Gas Lift Systems

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 Objectives
• Identify the major components of a Gas
Lift System
• Identify Gas Lift applications and
limitations
• Have a basic understanding GL System
operating principles.

2
 Gas Lift
• Gas lift is the second most commonly
used form of artificial lift today.
• Its usage is very common offshore
because of space limitations and
subsurface safety valve requirements.

3
 Gas Lift

• Gas injected at depth in order to lighten the

density of the liquid column
• Decreases hydrostatic pressure
• Injection is performed in stages from top to
bottom via gas lift valves until all liquid is
removed and well is flowing

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Gas Lift

5
Gas Lift

6
 Gas Lift
• An extension of natural flow

• Simply a constant controlled injection of

high pressure gas into the tubing

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 Injected Injected
gas gas

Continuous gas lift Intermittent gas lift

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 Gas Lift
• Advantages • Disadvantages
• Takes full advantage of the gas • Can not pump off the well
energy available in the reservoir
• A high production volume method
• Minimum bottom hole
• Can handle sand or trash
production pressure increases
both with depth and volume
• Valves can be changed by wireline
• Works with SSSV • Source of gas supply
• Minimal downhole mechanical • Gas distribution system
devices • May require a compressor
• Full tubing bore capabilities
• Must treat corrosive gasses
• Excellent in deviated wellbores
(must be a dry gas)

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 Gas Lift Valves

Gas charged
dome Pd

Bellows Ab
Valve entry Tubing
ports

Pc
Stem & seat
Ap

Tubing entry
port Pt

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Valve with spring Valve with bellows only

Pd
Pd
C D
Ab Ab

Pc Pc
Av
Av

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Tubing
pressure

Latch
Packing

Casing
pressure

Packing

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 200 lbs.

Positioning
sleeve

Locator key

Pivot lever
A A
arm
Latch
A-A

1 2 3 4 5
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 2000
1200

1600
800
400
0 psi
0
Depth, ft
Casing pressure gradient
1000

2000 Static reservoir gradient

Flowing gradient above point of injection

3000

Optimum point of injection

4000

5000
Pwf Pr

Perforation 6000
depth 14
 2000
1200

1600
800
400
0 psi
0
Depth, ft
Casing pressure gradient
1000
Flowing gradient above point of injection

2000

Kick off point

3000

Optimum point of injection

4000

5000 Pwf Pr

Perforation 6000
depth 15
 Pwh (min)
Pinj
Pressure
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400
0

2000
2530'

4000 4000'
Depth

5100'

6000 6000'
6600'
7100'
Equilibrium Curve 7500'
7800'
8000 8050'
8250'
600
bp d
10000 16
 Injection gas

Gas lift valve and mandrels to be staggered

Dual packer
Upper zone perforations

Single packer
Lower zone perforations
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 Gas Lift
Surface equipment

– Gas supply source:

• gaswell
• separator gas with compressor
– Surface gas flow distribution & control

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Key words
• Lighten fluid column
• extension of natural flow
• static gradient
• flowing gradient
• drawdown
• casing pressure gradient
• optimum point of injection
• kick off point
• gaslift valves, wireline change out
• gaslift gas source
• gaslift gas distribution
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End of Session

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