2003 Spring Gas-Lift Workshoppage 1

2003 Spring Gas-Lift WorkshopPage 1

Increase Efficiency of Intermittent Gas-lift Wells by Use of Plunger Lift

Stojanović Slavoljub

Predrag Radanović

NIS-NAFTAGAS

Abstract

Gas lift method (continual and intermittent) has been the most widely applied recovery method, and of the number of wells, almost 70% have been recovered by this method. In the initial phase, immediately after the flowing period, continual gas lift was applied, but is the time went by, because of a change of conditions in a reservoir (reservoir pressure draw down, water content increase, near well zone damage, fluid inflow decrease), the continual gas lift method became inefficient because of a permanent increase of specific gas consumption (from 250m3/m3 to 1100m3/m3). A detailed analysis has been performed afterwards, and the continual gas lift method was replaced with the intermittent on more than 70% of the wells. The intention was to decrease gas consumption and increase the total energy efficiency of the system. The realized results, after the intermittent gas-lift method had been applied, appeared to be good for economical work of the system. As the reservoir conditions kept changing, the intermittent gas lift system has reached the phase of no optimal performance from the point of view of hydrodynamic conditions in the wells and in the injection system, and from the standpoint of energy, the system has reached the phase of performing in inefficient and uneconomic manner.

In process of finding a solution of high specific gas consumption and non-efficiency of an intermittent gas-lift, because of the increased fall back, we tried with use of a Plunger lift. This paper discusses the use of a plunger lift in wells where intermittent gas lift has been applied.

An analysis has been shower of a Plunger lift both before and after its usage.

Key words: Gas lift, Intermittent, Optimization

Biography: Slavoljub Stojanović, B.Sc. Petroleum Engineering

Artificial Lift & Well Completion Engineer

• Artificial lift design (gas lift - continuous, intermittent and plunger and sucker rod). The design of artificial lifts methods for the wells on field with sucker rod and gas lift.
• Workover and Stimulation Study, Recommendations and Decisions. I write programs for workover jobs based on detailed analysis of a problematic well for future activities of artificial lift wells.
• Application of plunger lift in low productivity oil wells equipped with intermittent gas lift and plunger lift in oil wells with high GOR.
• Give recommendation and finally decision for further activities such as workover (re-perforation, additional perforation, gas lift re-design or design together with completion in case (injection gas rate, gas lift valves re-testing, etc),

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION:

Yugoslavia, Novi Sad, BELGRADE UNIVERSITY – Dr. Mišo Soleša

• Nodal System Analysis - Production Optimization for Oil and Gas Wells
• Artificial Lift Methods with Special Emphasize to Sucker Rod Pump and Gas lift
• Well Problem Diagnosis Related to Solving Practical Problems
• Well Stimulation Techniques and Workover Operation
• Well Problem Analysis in Production Engineering

Yugoslavia, Novi Sad,– Nicolas Morlino, petroleum Engineer, Baker Jardine, Schlumberger

• Training Course PIPESIM 2000, Well performance analysis+ Pipeline and Facilities Analysis (including OLGA and Two Phases Compositional), Network Analysis, Production Optimization ( Goal)