compresion for Gas Lift Injection.

II. BASIC GAS LIFT

2.1

Basic Concept
Gas lift method is one of production methods employedon

production well when natural flow no longer exists. There are many
reasons why natural flowing on longer in production state, including drop
of reservoir pressure. Basically gas lift method works by injecting gas
through operation valve to create a homogenous mixture betwen fluid and
gas above injection point. Injection gas will lower the density of the
combined fluid. The lower density decreases the hydrostatic pressure of
the fluids in the tubing, enabling them to be lift to the surface.
Gas lift offers many advantages. Some of theses advantages are :
1. Low lift cots
2. Low installation and maintenenance costs
3. Simplicity of operation
4. Excellent flexibility in injection / production rate
5. Ability to deplete a reservoit
6. Execellent gas handing (obvious applicability, for gassy wells)
7. Execellent sand and solid handling

2.2

Methods of Gas Lift

As already mentioned, there are two types of gas lift methods,

continuous flow gas lift and intermittent flow gas lift. Chose method will
determine how and where were going to place injection valve. In
continuous flow gas lift, although here are many valve involved, only ine
valve will be operated. There other valves are used in unloading process.
In reverse in intermittent flow gas lift there can be many valves operating
together. Beside on number of valve and where to place them, the
methods have differences on the way inject gas to the production well. In
continuous flow, gas injected continuously. In intermittent flow gas lift, gas
injection is done periodically.

2.2.1 Continuous Flow Gas Lift

In continuous flow gas lift, the gas is injected into the liquid stream
for the purpose of reducing the density of the vertical liquid colum
sufficiently to allow the formation pressure to lift it to the surface. On this
type of gas lift, gas injected continuously. Only one valves operates at a
time, called operational valve. But it is possible to place additional valve of
this type. It is done to anticipate if after somtimes the main operating valve
cant lift the hydrocarbon fluid. The cause cuold be drops of bottom hole
pressure or the of water in production. Valve placed above the main
operating valve are used in uploading process.
The advantages of continuous flow gas lift are:
1. It takes full advantage of the energy available in the reservoir
2. It is high volume method
3. Equipment can be centralized
4. It can handle sand or trash best
5. Valve may be wire-line.
Continnuous flow gas lift is often installed on wells with high Productivity
Index (PI) and high bottom hole pressure (relatively depend on well depth)

2.2.2 Intermittent Gas Lift

On well having low PI and low BHP (Bottom Hole Pressure),
periodical gas injection is more efficent than the continuous one. This
method allows formation fluid to accumulate in tubing before lifted to the
surface by injected gas. This method also uses gas than continuous flow
gas lift. As gas is injected periodically, intermittent flow gas lift has
additional equipment compared with continuous one. It is a time cycle
controller. This equipment is used to control injection period to obtain
optimum production rate. As the continuous installation, intermittent flow
gas lift has operation valve and unloading valve.
Somtimes, intermittent lift may be accomplished without using a
surface intermittent. This type of installation requires a valve that is
somewaht more fluid sensitive than normal and uses a built-in speread.
Use of this type of valve can present problems when wells must be lifted
into long flow lines against surface chokes or under other conditions where
the sensitivity of the valve will become a disadvantage. However, there are
other instances in which a valve of this type is an advantage, e.g. in some
rotary compressor system.
Intermittent lift may also be accomplished by the multi point
injection of gas through more than one gas lift valve. The installation must
be designed so the lowest gas lift valve open just as the bottom of the slug
passes each valve. Normally, this type of list is used with fluid-operated

valves which, by design, require a smaller port size to assure clouser of

the valve.

III. GAS LIFT EQUIPMENT

3.1

Surface Equipment
That was meant by equipment on the surface to be all equipment

that was needed for the process of the injection of gas into the well that
was located in the surface. These equipments covered:
3.1.1 Well Head and Gas Lift Christmas Tree
Well head not was the special implement in the operation of gas lift,
but was used in the method of spitting on nature. This implement
functioned as the place make dependent casing and tubing as well as was
the place of the mount christmas tree. Whereas Christmas tree personally
had a function of arranging the rate of the production and maintaining the
pressure reservoir. Lift gas of X-mastree was used for wells of lift gas that
in and the production of his daily was big enough.

3.1.2 Compressor Station

Gas lift volume and pressure are two extremely important
consideration which play a role in gas lift system design and these related
to gas lift string design and compressor selection. Gas lift volume is the
total gas lift requirement for the field or group of wells determind by adding
individual well requirements. Gas lift pressure is a critical design
parameter in gas lift system design. It has a major impact on completion
design (number of valves), well performance (injection depth), system
operating pressure (compressor discharge), and obiviously equipment
specification all of which will have a significant impact on costs.
Compressor are selected on the basis of the necessary suction and
discharge pressure, the required gas delivery rate, mechine duty, and cost.
Discharge pressure should be selected 100-200 psi higher than the
operating injection pressure used in the field to provide the necessary
safety and to cover frictional pressure drops occurring inthe gas line of the
distribution system. Compressor capacity is determind by the gas lift
systems total daily gas injection reguirement.
3.1.3 Distribution Station
In distributing injection gas from kompressor to the well was gotten
by several method sorts, that is:
a. The direct distribution injection
In this system gas from kompressor was distributed directly
to the production well. This system had the weakness that is when the

requirement for gas to respectively the well not be the same so as the
injection was inefficient.

b. The distribution station with the induk pipe

This system was more economical because long the pipe
could be shortened. But because of the well that one was connected
with the other well then if one of the wells was done by the injection of
gas, the other well could be affected.
c. Station distribution with station distribution
This station was very effective so as often was used. Gas
was sent from the central station kompressor to the distribution station
afterwards was divided to wells by using the pipe.
3.1.4 Gathering System
The Gathering system includes the separator, all pipes, storages,
scrubber, and flowmeter. Gas that has been separator from separator
passing the flowmeter to measure the flow rate of gas and then enters low
pressure storage. Then, gas enters the scrubber to prevent any liquids that
might be entrained in the gas before the gas is pressurized by
compressor. A proprerly disign gathering system ensure that the
compressor is supplied with a sufficient amount of gas. If all the wells are
continuous flow, system desifn is simple since there is an uninterrupted
flow of gas to the separator providing ideal operation conditions for the
compressor station. Intermittent wells, however, do not provide a constant
supply of gas into the gathering system because they produce in cycle. In

order to provide a constant flow of gas at the proper pressure to the

compressors suction, the gathering system must have the right amount of
gas storage capacity. The gas storage capacity of gathering system is
properly designed if the gas volume stored in the system covers the
deliverability of the compressor puls the gas used for fuel and losses.
3.1.5 Equipment Control
The efficient gas lifting of any well or group of well can only be
ensured if gas lift is properil distributed to each well i.e gas at the proper
pressure and the right volumetric rate is injectied to the wells.Those
devices situated at the wellhead and taking care of this requirement
constitute the surface gas injection control of the given well. Surface
injection control, in general, invloves the control of the surface injection
pressure (measured at the casing head) as well as of the surface gas
injection rate, and for intermittent wells, the duration and frequencey of
gas injection per day. The different requirements in timing, injection rates,
and injection pressure of different wells (continuous and intetmittent)
necessitate the use of different surface control device. Surface injection
control on the other hand, can be manual semiautomatic, or fully
automatic, but since all versions utilize the same general principles,
manual control will be described in the following.
For any surface control to be efficient, continuous measurement of
pressures and gas surface control to be efficient,continuous measurement
of pressures and gas flow rate are required. This can be ensured by
installing on the well head a two-pen pressure recorder simultaneously

recording casing head and tubingpressures, and meter run to measure

injection rates.
Installation of that devices, therefore, do not only ensure an efficient
surface gas injecttion control (and, consequntly high system efficiency) but
also form the bassis analyzing and troubleshooting og the well operation.
Type of operation needs quite simple surface control, as follow:
a. Choke control
The simplest way to inject a constant gas rate into the well
placed on continuous flow gas lift is to install a fixes / positive choke,
or adjustable choke in the injection line at the well head. The choke is
sized to pass the required injection gas rate at the designed casing
head pressure by installing the proper size of fixed choke or setting
the right size on the adjustable choke. Use of an adjustable choke or
metering valve is recommended since adjustment of choke sizes is
much easier and does not require the interruption of gas flow, which is
the case when using a fixed choke.
b. Regulator control
When the pressure of the surface gas lift system, avaliable at
the wellhead, fluctuates widely a fixed choke passes fluctuating gas
rates into the annulus. Under such conditions, causing a drop in
system efficiency or due to an insufficient gas injection rate, the well
liquid rate will decrease. The effects of widely various line pressures
are usually eliminated by a pressure regulator, which can be
connected with the fixed or adjustable choke.

c. Intermitten control
Besides using choke and regulator, the intermittent gas lift
uses the ijection control method called intermittent or a time cycle
controller. The basicd feature of any intermitter control is that the cyclic
operation is ensured by programming opening and closing of the
surface injection line. Daily cycle number (as well as the duration of
gas injection) can be set on the intermittenter, independently of any
other conduction. The intermitter is an adjustable device controlling to
operation (opening and closing) of a motor valve installed in the gas
ijection line near the wellhead. Intermitter control can be used with any
type of operating gas lift valve, and it is the only solution when a
balanced valve gas lift is used. It is highly recommended for wells with
extremely high or very low daily liquid production rates.
3.2

Sub Surface Equipment

3.2.1 Gas Lift Valve

Equipment under the surface for the operation of gas lift was valve
(the valve) lift gas. Valve-valve this was installed in tubing and functioned
to :
a. Vacated the well from the fluid workover or kill fluid to the fluid
could reach the optimum point inside tubing
b. Arranged the injection current of gas inside tubing, both in the
process unloading (the evacuation of the well) and in the
process of the appointment of the fluid.

Was based on the pressure kind (the pressure casing or the pressure
tubing) that was influential towards the operation valve, then valve lift gas
could be divided into three groups, that is :
a. Casing Pressure Operating Valve
Valve this worked because of the pressure casing and usually
was mentioned "pressure valve" valve this in the position was
closed sensitive (50 100 %) towards the pressure casing and
100 % towards the pressure casing in the situation was open.
This meant to be opened valve was needed by the rise in the
pressure in casing and to close valve was needed by the
existence of the decline in the pressure in casing.
b. Fluid Operated Valve
Valve this worked because of the fluid pressure in tubing. In the
position was closed valve this (50 100 %) was sensitive to the
pressure in tubing and in the position was open 100 % was
sensitive to the pressure in tubing. This was significant valve
will be opened if the pressure in tubing rose and valve will close
when the pressure in tubing descended.
c. Pilot Casing Pressure Operated
Pilot valve is required for intermittent gas lift system that needs
the large size of port, because the volume of gas injection is
more.

d. Thortling Pressure Valve

Valve this was mentioned with valve that proposional or valve
the current continued. In the position was closed valve this be
the same as pressure valve, but if in the position was open,
valve this was sensitive to the pressure in tubing. This means
that to be opened valve was needed by the pressure in casing
and to close valve was needed by the decline in the pressure in
tubing or casing.
3.2.2 Side Pocket Mandrel
The gas lift mandrel is a device installed in the tuning string of a gas
lift well onto or which into a gas lift valve is fitted. The type of mandrel can
be divided into two types:
a. Conventional Mandrel
In conventional gas lift mandrel, the gas lift valve is installed as
the tubing is placed in the wel. Thus, to replace or he valve, the
tubing string must be pulled out.
b. Side Pocket Mandrel
Several types of retrivable mandrels are avaliable, but the must
common is the side pocket mandrel. In the side pocket mandrel,
the gas lift valve is installed and removed by wireline.