De Liquification

Low Pressure Gas Well Deliverability Issues: Common Loading Causes, Diagnostics and Effective Deliquification Practices
George E. King
Brownfields: Optimizing Mature Assets Conference, September 19-20, 2005, Denver, Colorado.
www.GEKEngineering.com 1
What Technology Will Drive Deliquification? Technology Cost, price?
Life Cycle of a Gas Well

May Add Energy to System
Whats New?
US Mature Well Base (2001)

880,000 producing or temporarily abandoned wells 320,000 gas wells (many at 5 to 15 mcf/d) Vast majority of these wells are low pressure and low rate.
www.GEKEngineering.com
Gas Wells: Two Facts

Potential: Very long life in some cases 30 to over 70 years and large recovery for every extra 10 psi drawdown. Challenge: Liquid loading from condensed or connate fluids will kill or sharply reduce the production.
Example: Oklahoma Gas Wells

Oklahoma Gas Production Per Well
Gas Production Per Well mcf/d
Average Flow Per Well
250 200 150 100 50 0 1992
32,672 producing gas wells in 2001
1994 1996 1998 www.GEKEngineering.com
2000
Tubing Performance - Vertical

Oil Well
gas, oil and water
Gas Well
Water vapor condenses as gas rises and expands. Water must be removed to allow the well to flow. Water that builds up holds a backpressure on the formation.
gas and liquid
DT
oil, water and gas
oil
gas
6
Turner Unloading Rate, Water For pressures > 1000 psi

3000 2500
4.5" (3.958" ID) 3.5" (2.992" ID) 2.875" (2.441" ID) 2.375" (1.995" ID) 2.0675" (1.751" ID)
Gas Rate (mscf/d)
2000 1500 1000 500 0 0
100
200
300
400
500
7
Flowing Pressure, psi

Source J. Lea, Texas Tech, Turner Correlations.
Minimum Critical Velocities

Turner and Coleman Equations Estimate minimum gas flow velocity needed to lift water droplets out of well. If flow velocity below critical, then water droplets fall / build up in bottom of well. The well may or may not cease to flow but production will be decreased.
Small Gas Well Example Lift Progression 2-3/8 Tubing

Flow and Lift - 2-3/8" Tubing
2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 0 20
Gas Flow Rate, MSCFD
Flow to here
then plunger then ?
40
60
80
100
9 Source Bryan Dotson
www.GEKEngineering.com Percent of Well Life
Well have to put energy into the well:

Pump Power
(assum es 50% Efficiency and 200 psid friction drop)
9 8 7 1000' depth 5000' depth 10000' depth
Pump HP
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 5 10 25 50 100 150 200 BPD of Water

Low Pow er is 1-10 HP. Micro Pow er is less than 2 HP.
10
How Much Can We Pay?

$300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 $0 10 50 100 200 $15,000 $70,000
If plungers get us to 50 MSCFD, we cant afford too much..
$280,000
$140,000
Incremental M SCFD
System Requirements

Low initial cost. Reasonable life: 3-5 years; more is better. Low cost energy. Handle gas gracefully. Automatic pump-off control.
180F to 280F, to 12000 feet. Handle solids and paraffin well. Resistant to CO2 and H2S corrosion. Works in highly deviated wells. Acid-resistant. www.GEKEngineering.com Resistant to scale formation.
12
Monobore High Packer
Liner and & Gap
Long Monobore & Tail Pipe
Small Tail Pipe
Tapered String and Restrictions V6 V5 V4
The design of the well bore can alter the velocity. Where is critical rate calculated? Multiple velocity calculations are needed with gas in compressed state.
V2
V3
V3 V1+
V3
V2 V2
V2 V1
13
V1
V1
V1
Gas Bubble Growth With Rise In A Water Column

292 cm3 surface 14.7 psi (1 bar)
2 cm3
5000 ft (1524m)
2150 psi (146 bar)
1 cm3
10000 ft (3049m)
4300 psi (292 bar)
Gas column is different gas is low density at the top of a column and higher density at bottom so although rate is www.GEKEngineering.com 14 constant, velocity is not.
52887040.ppt
Liquids in Gas Wells

Gas phase condensing to a liquid
Water several bbls/mmcf, unusually fresh Condensate can be much higher volume
Connate Water
Usually saltier than condensing water Often stays in bottom of the well.
15
Where is Critical Rate Calculated? Surface or Bottom Hole?

Pres: Temp: Tbg: Rate: 400# 60 deg F 1 CT 200 mscfd
Wellhead Critical Rate:
180 mscfd
10,000 1 CT
Pres: Temp:
900# 200 deg F
Bottom of Tubing Critical Rate: 220 mscfd
10,500 3 Csg to Perfs

Pres: Temp: 1100# Casing www.GEKEngineering.com 200 deg F Critical Rate:
1500 mscfd
16
Water Content of Wet Gas

10000.00 1000.00
Pressure
14.7 100 200 500 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
STB/MMscf
100.00 10.00 1.00 0.10 0.01 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Temperature (deg F)
How much potential water condensation are we facing?
Condensation Drivers
Loss of temperature
Gas condenses to liquid phase
Loss of Rate
Slower velocity =>
Poorer lift potential. Longer transit times, more heat loss, more condensation opportunity.
Less flowing mass => less total heat to loose before water starts to condense.
Diagnostics: The production history of a well starting to load up. There are usually many causes that lead to load-up.
19
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
500
0
4/25/2000 5/2/2000 5/9/2000 5/16/2000 5/23/2000 5/30/2000 6/6/2000 6/13/2000 6/20/2000 6/27/2000 7/4/2000 7/11/2000 7/18/2000 7/25/2000 8/1/2000 8/8/2000 8/15/2000 8/22/2000 8/29/2000 9/5/2000 9/12/2000 9/19/2000 9/26/2000 10/3/2000 10/10/2000 10/17/2000 10/24/2000 10/31/2000
Gas Rate (MCF/D) Line Pressure (PSI)
Typical Wamsutter New Well Decline
Champlin 242-C3 3-1/2 Production Casing
Note pressures
Liquid holdup from declining velocity
The liquid holdup applies a backpress ure to the bottom hole. Rate is decreased
Enough liquid finally drops down the well to reduce or balance formation pressure. Flow is decreased or the well is dead.
21
An increase in the differential between casing and tubing pressure over time indicates loading. No packer example.
Csg-tbg pressure
www.GEKEngineering.com Time
22
Gradient survey to locate static liquid level.
23
Lift Selection Considerations

Size of the prize? Cost of water prod? How much water? Source?
Water control?
Condensation cause? Condense location?
Well limits? Safety valve? Power? Computer control? Well W/O costs? Well W/O risks?
24
Lift and Deliquification

Natural Flow Intermitter Rocking Equalizing Venting Soaping Velocity String Compression Gas Lift Beam Lift Plunger ESP and HSP PCP Diaphragm Pump Jet Pump Eductor
25
What causes the sharp initial decline when the well is brought on?
What causes the short-lived increases in rate when a well is started up after a brief shut-in?
Can it be used for advantage?
Cumulative Production
26
Why the increase after a shut-in?

1. Recharging of the near wellbore from the formation away from the wellbore. 2. Cross flow from low permeability, higher pressure zones to high permeability, partly depleted zones (also recharging).
High perm streaks Natural fractures Stimulated fractures
Shutting in a Well at Surface Doesnt Mean the Flow Stops Downhole! Most formations are layered and often have distinctly different permeabilities in a package of pay. These layers flow as individual units, emptying the higher perm units first before the lower perm reservoirs begin to flow.
fractured shale
Fractured, high perm shale
10 md
10 md
1 md
1 md
When a well is shut in, higher remaining pressures in the low perm layers cause flow into the high perm, more depleted streaks.
Natural cross flow!
shale 10 md
shale
10 md
28
Using Cross Flow

Repressuring the higher permeability streaks during a shut-in can lend a sharp, short lived increase to flow and can help unload a well without outside equipment or services. To use it effectively, the behavior of the well such as how quickly it recharges, how quickly it blows down and what happens to the water during a shut-in must be understood.
29
Lift and Unloading Options

At least 15 options of full time and part time lift. The well design, conditions and economics dictate the optimum method and remember both can change with decline. Another very important contributor is the operator.
Well With A Plunger Installation
Installed Plunger
31
Effective CT Velocity String Champlin 149-B2

7 Casing
1200
2-3/8 Tubing
1-1/4 CT
Total Cost: $20,121
CT Installed
1000
MCFD Tubing PSI Casing PSI Line PSI Projection
800
600
400
Paid out in 3 months
200
0
11 /1 /1 99 11 6 /1 5/ 11 199 6 /2 9/ 19 12 96 /1 3/ 12 199 6 /2 7/ 19 9 1/ 10 6 /1 1/ 997 24 /1 99 7 2/ 7/ 19 97 2/ 21 /1 99 7 3/ 7/ 19 97 3/ 21 /1 99 7 4/ 4/ 19 97 4/ 18 /1 99 7 5/ 2/ 19 97 5/ 16 /1 99 5/ 30 7 /1 6/ 997 13 /1 99 6/ 27 7 /1 7/ 997 11 /1 99 7/ 25 7 /1 99 7 8/ 8/ 19 97 8/ 22 /1 99 7 9/ 5/ 19 97 9/ 19 /1 99 10 7 /3 /1 9 10 /1 97 7/ 19 10 97 /3 1/ 19 97
Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 246 mcfd
Average for last 30 days: 327 mcfd
32
MCFD
1000
1200
200
400
600
800
0
10/1/1999 10/15/1999 10/29/1999 11/12/1999 11/26/1999 12/10/1999 12/24/1999 1/7/2000 1/21/2000 2/4/2000 2/18/2000 3/3/2000 3/17/2000 3/31/2000 4/14/2000 4/28/2000 5/12/2000 5/26/2000 6/9/2000 6/23/2000 7/7/2000 7/21/2000 8/4/2000 8/18/2000 9/1/2000 9/15/2000 9/29/2000 10/13/2000 10/27/2000 11/10/2000 11/24/2000 12/8/2000 12/22/2000
5-1/2 Casing
Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 911 mcfd
CT Installed
2-3/8 Tubing
MCFD Line PSI projection cumwedge

-120
1-1/4 CT
Ineffective CT Velocity String Champlin 222-C2
Average rate for last 30 days: 539 mcfd
Gross Cost: $19905

0
-80
-60
-40
-20
-100
33
MMCF
Gas Rate (MCF/D)
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
200
400
600
800
Soap Injection to Reduce Fluid Column Hydrostatic
CG Road 25-4 Venting to unload wellbore

3-1/2 Casing 1-1/4 CT www.GEKEngineering.com 34
CT Installed Soap Injection
3/1 /0 0 3/8 /0 3/1 0 5/ 0 3/2 0 2/ 0 3/2 0 9/ 00 4/5 /0 4/1 0 2/ 0 4/1 0 9/ 0 4/2 0 6/ 00 5/3 /0 5/1 0 0/ 0 5/1 0 7/ 0 5/2 0 4/ 0 5/3 0 1/ 00 6/7 /0 6/1 0 4/ 0 6/2 0 1/ 0 6/2 0 8/ 00 7/5 /0 7/1 0 2/ 0 7/1 0 9/ 0 7/2 0 6/ 00 8/2 /0 0 8/9 /0 8/1 0 6/ 0 8/2 0 3/ 0 8/3 0 0/ 00 9/6 /0 9/1 0 3/ 0 9/2 0 0/ 0 9/2 0 7/ 0 10 0 /4/ 10 00 /11 10 /00 /18 10 /00 /25 /0 11 0 /1/ 00
Conclusions
Small increases in pressure drop can make large gains in production.
Every ft of liquid in a well holds nearly psi in backpressure on the formation. Water invading the pores of the rock during a shut-in can be held on the formation and gas cannot displace it. Water refluxing in a gas well is the largest single source of corrosion. Liquid loaded www.GEKEngineering.com wells may still produce but are 35 very erratic.
Conclusions
Tubng size is a legitimate and low cost choice ONLY if GLR will allow the well to be placed in mist flow. Lift consideration should include the limits and well as the advantages. If Turner or Coleman correlations do not work in your applications, develop your own Really, its OK!
Pressure Effects of Liquid Loading
37
Heating Gas Downhole View During Gas Flow
38
Jason Piggot, SPE 2002
39
40
41
Unstable Gas Well Flow Behavior, Followed by Loading
1,000 900 800 700
MCF/Day
600 500 400 300 200 100 0
Loading
94
95
95
96
96
97
97
98
98
99 A-
-9
-9
-9
-9
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
-9
A-
99
42
Heating Gas Effects on Production

0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
1000
2000
3000
Depth
4000
5000
6000
7000 Pressure, psig Before Heating
After Heating
43
Pressure Effects of Liquid Loading

Pressure, psia 60 0 Liquid Loading Results in 30 PSI Back-Pressure 70 80 90 100 110 120 130
1000
2000
3000
Depth
4000
5000
6000
7000
www.GEKEngineering.com Flowing Shut-in
44
700 Shutdow n for 3 Phase Pow er Installation 600 Cable Operational 3 Phase Pow er Installed Testing Line Restrictions Removed at Surface Current System Operational
500
Generator Test
400
MCFD
300 200 100 Compressor Changed Screw Compressor to 3 Stage 0
ay M
00
00 nJu
0 l-0 Ju
00 gAu
00 pSe
00 ct-
00 vNo
00 cDe
01 nJa
1 01 -0 bar Fe M
1 r-0 Ap
ay M
01
01 nJu
1 l-0 Ju
01 gAu
01 pSe
01 ct-
01 vNo
01 cDe
02 nJa
2 02 -0 bar Fe M
45
600 Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable On 500 Tubing Flow Only Compressor On Cable On Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable On
Casing Flow Only Cable On Compressor On
400
300
200
Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable Off
100
Compressor Dow n 0
Compressor Dow n
101
111
121
131
141
151
161
171
181
191
201
211
221
231
241
251
261
271
281
291
301
311
321
331
341
351
361
371
381
391
401
Temperature, Deg. Fahrenheit
Pressure, psig
Rate, Mcf/Day
46
411
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
Heating Gas Effects on Temperature Gradient

0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
1,000
2,000
3,000
Depth, ft.
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
www.GEKEngineering.com Temperature, F
After Heating Before Heating
47
48
49
Support Slides
Lift Methods Deviated Wells Critical Flow Calculations
50
Lift Methods and Unloading Options

Most mechanical methods are build for oil wells thats grossly over designed for gas wells and much too expensive. A dry gas well may produce on 4 to 16 ounces per minute (100 to 500 cc/min).
51

Method Natural Flow Description Flow of liquids up the tubing propelled by expanding gas bubbles. Pros Cheapest and most steady state flow Cons May not be optimum flow. Higher BHFP than with lift. Still has high BHFP. Req. optimization. Costly. Short life. Probs. w/ gas, solids, and heat.
Contin Adding gas to the produced Cheap. Most uous fluid to assist upward flow widely used lift Gas Lift of liquids. 18% efficient. offshore. ESP or HSP Electric submersible motor driven pump. 38% efficient. Or hydraulic driven pump (req. power fluid path). Can move v. large volumes of liquids.
52

Method Description Pros Works deeper than beam lift. Less profile. V. Common unit, well understood, Cons Req. power fluid string and larger wellbore. Must separate gas, limited on depth and pump rate. Hydraul Hydraulic power fluid ic driven pump. 40% efficient. pump Beam Lift Walking beam and rod string operating a downhole pump. Efficiency just over 50%.
Special Diaphram or other style of ty pump. pumps
Varies with techniques.
New - sharp learning curve.
53

Method Description Pros Cheap and doesnt use the gas volume of continuous GL. Can lift any GOR fluid. Cons Does little to reduce FBHP past initial kickoff. Req. power fluid string. Probs with solids. Low rate, costly, high power requirements. Limited volume of water moved, 54 cycles backpressure. Intermit Uses gas injected usually at tent one point to kick well off or Gas Lift unload the well followed by natural flow. 12% efficient. Jet pump Uses a power fluid through a jet to lift all fluids
PCP
Progressive cavity pump.
Can tolerate v. large volumes of solids and ultra high visc. fluids.
Plunger A free traveling plunger Cheap, works on pushed by gas below to low pressure www.GEKEngineering.com mover a quantity of liquids wells, control by above the plunger. simple methods

Method Description Pros Does not require downhole mods. Cons Costly in vol. Low water flow. Condensate is a problem. Cost for compressor and operation. Limited to low liquid vols. Higher friction, corrosion and less access. Soap Forms a foam with gas Injection from formation and water to be lifted. Compres Mechanical compressor sion scavenges gas from well, reducing column wt and increasing velocity. Velocity Strings
Does not require downhole mods.
Inserts smaller string in Relatively low existing tbg to reduce flow cost and easy area and boost velocity
55

Method Description Pros Cons Req. sufficient pressure and automation (?) Takes long time. May damage formation. Cycling / Flow well until loading Cheap. Can be Intermitt starts, then shut in until effective if optm. er pressures build, then flow. No DH mods. Equalizi ng Shuts in after loading. Building pressure pushes gas into well liquids and liquids into the formation. Will work if higher perm and pressure. No downhole mods.
Rocking
Pressure up annulus with supply gas and then blow tubing pressure down.
Inexpensive and usually successful.
Req. high press supply gas. Well has no packer.

Not environmentally friendly. 56
Venting
Blow down the well to Cheap, simple, increase velocity and no equipment decrease BHFP. www.GEKEngineering.com needed.
Very Generalized Operating Ranges for Some Lift Systems.
Note that some lift systems are depth limited and some are volume limited. Almostwww.GEKEngineering.com all are limited to some extent by the 57 diameter of the wellbore.
Deviated Wells
About 30% of US produced gas comes from offshore. Most offshore wells are deviated Flow is very different in deviated wells!
58
The liquid flow character can change dramatically with depth and deviation. Severe liquid holdup by reflux motion is common in the Boycott Settling range of 30o to 60o.
59
Liquid Holdup Driven By Density Segregation

In a vertical well, the falling liquid droplet may be lifted if the rising gas more than offsets the fall of the liquid. In deviated wells, liquid holdup, sometimes seen as a reflux or percolation in sections of the tubing, can account for large volumes of water and significant www.GEKEngineering.com backpressure on the formation.
60
Oilfield Review
61
Note the flow velocity difference between the top and bottom of the pipe.
Oilfield Review
62

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Low Pressure Gas Well Deliverability Issues: Common Loading Causes, Diagnostics and Effective Deliquification Practices

What Technology Will Drive Deliquification? Technology Cost, price?

Life Cycle of a Gas Well

US Mature Well Base (2001)

Gas Wells: Two Facts

Example: Oklahoma Gas Wells

250 200 150 100 50 0 1992

32,672 producing gas wells in 2001

1994 1996 1998 www.GEKEngineering.com

Tubing Performance - Vertical

oil, water and gas

Turner Unloading Rate, Water For pressures > 1000 psi

Gas Rate (mscf/d)

2000 1500 1000 500 0 0

Flowing Pressure, psi

Minimum Critical Velocities

Small Gas Well Example Lift Progression 2-3/8 Tubing

Gas Flow Rate, MSCFD

then plunger then ?

www.GEKEngineering.com Percent of Well Life

Well have to put energy into the well:

9 8 7 1000' depth 5000' depth 10000' depth

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 5 10 25 50 100 150 200 BPD of Water

How Much Can We Pay?

Monobore High Packer

Liner and & Gap

Long Monobore & Tail Pipe

Small Tail Pipe

Tapered String and Restrictions V6 V5 V4

Gas Bubble Growth With Rise In A Water Column

2150 psi (146 bar)

4300 psi (292 bar)

Liquids in Gas Wells

Where is Critical Rate Calculated? Surface or Bottom Hole?

Wellhead Critical Rate:

900# 200 deg F

Bottom of Tubing Critical Rate: 220 mscfd

10,500 3 Csg to Perfs

Water Content of Wet Gas

How much potential water condensation are we facing?

Gas Rate (MCF/D) Line Pressure (PSI)

Typical Wamsutter New Well Decline

Champlin 242-C3 3-1/2 Production Casing

Liquid holdup from declining velocity

Gradient survey to locate static liquid level.

Lift Selection Considerations

Condensation cause? Condense location?

Lift and Deliquification

Can it be used for advantage?

Why the increase after a shut-in?

Fractured, high perm shale

Using Cross Flow

Lift and Unloading Options

Well With A Plunger Installation

Effective CT Velocity String Champlin 149-B2

Total Cost: $20,121

MCFD Tubing PSI Casing PSI Line PSI Projection

Paid out in 3 months

Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 246 mcfd

Average for last 30 days: 327 mcfd

Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 911 mcfd

MCFD Line PSI projection cumwedge

Ineffective CT Velocity String Champlin 222-C2

Average rate for last 30 days: 539 mcfd