gas well deliquification

[bygoirish05]

I'm performing a parametric study on artificial lift for very low liquid rates and high head (3 BPD and 10000' of head). My search is driven by our gas wells in Wamsutter, Wyoming, where we have many lower-end producing wells that exhibit these characteristics. Considering the small amount of liquid we'd remove daily I'd like to keep power consumption to a minimum. Under 20 HP would be ideal. I also want to be able to kick the well, so I'd prefer to put energy into the well.

I am looking at 200 wells ranging in gas production from 30 - 200 mcfd with 3.5 in. and 4.5 in. casings. I've got tight rock with a fairly decent BHP. If you could offer some suggestions or give me any leads, it would be greatly appreciated.

Brian

 

[quadtracker]

Have you thought of a plunger lift system to unload your liquids in the well bore? They work by shuting-in the well for a limited amount of time to allow a plunger to drop to the bottom of the well. Then pending how many trips per hour/day you set the timer, the plunger comes to surface with bottom hole pressure, thus bringing up the liquids which then flows to surface and into the pipeline or surface separator. They are used quite often when the bottom hole pressure drops and the gas velocity up the tubing is not enough to lift the liquids. Plunger lift systems can be installed downhole with a wireline crew and surface controls in less than a day two at the most. Power requirements are basically nil, you only need battery power (with a small solar panel for recharge if you want)to operate the timer, you can use a surface flowline pneumatic control valve to open and shut-in the well. There is a device that threads on to the top of the wellhead to capture the plunger each trip.

 

[bygoirish05]

Yeah, We are currently using plungers, soap, coil, tubing flow control, and two-piece plungers. I am looking for a way to add energy to the well. Is anyone using gas assisted plunger lift?

 

[quadtracker]

I heard of a downhole pump, put in reverse position, that would pump liquids (salt water)from the production tubing into another non-production zone separated by a packer. The pump was controlled by a vfd at surface, as the gas flow rate dropped off, the pump speed is increased and visa versa. Because the pump is downhole, a small pump is only required because no fluid lifting is done. The gas just flows around the pump to surface. Would something like this work for you?

 

[zdas04]

Quadtracker,
These pumps are available in rod pumps, jet pumps, and ESP's (I haven't heard of anyone doing it in a PCP yet, but that may just be that I haven't heard). Folks are reporting good success with them.

The biggest problem is getting a legal disposal zone below the formation. The Wamsutter wells are already pretty deep for the amount of gas they produce, and the economics of deepening them further might be on the wrong side of marginal.

David

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

http://www.muleshoe-eng.com

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[koma72]

Gents,
we have a gas field with a quite active aquifer. Currently we try to produce out of it using PCP. Unfortunately we failed twice. The first time the PCP broke after 2 weeks operation and the second time after 4 hours. The first time, the explanation that we got from the vendor, was that the elastomer and the rotor were selected wrongly. This time I don’t know what is going to be their excuse. Dose anybody know a proper vendor with big experience in gas well deliquification using PCPs (preferable in Europe) ?

 

[bygoirish05]

koma72,
I have spoken with several companies, but I do not have experience with their PCP's. This is not an endorsement, merely a starting point. Here are a few vendors (in no particular order).

Kudu Industries Inc.
Can-K Artificial Lift Systems, Inc.
Centrilift

Regards,
Brian

 

[JAFCO]

Bygoirish

Your 10000' 3BPD wells maybe viable rod pump candidates. Use of a small bore pump reduces the fluid load, coupled with pumpoff control.

Also might consider reciprocating hydrulic pumps, thought the low volume does tend to make them non efficent.

Gas lift might help the plunger operation, but another option might be to set a Checkvalve above your perforations, produce the gas up the annulus, and depending on your productivity, use high pressure gas to "blow" liquid out the tubing once a day - kind of a poor boy gas lift.