Technical Presentations
Session: ISub-Sea, Horizontal Wells / Session Chairs:
Greg Stephenson, Bongo (aka Jim Hall)
Presentation Title: I – 1
NexLift / Company(ies):
Petroleum Technology Company (PTC)
Author(s):
VennligHilsen / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Challenge. Conventional side pocket mandrels (SPM) have inherent challenges related to welding and heat-treatment. These issues are exacerbated when welding nickel-chromium alloys, such as S13%Cr, 25%Cr and Alloy 718, common materials for high cost completions. Challenges caused by manufacturing processes such as welding and post weld heat treatment require stringent and elaborate QA/QC processes.
Solution. Today, SPMs are the only welded loadbearing component in a modern completion string. The elimination of welding brings the SPM to the same structural integrity level as the rest of the machined components in the string. Petroleum Technology Company's (PTC) NexLift(tm) SPM enhances the robustness of the completion string and is the best choice for challenging well applications in which superior strength and enhanced pressure capabilities are required. The API 19G1 qualification assures full compatibility with the gas lift equipment designed and manufactured to API standards.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: I
Sub-Sea, Horizontal Wells / Session Chairs:
Greg Stephenson, Bongo (aka Jim Hall)
Presentation Title: I – 2
Old Ideas Become New Again – A New Approach to the Differential Valve / Weatherford Artificial Lift
Author(s):
Steve Long / Contact Information:
Abstract:
The purpose of this presentation is to explain a new type of differential gas lift valve that will operate with varying injection pressures. Most gas lift valves being used today are injection pressure operated (IPO) gas lift valves, which require a predetermined constant supply of injection gas pressure to operate properly. An operator is faced with the decision of setting the pressure of the valves based on the minimum injection pressure available at all times. Since the depth of injection, and thus the production rate in many cases, is dependent on the injection pressure available, a well operator may be losing out on opportunities to produce a well at a higher production rate when higher injection pressures are available in the field.
Differential valves were some of the first gas lift valves used in gas lift applications. Their simplicity in design and ability to produce a well with varying injection pressure was one of the advantages of using these valves. Some disadvantages of the original differential valve designs were that these valves were somewhat unpredictable and required special attention from field operators to operate properly. Further, higher quantities of differential valves were needed in a completion utilizing differential valves, compared to IPO valves. Although differential valves were used frequently in the early years of gas lift, the IPO valve became the most popular gas lift valve used because of its operational characteristics and advantages over the differential valve. However, as previously stated, the IPO valve pressure settings have to be based on a predetermined constant supply of injection pressure available at all times to operate properly.
Recent needs in the oil and gas industry involving extremely high injection pressures and situations in which the injection pressure may vary in a field operation have led to a reinvestigation of the differential valve design. Weatherford has developed and tested a new type of differential valve based on a different mechanical design that has addressed the disadvantages related to problems with the old differential valve design. By using similar design concepts from a velocity closed type subsurface safety valve, some of the inherent limitations of the old differential valve have been overcome. Weatherford’s new differential valve has been flow tested with positive results to warrant use in the gas lift industry in situations in which the injection pressure may vary in a specific field operation.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: I
Sub-Sea, Horizontal Wells / Session Chairs:
Greg Stephenson, Bongo (aka Jim Hall)
Presentation Title: I – 3
Reducing Intervention Time/Cost During Completion / Company(ies):
Petroleum Technology Company (PTC)
Author(s):
VennligHilsen / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Challenge. When completing new gas lift wells the standard practice is often to install dummy valves in all side pocket mandrels. These dummy valves provide a barrier between the annulus and the tubing during the well completion phase. Before the wells can start producing, the dummy valves need to be replaced with gas lift valves. These intervention operations are often time consuming and costly.
Solution. Petroleum Technology Company's ShearLift-T valve has a unique design, which utilizes the barrier technology from the standard SafeLift. The ShearLift-T valve provides a barrier between the tubing and annulus when installed in a side pocket mandrel. The check valve is held in the closed position by a shear device located in the nose section of the valve. Increasing the tubing to annulus differential pressure, to a predetermined level, shears open all ShearLift-T (IPO & Orifice) valves in the tubing string. This allows communication from annulus to tubing. Costly change out of dummy valves in new completions can be avoided by using ShearLift-T.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: I
Sub-Sea, Horizontal Wells / Session Chairs:
Greg Stephenson, Bongo (aka Jim Hall)
Presentation Title: I – 4
High Pressure Gas-Lift: Is Industry Missing a Potentially Huge Application to Horizontal Oil Wells? / Company(ies):
Encline
Author(s):
Bill Elmer / Contact Information:
Abstract:
The concept of High Pressure Gas-Lift, as written about by Dickens in SPE 14347, has tremendous potential to replace submersible lift as the initial form of artificial lift in horizontal oil wells. Conventional gas lift, long recognized as an excellent method for producing high volumes of solids- laden fluid from deviated wells, underperforms in new horizontal oil wells compared to submersible lift. This is not because gas-lift cannot do the job, but rather that industry has virtually ignored the practice of High Pressure Gas-Lift. Similar to a coil tubing cleanout using high pressure nitrogen, high pressure natural gas can lift large volumes of fluid without the need for gas-lift valves, or with only one gas-lift valve.
The technology and products to do this currently exist. Gas-lift valves rated for 5000 psi operation are available, and compressor cylinders (created relatively recently for CNG application) are also available. Instead of operating a conventional 3 stage wellhead compressor moving gas from 45 psig to 1000 psig, only one additional stage is required to move gas from 45 psig to 4000 psig, as well as only 30% more horsepower. Compressor performance runs to substantiate the application will be presented.
Finally, possible reasons that have caused High Pressure Gas-Lift to be ignored will be proffered, so that they can be mitigated by industry, in order to encourage the acceptance of High Pressure Gas-Lift as an improvement to horizontal oil well operation.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: I
Sub-Sea, Horizontal Wells / Session Chairs:
Greg Stephenson, Bongo (aka Jim Hall)
Presentation Title: I – 5
A Day in the Life of a Gas-Lift Well Analyst / Company(ies):
AppSmiths
Author(s):
Larry Peacock / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Provided with the latest technology, tools, and training, the Gas-Lift Well Analyst can increase their performance and benefit to an organization. The analyst is one of the key links in the day to day operations of a Gas-Lift field and proper emphasis should be placed on the position in any company that strives to get the most out of what they have. If this vital position is ignored, the best intentions of any well managed Gas-Lift field will not be as successful as they should be given just a little focus to the staffing needs, tools and training required in this key role.
Once the position of a Gas-Lift Well Analyst has been established, some key basic guidelines for the role and what it should be responsible for are needed to ensure it is clear what the day to day activities for this staff position are and how they fit into the overall organization.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 1
Fiber Optic Based Gas Lift Surveillance / Company(ies):
Shell Global Solution International B.V.
Author(s):
Gijs Hemink
Murat Kerem / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Gas lift surveillance is one of the areas where fiber optic based Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) may provide value by identifying actual lifting port and/or multi-porting gas lift valves.
Interpreting DTS data acquired in gas lifted oil wells equipped with a clamped fiber optic cable requires understanding of the (subtle) temperature variations that occur due to lift gas injection to correctly assess the status of the valve (lifting, shut, leaking).
A detailed hydraulic and thermal analysis of such a well has been conducted using a transient multiphase flow simulator in order to predict the temperature response of different multi-porting scenarios. The outcome of the modeling work shows that:
- The calculated temperatures for the simulated actual well test are in a very good agreement with the corresponding DTS traces coming from the well. The actual lifting port (orifice valve) is clearly visible in both.
- The calculated multi-porting responses however are different from the temperature variations observed in the DTS traces.
- The simulation results enhanced our current understanding of the thermal behavior in gas lifted oil producers as they showed that the temperature response of multi-porting can be visible on DTS data, but in a different way from what has previously been expected.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 2
Wireless Technologies for Gas Lift Surveillance / Company(ies):
ExxonMobil
Author(s):
Michael Romer / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Wireless sensing devices were installed on an offshore asset to enhance data collection for gas lift surveillance. The successful “permanent” wireless equipment installation led to development of a portable “wireless suitcase”. This presentation will describe the technologies employed, the field trials of the permanent and portable systems, and will discuss how the additional data sources can improve gas-lift optimization activities.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 3
New Approach to Full Field Gas Lift Optimization / Company(ies):
PSE Oil and Gas
Author(s):
Kevin Wade / Contact Information:
Abstract:
The low oil price clearly provides the industry with some challenges and the need to optimize oil production is now more prevalent than ever. A number of software tools already exist on the market that already perform field wide gas lift optimization where the gas lift is a scarce quantity.
However, while these tools clearly improve the oil production by the re-allocation of the lift gas quantity do they fully optimize the field in terms of oil production? The answer is generally no. For example would oil production be improved if a well was switched from manifold A to B or a pipeline routed through riser X rather than riser Y?
Traditional tools can normally only answer these questions by taking the solver and wrapping it inside some outer process that runs through all possible combinations. Even with a relatively small field the number of possible combinations quickly becomes unmanageable to the extent that calculations can take hours or days to complete. Clearly a calculation time of days is unacceptable when the operator is looking to make a quick decision on the operational configuration of a field.
To assist the industry in getting optimal solutions in a timely fashion, PSE has created new optimization technology based on the gPROMS equation based framework. This, not only optimizes the traditional gas lift quantity (and any continuous variable), but can also optimizes discrete decisions like well routing, pipeline routing and well status all within in an acceptable time fame.
Some recent case studies will be presented that highlight the advantages of the PSE approach in terms of improved solution (oil rate or revenue) and speed of solution on a variety of field configurations. As an example a case that involved discrete optimization that took 5½ days to produce an optimal solution with a leading tool takes less than 10 minutes with the new PSE solution. The PSE solution also yields a final solution that improves on the objective function (in this case field revenue) by over $150,000/day.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 4
Automating Gas-Lift Injection Rates / Company(ies):
Emerson Process Management
Author(s):
Sudhir Jain / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Gas-Lift Optimization is a very well versed technic of artificial lift. It is very common to have resource constraint on platforms and onshore in terms of availability of gas and water disposal capacity.
In this presentation, we will discuss how optimization application allocates resources to get maximum return on investment.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 5
Edge-Welded Bellows Technology Including Trade-Offs Between Stroke, Pressure, and Cost and the Differences Between Edge-Welded and Formed Bellows / Company(ies):
Senior Metal Bellows Engineering
Author(s):
Pat Reed / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Edge-welded bellows applications for the oil and gas industry will be presented.
Edge-Welded Bellows Technology
What is an edge-welded bellows?
Materials of construction
Methods of manufacture
Types of edge-welded bellows
3 ripple and other plate shapes
HIPRES bellows
Design considerations
Stroke
Pressure
Cost
Spring rate
Temperature
Differences between edge-welded and formed bellows
Stroke
Cost
Edge-Welded Bellows Assemblies for Oil and Gas
Many challenging problems can be solved using higher level assemblies that incorporate an edge-welded bellows. Quite often bellows can be combined in unique ways and coupled with other technologies to create novel, hermetically sealed, all metal solutions to challenging pressure, temperature, leakage and reliability issues. These include automatic thermal actuators, valves, and switches; maintenance-free accumulators and pressure surge dampers; bellows compressors and pumps; and many more.
Notes:
2016 Gas-Lift Workshop
Technical Presentations
Session: 2
New Gas-Lift Technology, Design, Automation / Session Chairs:
Eric Lovie, Mike Johnson
Presentation Title: 2 – 6
An Overview of Positive Displacement Scroll Technology for Oil and Gas Applications / Company(ies):
Air Squared, Inc.
Author(s):
Bryce Shaffer, Andrew Morton / Contact Information:
Abstract:
Positive displacement oil-free scroll technology offers significant advantages over traditional positive displacement compression and expansion devices. The smooth rotary motion of the device lends itself to lower vibration and nose, a compact size and high reliability due to the low part count. Until recently, most specialized applications for oil-free scrolls have been in aerospace due to their low size and weight, medical due to their low vibration and noise, and fuel cells due to their compact size and high reliability. Historically, oil and gas applications have been considered outside the capability of scrolls. The high pressure requirement in some oil and gas applications have been monopolized by reciprocating compressors. Air Squared has successfully built and tested a high pressure oil-free scroll compressor for a natural gas application. Preliminary testing has proved that the pressure capabilities of the scroll can be pushed to accommodate certain oil and gas applications.