Accutant Solutions
Houston, TX, USA
1-3 Days

Gas-Lift Optimization in Unconventional Assets

  • Synopsis
  • Course Details

Most all oil and gas wells require artificial lift at some point and for most of the life cycle to achieve production objectives. There are at least eight forms of artificial lift technologies available in the market. Each lift system’s applicability often overlaps with other lift system(s) and it is important to understand positioning and strength of a particular lift form. Unlike mechanical forms of lift methods, gas-lift performance relies heavily on understanding interdependency between reservoir, wellbore and surface installations.

Gas-lift is one of the predominant forms of artificial lift used for lifting liquids from conventional, unconventional, onshore and offshore assets. Gas-lift and its various forms (intermittent lift, gas-assisted plunger lift) allows life of well lift-possibilities when selected and applied properly. This course is designed to give trainees thorough understanding of gas-lift technology and related application concepts in unconventional and tight oil and gas wells. Related production optimization topics are also discussed.

Knowledge Takeways

This course focuses on gas-lift applications and related system analysis (often called NODAL analysis) concepts. While providing instructions at intermediate level the training will arm attendees with sufficient details to participate in informative decision-making process. Followings are the main objectives:

  • Provide a thorough introduction about the theory of gas lift,
  • Demonstrate the advantages and limitations of gas-lift systems,
  • Acquaint the student with system evaluation, design, installation, operation concepts.
  • Why gas-lift is important for unconventional production and what does it compete against?
  • Components and application envelope for gas-lift
  • Forms of gas-lift applied successfully in unconventional fields.
  • Production Optimization of gas-lift installations.

Who should attend?

  • Production, reservoir, completion, drilling and facilities engineers
  • Anyone interested in learning about application of gas-lift systems for unconventional reservoirs.

Course level:

  • Beginner to Intermediate

Course contents

  1. Introduction
    • Artificial Lift: When / Why / What of Lift Mechanisms; Types
    • How Gas-lift is same and different from other lift forms. Relative market position.
  2. Well Performance: Review of Fundamentals
    • Systems/NODAL Analysis
    • Reservoir Performance: Productivity Index & Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR)
    • PVT Analysis
    • Multiphase Flow
      • Flow Correlations & Mechanistic models; Flow Regimes/maps
      • Pressure Gradient Curves
      • VLP: Vertical Lift Performance
  3. Gas-Lift
    • Types; Application; Advantages, Limitations
    • Equipment: Downhole & Surface
    • Gas-Lift production rate & well evaluation basics: Operating Point Analysis
  4. Gas-Lift Valve Mechanics
    • Valve Classifications: IPO, PPO, Pilot, Dummy
    • Continuous Flow Unloading Sequence
    • Force Balance Theory for IPO & PPO Valves
    • Importance of True Valve Performance
  5. Gas-Lift Installation Design
    • Overview of IPO design methodology; Valve Spacing & Valve Sizing
    • Design & Optimization
  6. Artificial Lift lifecycle and What comes next in unconventional well’s life cycle.
  7. Intermittent gas-lift basics & overview of design
  8. Plunger lift & Gas-assisted Plunger lift
  9. Injection Infrastructure: Compression & sizing
  10. Single Well Optimization Concepts
  11. Digital oilfield concepts applicable to gas-lift