®

Gas Lift
Introduction,
Surveillance and
Troubleshooting

by

WAHYU KURNIAWAN
GAS LIFT ENGINEER

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Gas Lift Course Agenda ®

GAS LIFT INTRODUCTION, SURVEILLANCE &

TROUBLESHOOTING AGENDA
FIRST DAY

ICE BREAKING & PRETEST 07:00 - 07:15

GAS LIFT INTRODUCTION 07.15 - 08.30
GAS LIFT EQUIPMENT 08.30 - 09.00
COFFEE BREAK 09.00 - 09.30
LIQUID FUNDAMENTAL 09.30 – 10.15
GAS LIFT DESIGNING 10.15 – 12.00
LUNCH TIME 12.00 – 13.00
GAS LIFT DESIGNING (CONTINUE) 13.00 – 14.15
GAS LIFT MONITORING 14.15 – 14.45
GAS LIFT PROBLEM & TROUBLESHOOTING 14.45 - 15.45
POST TEST 15.45 - 16.00

SECOND DAY

GAS LIFT PRACTISE 07.00 – 12.00

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Objective: ®

 Getting better understanding on gas

lift system
 Knowing how the system work
 Knowing the valve’s position
 Knowing how to unload and start up
the well
 Getting the fine tuning skill
 Getting the troubleshooting skill
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Company Evolution ®

1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998

Rotaflex, Griffin
Couplings, Legrand ESPI
& Sargent FPP &
McMurry-Macco
SuckerRods
Highland
Pump PSI Ampscot

Highland EVI
Pump Oil Tools
Weatherford
Taro
Anbert Tieben
Leamco Corod BMW
Geremia
Ruthco Johnson Trico American

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Review ®

 Gas Lift Job

 Reservoir Geology
 Gas Lift Systems

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Gas Lift Shop Job ®

Workshop Job
Setting Pressure

Field Job
Office Job W/L Job
Data Gathering Unloading
Designing Prod. Test

Troubleshooting
Prod. Monitor.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Work Shop Job ®

Main Results of Work Shop Job :

1) Select Valve Type and Valve Brand to be setting
pressure.
2) Select Port Size based on design.

3) Perform Setting Pressure Valve required.

4) Record setting Pressure of each valve.

5) Record the depth of each valve .
6) Record The date of setting pressure.
7) Record if the set is new or redress valve.
8) Record P/N and S/N valve set.
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Work Shop Tools ®

Main Work Shop Tools :

1) GLV Test Bench both of Casing Operated
and
Tubing Valve for 1” & 1-1/2 “ VLV.
2) Temperature Gauges .
3) Lapping Equipment and Dimon Compound.
4) Aging Assembly ( Hydrostatic Pressure ).
5) Nitrogen Gas as Pressure Sources.
6) GLV Wrenches for 1-1/2 “ and 1 “ OD Valve
7) Cooling Bath ( if needed ) Or Temp. table
conversion to 60 deg F. And;
8) Work Shop standard tools
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Reservoir Geology ®

1) Water Drive (25%-50% efficiency

of recovery), high reservoir
pressure.
2) Gas Cap fair reservoir pressure
(25%-50% efficiency of Recovery),
3) Solution Gas Drive (15%-25%
Efficiency of Recovery)
4) Combinations .

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Natural Flow ®

Most wells completed in oil producing

sands will flow naturally for some
period of time. Reservoir pressure
provides enough energy and formation
gas reduces energy required to bring
fluid to the surface.
As the well produces, reservoir energy
is consumed and at some point there is
no longer enough energy to bring fluid
to the surface. The well ceases to flow.
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Methods of Artificial Lift ®

When the reservoir energy is too low

for the well to flow naturally, or the
production rate is less than desired, it
becomes necessary to put the well on
some kind of artificial lift.
There are two basic methods of
providing this energy.
 Pumping
 Gas Lift
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Gas Lift as Artificial Lift
®

Gas lift is an artificial lift method where

high pressure gas is injected into the
fluid column to reduce the density or
total weight of the fluid.
The injection gas supplements the
formation gas to lighten the fluid column
above the point of injection. This allows
a lower reservoir pressure to lift well
fluids to the surface.
The objective is to decrease well fluid
pressure, or weight at the reservoir
thereby increasing production. ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
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Gas Lift Process ®

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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 ®

Wing/
Master FL
Gas Header Valve Choke

Casing
Choke
COMP.
Prod.
Valve
Header

Tubing

Casing

GLV

Packer
Perforation

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Effects of Injected Gas ®

Bubble

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Natural Flow .vs. Gas Lift ®

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Types of Gas Lift ®

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Gas Lift Configurations ®

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Continuous Gas Lift ®

Lift is continuous, high pressure gas is

metered into the production tubing
continuously.

Continuous gas lift is applied to wells

that have reservoir pressure high
enough to support a relative high fluid
column and are capable of rates of 100
to 60,000 TBFPD.
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Intermittent Gas Lift ®

Lift is cyclic in intermittent lift. Relatively

high pressure, low volume gas is injected
under the fluid column. The fluid is displaced
to the surface in a slug or piston form. Gas is
injected until the slug reaches the surface
and then the ceases.
The ‘unloaded’ well continues to flow. All the
while fluid enters the well bore and
accumulates and lift stops. When a sufficient
column of fluid has accumulated in the well,
the injection cycle is repeated.
Intermittent lift is used in wells producing
relatively low producing rates, usually less
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
than 300 Bfpd. © Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Comparisons of Continuous
Flow and Intermittent Flow
®

CONDITION CONTINUOUS FLOW INTERMITTENT FLOW

Production Rate (Ql, blpd) 100 – 75,000 Up to 500

Static BHP (SBHP, Psi) Higher than 0.3 Psi/ft Lower than 0.3 Psi/ft

Flowing BHP (FBHP, Psi) Higher than 0.8 Psi/ft 150 Psi and Higher
Ratio of Injection (Ri,
50 to 250/1000 ft of lift 250 to 300/1000 ft of lift
scf/bbl)
Req. Injection Pressure More than 100 Psi/1000 ft Less than 100 Psi/1000 ft of
(CHP, Psi) of lift lift
Gas Injection Rate (Qg,
Larger Volumes Smaller Volumes
Mscf/day)

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Gas Lift Applications ®

 Wells with insufficient reservoir

pressure to
flow naturally
 Increase production from flowing
wells
 Kick off wells that will flow naturally
once
the heavier completion fluids are
vacated
from the production spring
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
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Gas Lift System Application
Considerations ®

Typical Range Maximum*

Operating
Depth to 10,000’ TVD 15,000’ TVD
Injection
Gas In Produced Operating
Hydrocarbons Volume 100 - 10,000 BPD 30,000 BPD
Out
Operating
Temperature to 250° F 400° F
Side Pocket
Wellbore to 50° 70°
Mandrel with
Gas Lift Valve
Deviation Short to
Side Pocket
Medium
Mandrel with
Radius
Gas Lift Valve Corrosion Handling Good, Excellent with
Side Pocket
CRA Materials
Mandrel with Gas Handling Excellent
Gas Lift Valve
Solids Handling Good
Completio
n
Single Fluid Gravity Best in >15° API
Fluid
Production *Special
Analysis Servicing Slickline or Workover Rig
Packer
Require
d Prime Mover Type Compressor
Offshore Application Excellent
System Efficiency 10% - 30%

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Gas Lift
System Advantages ®

 High Degree of Flexibility

Injection
and
Gas In Produced
Hydrocarbons
Design Rates
Out
 Slickline Retrievable
Side Pocket
Mandrel with
 Handles Sandy Condition
Side Pocket
Gas Lift Valve
Well
Mandrel with
Gas Lift Valve  Allows For Full Bore Tubing
Side Pocket
Mandrel with
Gas Lift Valve
Drift
Completion  Surface Wellhead Equipment
Fluid
Single Production
Packer
Requires Minimal Space
 Multi-Well Production From
Single Compressor
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
 Multiple or Slimhole © Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Gas Lift Systems ®

Limitations
 Need high pressure gas well or
compressor
 One well leases may be uneconomical
 High Fluid Viscosity
 Needs certain Bottom Hole Pressure
 High Back Pressure

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
 ®

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.