Guidelines & Recommended Practices

Selection of Artificial Lift Systems

for Deliquifying Gas Wells
P Prepared by Artificial Lift R&D Council
Status
Document written and edited
Chair: Dr. James Lea, jamesflea@aol.com
Team: Cleon Dunham
Comments: Not applicable

2.2 Pertinent Types of Artificial Lift

Some Popular Methods

This section contains guidelines for considering typical methods of artificial lift that are used for
gas well deliquification. Details on each of these and others can be found in Section 2.4 and its
sub-sections.

1. Electrical submersible pumping

2. Progressing cavity pumping
3. Beam pumping
4. Hydraulic pumping
5. Gas-lift
6. Velocity strings
7. Compression systems
8. Plungers
9. Foaming, use of surfactants
10. Downhole injection (disposal ) systems

1.0 Artificial Lift System Selection

1.1 Selecting the appropriate artificial lift system for the well(s) in question requires the
evaluation of many factors. Some of the more common factors include well depth, volume
of liquid to remove, electricity availability; well bore dog leg severity, volume of solids in
the well, corrosive gases present, experience level of operators, capital cost, installation
cost and complexity, operational cost, maintenance requirements, life expectance of the
equipment, etc. While providing exact selection criteria is beyond the scope of this
document, general capabilities of each of the above artificial lift systems are discussed.
1.2 Its suggested the data below be reviewed to make a rough cut of the artificial lift
systems which might be most applicable to the well(s) in question. A chart is provided
comparing key features of each system.
1.3 Once those systems appearing to best fit the well(s) needs are selected, more in-depth
information can be found in Section 2.4 for the systems selected.
1.4 Next, its suggested several proven manufacturers of the selected system(s) be contacted
to review well specifics, potential production improvement and obtain equipment and
installation costs.
1.5 Using an IPR curve, decline curve or similar method; estimate the potential production
improvement for the anticipated reduction in Producing Bottom Hole Pressure.
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 2

1.6 With the costs known and production improvement estimated, a Return on Investment
calculation can be completed to ascertain the financial impact of the selected artificial lift
system.
1.7 During the artificial lift selection process, consideration should also be given to a number
of issues unrelated to equipment function yet often having the most impact on the
success or failure of the project. Section XXX addresses the need, prior to final selection
of an artificial lift method, to Know Your: Business; Company; Economics; Staff;
Suppliers; Reservoir; Wells; Well Performance and Surface Equipment.

2.0 General comparison of Artificial Lift Features

2.1
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 3

3.0 Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESPs)

ESPs operate from shallow depths to as deep as 10,000 and deeper.

They can produce relatively low rates but below about 400 bpd, the efficiency of the
system suffers.

They can produce up to 20,000 bpd in some cases.

High temperatures can be a problem with a typical maximum of 275 oF up to 400 oF with
special trim.

They are installed in deviated wells, but the unit must be landed such that the housing is
not bent even if the wellbore is deviated.
Electrical power must be available and is transmitted down a three phase cable to the
motor.

Small disposable units are used for shallow wells such as for coal bed methane to lift
water off the coal seams.
High solids concentrations may cause the unit to fail if they are allowed to be pumped,
although special abrasion resistant units can be used.

Recent applications have moved applications to low rates ~ 100-200 bpd.

Techniques for low rates setting pump below the perforations include use of shroud,
recirculation pump, de-rated motors.

If pump must be set above the perforations, options include using rotary separators,
Vortex separators, an upturned shroud, and other methods for gas elimination.
Companies have recently introduced new stages of ~100-200 bpd BEP.
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 4

4.0 Progressing Cavity Pumps (PCPs)

PCPs typically operate to 4500 and in some cases to as deep as 6000.
At shallow depths they can produce up to 4,500 bpd.

With elastomeric stators, the maximum temperature is about 150 oF.

They can be used up to about 250 oF with special elastomeric materials.

With rotating rods they can be installed in wells with a deviation up to 15 /100, but if run
with ESP motors, deviation is no problem as long as the unit is straight although the
wellbore is deviated.
They can tolerate some sand production, and have high (40-70%) power efficiency.

New materials may extend temperature limits. There is a metal/metal PCP being tried
and researched as well.
There are small rate PCPs but for small rates it may be difficult to maintain fluid level
over pump.

There are ESPCP and ESPCP-TTC options as well

5.0 Sucker Rod Pumping or Beam Lift

These systems have operated to 16,000 but a depth of 10,000 - 11,000 is more typical of
maximum operating depths with standard equipment.
Can pump to up to 5,000 bpd at shallow depths but the maximum production rate is
greatly reduced at greater depth.

Less than 1,000 bpd is more typical for most mid-depth applications.
They can be used in deviated wells with slow build angles.

Efficiency is good (45-60%).

For gas wells with small liquid rates, slender rods, small diameter pumps, and low
horsepower may be sufficient.

If pump cant be set below the perforations, beam lift or any pumping system may not be
the best choice
There are special pumps to help handle sand, some recently appearing from
manufactures.

Some can handle coal bed methane fines and frac sand
There are special pumps for helping handle gas.

There are recommendations for gas separators if the pump must be set above the
perforations.

6.0 Hydraulic Pumps

Both jet and reciprocating pumps can be run to 15,000 or below.
Both can produce up to 10,000 bpd, depending on depths.

Both can run in 250 oF wells.

The reciprocating pump cannot tolerate solids.
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 5

Clean pressured power water or oil must be supplied to the pumps to make them
operate.
For gas well de-watering applications, typically a jet pump producing a few hundred or
much less barrels per day is more common. The power efficiency is poor and intake
pressure is not that low.

In general use of reciprocating hydraulic pumps required a large casing size

Use of jet pumps is inefficient with power.

Depth capability and free pump capability keeps hydraulics a niche player.

7.0 Gas-Lift
Gas-lift can be used to 10,000 ft or more.
Rates of 10,000 bpd or higher can be achieved.

Solids can be produced.

Gas-lift valves are tubing retrievable.

High pressure gas is needed.

For slim holes, valves can be installed on slender tubing or coiled tubing.

Wellbore temperatures to 250 oF are typical and can reach up to 400 oF with precautions.
For gas well operation, typical rates are a few 100 bpd or less.

For gas wells, gas can be re-circulated at the bottom of the tubing with single point
injection in some cases.
With enough gas injected and with velocity larger than the critical velocity, the well will
never liquid load

For most gas-lift of gas wells, conventional gas-lift is used with a packer set.
The rate of gas injected brings the total of gas produced and gas injected above the
critical rate.

There are techniques for injecting gas below the packer from Schlumberger, Weatherford,
and others to obtain some lift in extended perforations.
There is little data to support what gas-lift does in terms of bottom hole pressure
drawdown for gas wells both with packer and injection below packers.

Two-phase flow correlations used in design differ widely.

Measurements are in progress.

In general with low liquid rates (~100-200 bpd) it is thought low pressures can be
achieved with gas-lift in gas wells.
Higher rates are feasible with gas-lift but the producing bottom-hole pressures may not
be as low as with other methods.

8.0 Velocity String

A velocity string can be used to 10,000 or deeper.
IDs down to 1 are used although smaller ID tubing is hard to unload.

Nodal analysis and critical velocity are used (see below) to help size the installations.
Many successes are reported, usually for wells making more than several hundred
barrels per day.
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 6

For lower rates, plunger lift might be more applicable.

The string size may have to be downsized even more in the future, where plunger could
take the well to depletion.

Velocity strings work.

There are good case histories especially when downsizing to 1 .

They might not last as long as other methods (i.e. plunger) before changes have to be
made.

9.0 Compression
Compression is used for single wells or for multiple wells.
Nodal analysis will help predict the results to be expected.

Lower well head pressure has many beneficial effects.

Lower pressure keeps water in vapor state so this is an artificial lift method in itself

The biggest percentage gains are for low pressure wells.

Lower wellhead pressure improves artificial lift methods in general as well as helping
flowing wells.

Once wells die completely, compression may not restart them without swabbing or other
methods.
Compression is a good combination method with plunger.

Compression is may be used to lower the annulus pressure for pumping wells to achieve
best results.

10.0 Plunger Lift

If a gas-liquid ratio of 300 - 400 scf/bbl/1000 is present and some casing buildup
pressure is available, the well requires no outside energy to produce when using a
plunger.
Another industry guideline is the well pressure must be 1 times the line pressure.

Use Operating Pressure/GLR charts vs. Depth to help design the plunger lift operation.
Plungers can produce from great depths.

Typically a plunger installation requires that the packer be removed, although free cycle
or two piece plungers may operate with the packer in place.
Plungers usually produce a low liquid production rate, but in some cases can produce up
to 300 bpd.

Usually no outside energy is needed to operate the system.

Solids are a problem.
Brush plunger allows operation with trace amounts of sand/solids.

There are two kinds of plunger lift:

Conventional and Continuous Flow

There are selection criteria for both for discussion

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Selection Rules for Conventional and Continuous Plunger

- Conventional plunger: 400 scf/bbl-1000, 1000 scf/bbl -1000 with packer, casing
operating pressure builds to 1 times line pressure. If the iquid flow rate is below
~1/2 B/D the plunger will rise when well opened. Foss & Gaul predicts casing
operating pressure to lift slug size.

- Continuous Flow Plunger: One technique is to apply this when the gas flow rate is
still > 80% of critical rate.

- Can shift back to conventional plunger when using continuous flow, must use >~20
minutes shut-in time.

11.0 Foam, Use of Surfactants

Often foam is used as a first attempt to unload because it is inexpensive to try.
It works much better with water and no condensate but some expensive chemical agents
are predicted to foam condensates.

Use soap sticks in shallower wells and use batch treating or capillary tube injection for
deeper wells depending on whether or not a packer is present.
Usually if condensate is produced, foam is not used.

Chlorides indicate formation water and lack of chlorides indicate condensation of water in
the wellbore.
Selection of Artificial Lift Systems for Deliquifying Gas Wells Page 8

Typically foaming water reduces the required critical velocity to -1/3 of critical rate value
without surfactants.

Foam is usually introduced into the well by:

1. Capillary string lubricated down the tubing
2. Soap sticks dropped down the tubing
3. Batch or continuous treatment down backside with packer removed

Some case histories show large production improvements of using cap strings to replace
use of soap sticks.

12.0 Inject (water) (Downhole Injection [Disposal} Systems)

Use these systems when only water is produced (no condensate) and if there is an
underlying injection zone that will take the produced water.
Back pressure on the tubing may help inject the water so gas can flow up the annulus.

Frequency of use in industry is low.

Western Kansas is area of reported higher use.

This can be done using various beam pump systems and also using electrical
submersible pump systems for higher rates.

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