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Gas Lift Quiz
Gas Lift Quiz
1. What is the most appropriate system for an offshore naturally flowing well?
Answer: a) Continuous
There are two main forms of gas lift: continuous and intermittent. Continuous gas lift
works by aerating the flow with bubbles of gas. Intermittent lift works by displacing
liquid in the tubing with a period blast of gas.
A well that flows continuously would not allow the well to be intermitted. Also, an
offshore environment usually has small volumes downstream in which to absorb surges
in production. This can cause severe problems if the slugs upset separator levels.
Onshore, long flowlines and large tanks are more common and can help handle slugging.
The round charts are being replaced by digital versions. With a proper computer system
especially in a large field automatic collection of 'two-pen' data can be a huge help to the
surveillance team.
4. What is the most likely reason for disagreement between a flowing survey and a
production pressure model??
Answer: c) Poor gas measurement
By far the most common error in the oilfield is the lift gas measurement.
Since the common orifice meter is not directly calibrated. Instead it relies on a known and
agreed geometry -- the orifice size, proper bevelling, sharp edges, straight flow up and
downstream, etc.
Orifice meters (and others such as vortex and turbines meters for that matter) are subject
to damage and deterioration while in service. Common problems include: erosion of the
plate, coating of the plate with degraded glycol, hydrocarbons and pipe scale, plate to
meter seal failure, incorrect size of orifice. All of these problems are easily noticed and
corrected with proper preventive maintenance. Unfortunately, lift gas meters may not be
inspected without closing taking the lift gas injection line out of service. Consequently,
production will be deferred while the lift gas is shut-off. Since these meters are not part of
the fiscal metering system and no immediate effects of poor lift gas metering are visible
this is enough to delay or cancel proper maintenance of the meters in many fields.
Poor lift gas measurement degrades system optimisation capabilities as well as
surveillance of both wells and reservoirs.
7. Pick the best valve type for a dual well with one string flowing?
Answer: b) IPO
IPO valves are always preferred. If one string of the dual well is flowing, then it cannot
interfere with the operation of the other string.
8. Pick the best valve type for a well producing into a common header so that it cannot be
tested alone?
Answer: b) IPO
Welltest data is most important for the design of PPO valves. This situation of a common
manifold means that this data quality will be poor. IPO valves will be more tolerant of
errors in tubing pressures.
In order to begin the unloading process a positive differential must exist between the
injection pressure and the static production pressure. That differential does not have to
occur at the top mandrel depth if it is not necessary to u-tube liquid to surface. If the
liquid in the tubing can fall into the reservoir (the normal case) then kick-off can occur at
any depth with sufficient differential. As a rule-of-thumb, this differential is given as a
minimum of 1380 kPa (200 psi) to account for dynamics during unloading.
If the production pressure (normally the tubing pressure) is allowed to fall lower than the
transfer pressure then sufficient differential will exist for unloading transfer to occur. If
the pressure cannot fall below the transfer pressure at valve n (as would happen if the
production rate when producing from at valve n were too high) then the unloading
process would stop because lift gas would not enter the tubing at valve n+1.
Not every mandrel needs to contain a valve. Since the valves provide the path for gas to
enter the tubing, the mandrel depths are not relevant, so the answer is not a).
12. Which type of valve needs the largest pressure drop in an IPO valve design?
Answer: a) Large port
A mistake that many designers of IPO valves make is that the same pressure drop can be
used for any valve. The necessary pressure drop is related to the force provided by the
production pressure. This force is higher in larger-ported IPO valves due to the larger port
area. Too low of a pressure drop and tubing pressure changes may re-open the valve
during unloading causing lift instability.
13. The transfer pressure for a PPO valve should be checked against?
Answer: b) The expected production pressure
The equilibrium curve (the curve representing the pressure in the tubing for a
corresponding lift depth) defines the depth beyond which unloading cannot continue.
This is true for both IPO and PPO valves. However in PPO design the biggest worry is
re-opening of the valves by increases in tubing pressure. Therefore designs must be
checked against the expeced production pressure generated by the expected production
rate when lifting at the ultimate lift depth.
14. The transfer pressure for an IPO valve should be checked against?
Answer: c) The equilibrium curve pressure
The equilibrium curve (the curve representing the pressure in the tubing for a
corresponding lift depth) defines the depth beyond which unloading cannot continue.
This is true for both IPO and PPO valves. Unlike PPOs a properly designed IPO string
will remain shut even as the production pressure at the valves increases so no other
checks are necessary.
15. For IPO valves, injection pressure drop and ______________ help keep valves closed
as the well unloads.?
17. If the equilibrium curve pressure at a valve is 2000 and the transfer pressure is 1900
you can conclude?
Answer: b) The well cannot unload to the next deeper valve
Since the equilibrium pressure defines the pressure in the tubing if lifting from a
particular valve depth, and that pressure is higher than the transfer pressure, there cannot
be sufficient differential at the next depth to continue to unload. This holds true for all
valve designs.
18. What should be the maximum rate of lift gas into a well if: the operating valve's
throughput capacity is 450, the economic optimum is 400, and the technical optimum is
800.?
Answer: b) 400
There is no need to inject more than the economic optimum since the object is (usually)
to make the most money.
19. A chart recorder shows the injection rate, the surface tubing pressure and the injection
pressure all dropping. What is this a symptom of?
Answer: c) Injection choke plugging
This would happen if the injection choke plugged. If that occurs the injection rate falls
since lift gas cannot be injected. The injection pressure drops since more gas will leave
the casing annulus than can enter through the plugged choke. The tubing pressure will
drop since the well will begin to die.
20. Gas lift orifice meters almost always read _____ than the actual rate. This tends to
________ the calculated (formation gas) GOR.?
Answer: b) lower / increase
Orifice meters work by relating pressure differential across a plate with a hole in it
through which the gas to be metered passes. Anything that disturbs the geometry of the
plate lowers that differential. This includes erosion of the plate, materials stuck to the
face of the plate, leakage around the plate and other damage. Therefore, the meters with
damage always read low.
Since formation gas is derived by subtracting lift gas from the total gas recovered during
a welltest, a low lift gas reading means a higher calculated formation gas.