Gas Lift Intro

®
Introduction to the
CONTINUOUS FLOW
GAS LIFT
SEMINAR
Ken
Ken Hilse
Hilse
Sr.
Sr. Applications
Applications Engineer
Engineer
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Historical Profile
®
l EVI Oil Tools

l MCMURRY MACCO l Daniel Oil Tools
l Macco Oil Tools l Johnson Manufacturing Inc.
l McMurry Oil Tools l Production Specialties Inc.

Gas Lift Presentation ®
®
Weatherford Artificial Lift
Types of Lift
l Electric submersible pump
l Hydraulic Lift
l Progressive Cavity Pump
l Rod Lift
l Plunger Lift
l Gas lift

Introduction
®
Most wells completed in oil producing sands will flow naturally

for some period of time after they begin producing. Reservoir
pressure and formation gas provide enough energy to bring fluid
to the surface in a flowing well.
As the well produces, this energy is consumed and at some point
there is no longer enough energy available to bring the fluid to
the surface and the well ceases to flow.

Introduction Continued
®
When the reservoir energy is too low for the well to flow, or the
production rate desired is greater than the reservoir energy can
deliver, it becomes necessary to put the well on some kind of
artificial lift to provide the energy to bring the fluids to the surface.
There are two basic methods of providing this energy.
l Pumping
l Gas Lift

Gas Lift Introduction
®
Gas lift is a method of artificial lift whereby relative high-

pressure gas is injected into a fluid column to reduce the
density of the fluid from the point of gas injection to the surface.
The injection gas supplements the formation gas and lightens

the flowing pressure traverse above the point of injection. This
allows a lower reservoir pressure to lift the fluids to the surface.

Gas Lift Presentation ®
®
Artificial lift purpose
The purpose is to decrease the pressure at

the reservoir thereby increasing the
production rate.

®

Methods of Gas Lift ®

Continuous Flow
Gas Lift
®
In continuous flow gas lift, high-pressure gas is metered into the

fluid string continuously.
Continuous flow is applied to wells that have reservoir pressure

high enough to support a relative high fluid column and are
capable of rates of 200 to 60,000 TBFPD.

®

®

Intermittent Flow
Gas Lift
®
Lift dynamics are cyclic in intermittent lift. Relatively high-

pressure gas is injected into a fluid column in a well and the
fluid is displaced to the surface in a slug or piston form. Gas is
injected until the slug reaches the surface and then the gas
injection ceases.
At this time, the well pressure is allowed to bleed down and

stabilize. Fluid enters the wellbore. When a sufficient column of
fluid has accumulated in the well, the cycle is repeated.
Intermittent lift is used in wells producing relatively low

producing rates, usually less than 200 TBFPD.

GAS LIFT APPLICATIONS ®
lContinuous or intermittent flow

l Tubing and casing flow
Wells where pressurized injection gas

is readily available
l Wells with insufficient bottom hole pressures
or deep wells that can’t flow against the
hydrostatic head
l Increase production from flowing wells
l Kick off wells that will flow naturally once

the heavier completion fluids are vacated
from the production spring
l Unload water from gas wells that would
otherwise prevent gas production

®

Gas Lift System ®
Application Considerations
Typical Range Maximum*
Operating
Depth 5,000 -10,000’ TVD 15,000’ TVD
Injection Operating
Gas In
Produced Volume 100 - 10,000 BPD 30,000 BPD
Hydrocarbons
Out Operating
Temperature 100 - 250° F 400° F
Wellbore 0- 50° 70°
Side Pocket Deviation Short to
Mandrel with Medium
Gas Lift Valve Radius
Side Pocket Corrosion Handling Good to Excellent with
Mandrel with Upgraded Materials
Gas Lift Valve
Gas Handling Excellent
Side Pocket Solids Handling Good
Mandrel with
Gas Lift Valve
Fluid Gravity Best in >15° API
Servicing Wireline or Workover Rig
Completion Prime Mover Type Compressor
Single Fluid
Production *Special Offshore Application Excellent
Packer Analysis
Required System Efficiency 10% - 30%

®
Injection
Gas In Produced
Gas Lift
Hydrocarbons
Out
System Advantages
Side Pocket S High Degree of Flexibility and
Mandrel with Design Rates
Gas Lift Valve
Side Pocket S Wireline Retrievable

Mandrel with
Gas Lift Valve S Handles Sandy Conditions Well
S Allows For Full Bore Tubing Drift
Side Pocket
Mandrel with
S Surface Wellhead Equipment
Gas Lift Valve
Requires Minimal Space
Completion S Multi-Well Production From
Fluid
Single Production
Single Compressor
Packer
S Multiple or Slimhole Completion

GAS LIFT SYSTEM ADVANTAGES ®
•Proven method
•Cost of downhole equipment low
•Can be installed and serviced without workover
•Flexible to changes in operating conditions
•Unaffected by scale and asphaltenes
•OK for deviated wells
•Allows downhole chemical injection
•OK in hot wells
•Can use compressors designed for other use
•Tolerates high GOR
GAS LIFT SYSTEM LIMITATIONS ®
•More gas to handle

•Gas supply needed
•May be slow to start up after shutdown
•Gas supply flowline needed to each well
•Tubing, casing and wellhead design should withstand high
pressure gas
•Safety hazard
•Hydrates
•Drawdown less than ESPs
•Valve interference; heading
GAS LIFT SYSTEM LIMITATIONS ®
l One well leases may be uneconomical

l Fluid viscosity
l Bottomhole pressure
l High back-pressure

Gas Lift Products
®
l Gas Lift Valves

l Mandrels
l Latches
l Kickover Tools
l Chemical Injection
l Waterflood Injection
l Special Applications
- Packoffs
- Coiled Tubing
- Corrosion Monitoring Refer to specific product
sections for detailed
information

Quality Programs
®
• Licensed under API 11V1-

“Specifications for Gas Lift
Equipment”
• Licensed ISO-9001
• API Q-1 Quality Specifications
• ASME Boiler Code Quality
Specifications
• Total Quality Management
Training
API 11V1 - Specification for
Gas Lift Equipment
®
l Licensed in 1992- second company in the world to receive this

license
l Successfully passed additional API audits since initial licesned
l Quality Elements Included:
– Welding qualifications/controls per ASME SEC IX
– Material certification/ metallurgy/heat treating
– Testing, calibration, and certification
– Critical tolerance dimensions
– Record keeping and documentation

Customer Audits
®
Successful audits by many major oil and service

companies such as:
l British Petroleum
l Marathon Oil Company
l Shell Oil Company
l Texaco Inc.
l Amerada Hess
l Petro Canada
l Exxon USA
l Baker Oil Tools
l Halliburton

Gas Lift Presentation ® ®
Terminology
ARTIFICIAL
ARTIFICIALLIFT
LIFTSYSTEMS
SYSTEMS
®

®

®

®

®

®


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ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

l EVI Oil Tools

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Weatherford Artificial Lift

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Most wells completed in oil producing sands will flow naturally

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Gas lift is a method of artificial lift whereby relative high-

The injection gas supplements the formation gas and lightens

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Artificial lift purpose

The purpose is to decrease the pressure at

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

In continuous flow gas lift, high-pressure gas is metered into the

Continuous flow is applied to wells that have reservoir pressure

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Lift dynamics are cyclic in intermittent lift. Relatively high-

At this time, the well pressure is allowed to bleed down and

Intermittent lift is used in wells producing relatively low

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

lContinuous or intermittent flow

Wells where pressurized injection gas

l Kick off wells that will flow naturally once

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Side Pocket S Wireline Retrievable

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

•More gas to handle

l One well leases may be uneconomical

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

l Gas Lift Valves

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

• Licensed under API 11V1-

l Licensed in 1992- second company in the world to receive this

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

Successful audits by many major oil and service

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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