Training

Gas Lift Design & Optimization using NODAL Analysis

• 5 days in person
• 40 hours virtual
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Synopsis

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) allow life-of-well lift possibilities when selected and applied properly. This course is designed to give trainees a thorough understanding of gas-lift technology and related application concepts. The course covers main components, application envelope, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of gas-lift and its different forms, such as intermittent lift and gas-assisted plunger lift. Trainees solve examples and class problems throughout the course. Animations and videos reinforce the concepts under discussion. A unique feature of this course is the discussion on digital oil field and machine learning applications in gas-lift optimization. PROSPER or SNAP and QROD software packages are used to demonstrate the effective use of NODAL analysis.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the fundamental theories and procedures related to gas-lift operations.
• Easily recognize the different components of the gas-lift system and their basic structural and operational features.
• Be able to design a gas-lift installation.
• Understand how digital oilfield tools help address ESP challenges.
• Recent advances in real-time approaches to production monitoring and lift management.

Who should attend

• Production, reservoir, completion, drilling and facilities engineers, analysts, and operators
• Anyone interested in learning about implications of gas-lift systems for their fields and reservoirs.

Prerequisites

• Understanding of petroleum production concepts.

Course outline

Day 1

• Pre-test
• Introduction to Artificial Lift: When / Why / What of Lift Mechanisms; Types
• How gas-lift is the same as and different from other lift forms
• Well life cycles and gas-lift applicability vis-a-vis other lift methods
• 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

Day 2: Gas-Lift

• Gas Lift Installation Types
• Tubing Flow Installations
  • Open Installation
  • Semi-Closed Installation
  • Closed Installation
  • Chamber Installations
• Casing Flow and Other Installations
• Gas Lift Valves
  • Gas Lift Valve Types
  • Supporting Calculations
  • Valve Construction Details
  • Valve Mechanics of IPO Valves (Class Problems)
  • Dynamic Performance of Gas Lift Valves
  • Setting of Gas Lift Valves
  • Application of Gas Lift Valves
  • Running and Retrieving Gas Lift Valves
• Continuous Flow Gas Lifting
  • Principles of Continuous Flow Gas Lifting

Day 3: Continuous Flow Designs

• Continuous Flow Gas Lifting
  • Principles of Continuous Flow Gas Lifting
  • Installation Design Calculations (Class Problems)
  • The Effects of Operational Parameters
  • Surface Gas Injection Control
• NODAL Analysis of Continuous Flow Gas Lifted Wells
  • Description of System Performance
  • Constant Wellhead Pressure Cases (Class Problems)
    • Unlimited & Limited Lift Gas Availability
    • The Equilibrium Curve Method (Class Problem)
  • Variable Wellhead Pressure Cases
  • System Stability
• Optimization of Continuous Flow Gas Lift Installations
  • Basic Principles
  • Optimization of a Single Well for Prescribed Liquid Rate
    • Existing Compressor (Class Problem)
    • Compressor to be Selected
  • Single-Well Optimization for Unlimited Rate
    • The Economic Slope Method
  • Allocation of Lift Gas to a Group of Wells
    • The Equal Slope Method (Class Problem)
• CASE STUDY: Optimizing the Operating Conditions in a Major Gas-Lifted Field

Day 4: Unloading, Intermittent and Troubleshooting

• Unloading Design for Continuous Flow
  • Unloading Valve String Design
  • Valve String Designs (Class Problem)
• VIDEO Presentation: The Unloading Process
• Intermittent gas-lift basics & overview of design
  • Plunger Assisted Gas-lift & Gas-assisted Plunger Lift
• Analysis and Troubleshooting of Continuous Flow Gas Lift Wells
  • Troubleshooting Tools and their Use
  • Two-Pen Pressure Recordings
  • Downhole Pressure and Temperature Surveys
  • Acoustic Surveys
• Common Gas Lift Malfunctions
  • Downhole Problems
  • Distribution and Gathering System Problems

Day 5: Unconventional and Digital Transformation

• Gas Lift Application in Unconventional Production
• Digital Oil Field for Production Optimization
  • Production Optimization and Digital Oil Field (DOF)
  • Available Technologies
  • Downhole P/T Measurement Components
  • Surface Flow Measurement Components
  • Role of software in visualization, analysis and surveillance
• Brief discussion on use cases for data analytics
• Post-test

Formats and customization

• In person: 5 days. Virtual: spread over 40 hours of sessions.
• The course is customizable from one to five days in length for a variety of audiences at appropriate skill and knowledge levels. A concise curriculum is available for project and asset managers interested in expanding their understanding of the effects of artificial lift on the performance of their assets.
• Software: PROSPER or SNAP and QROD are used to demonstrate the effective use of NODAL analysis.
• Option: the client’s real-time system-based workflows and examples can be incorporated in the class discussions. This requires two days of consulting and access to the client system at least 4 weeks before the class.

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