Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
Training Developments
Other Thrusts

Cleon Dunham
Shell International Exploration Production BV

ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #1

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
Delta-P: Method to estimate liquid flow rate
• Method to estimate liquid production flow rate
• Measure pressure, differential pressure, gas injection rate
• Tested at wellhead and at production manifold
• Being implemented in NAM (Holland), SPDC (Nigeria)
• Being considered in other locations
• Uses:
– Continuous surveillance - low or quit wells
– Estimated production - per day, per well test
– Prediction of when to test wells
– Way to optimize gas-lift
– Not limited to gas-lift - also flowing, ESP, others

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #2

 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Technical Developments

Delta-P: Example of Delta-P production rate estimate

650
Jan-96
600
Liquid rate (m3/d)

Sep-96
550
Mar-96
500
WinGlue Sept-96
450

400
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Liftgas injection rate (m3/d)

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #3

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
DynaCon: Technique to stabilize unstable wells
• Method to stabilize gas-lift wells that can’t be stabilized by
other means
– Operators know they can stabilize wells with a choke
• DynaCon dynamically controls production choke (or valve)
to stabilize well with much less back pressure
• Successfully tested in PDO (Oman)
• Uses:
– Wells that can’t be corrected (stabilized) by “normal” gas-lift
design and operation
– Wells with un-correctable holes or leaks
– Insufficient gas available for stable lift
– Tubular size too large for available flow rate
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #4
 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Technical Developments
DynaLift: Dynamic gas-lift simulation
• Purposes:
– Simulate dynamic gas-lift behavior
– Validate & optimize gas-lift designs - will they be stable?
– Diagnose problems with unstable gas-lift wells
• Methods evaluated:
– Shell, EPS, TUALP
• Current strategy and uses:
– Consider integration of TUALP with Shell’s GLUE program
– Simulation mode - use for training
– Design mode - use to validate, optimize gas-lift designs
– Diagnosis mode - use to troubleshoot unstable wells, possibly
on-line
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #5

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
DuaLift: Dual gas-lift optimization
• Shell produces about 250,000 BOPD by dual gas-lift
– Much of this is ineffective
– Significant scope for improvement
• Pilot dual gas-lift operation established in Sabah (Malaysia)
– Four wells (eight strings) under full automation
– Early gains: 800 BOPD on four wells
– Expansion to full field approved
• Most significant initiatives:
– Close attention to pressure survey collection & analysis
– Careful design and operation for successful dual unloading
• This involves automation of monitoring and control
– Use of “Nova” valves in operating mandrel
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #6
 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Technical Developments
Valve/Choke: Gas-lift valve/choke model
• Shell often uses chokes in unloading gas-lift valves
– Used to control (limit) gas flow through unloading valves
• Gas-lift valve models (including VPC) don’t include chokes
– Would need a separate test/model of each valve/choke pair
• Objective:
– Develop a generic valve model (e.g. API) and a generic choke
model
– Add them together mathematically
• Status:
– Lab tests conducted
– Models constructed and tested
– Initial results appear very favorable
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #7

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
Concentric: Gas-lift “concentric” configuration
• Being used in Shell EXPRO (North Sea)
– Wells have 7” tubing
– Use 2 & 3/8” insert string for gas injection
• GLUE modified to design, analyze, & optimize concentric
• SGAS modified to monitor & control concentric
• Revised programs tested with help from:
– John Martinez
– Jack Blann
– Others
• Thanks very much!

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #8

 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Technical Developments
GLUE: Gas-lift design, analysis, & optimization
• Primary enhancements
– Integration with Production System Model (PipeSimGOAL)
– Integration of API gas-lift valve models (from VPC)
– Improved integration with SGAS
• Immediate (downhole) analysis of any gas-lift well
• Observe behavior in real time, analyze immediately
– Support of concentric gas-lift

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #9

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Technical Developments
SGAS: Gas-lift monitoring & control
• Primary enhancements
– Integration with Delta-P method for estimating production rates
– Support of dual gas-lift wells
– Improved integration of GLUE
• Immediate (downhole) analysis of any gas-lift well
– Support of concentric gas-lift

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #10

 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Technical Developments
EGLV: Electric gas-lift valve
• Surface operated, electric gas-lift valve
• Developed by JIP, lead by Shell, Camco
• Current Status:
– Reliability study completed, results favorable
– Bench test of 1.5” version completed
• Drive mechanism galled after 27,000 cycles (target 30,000)
• Being corrected now
– Field test planned in Humble Facility in Feb. 1999
– If this goes OK, will be looking for field applications

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #11

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Training Developments
Training: Classroom training
• General gas-lift training
– Trained over 250 students in 10 courses
• Provide gas-lift overview, how it fits with rest of business

• In-depth technical gas-lift training

– Two formal, week-long courses on GLUE, 25 students
• Provide formal, hands-on training in gas-lift design,
analysis, and optimization

• Training gas-lift Well Analysts

– Three formal, week-long, on-site, courses for Well Analysts
• Focus on gas-lift basics, troubleshooting, purpose of gas-
lift tools
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #12
 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Training Developments
Well Analysts: Gas-lift “experts” in the field
• Brunei Shell Petroleum
• EXPRO (North Sea)
• Gabon
• Petroleum Development Oman
• Shell Petroleum Development Co. (Nigeria)
• Sarawak Shell Berhad (Malaysia)
– These people are largely field based
– They provide “front line” gas-lift surveillance
– They serve as interface between engineers, operators, &
well servicing personnel

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #13

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Training Developments
Demo: Gas-lift demonstrator
• Demonstrates conventional gas-lift
– Unloading
– Kick-off
– Stable & unstable operations
• New types of gas-lift being added
– Concentric gas-lift
– Dual gas-lift
– Intermittent gas-lift
• Great teaching aid
– You can try a copy
– Plan to build one for ESPs

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #14

 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Other Thrusts
Valve Tester: Gas-lift valve tester
• Goal:
– Test each gas-lift valve before it is run - is it “on spec?”
– Test each gas-lift valve when it is pulled - why/how did it fail?
• Status:
– Prototype developed by Dr. Tom Hyde based in “pulse”
method
• Initial “alpha” testing completed
• Ready for “beta” testing
– Prototype developed by Jim Hall (Shell Services International)
based on conventional “flow” method
• So far used only in classroom
• Decision on “way forward” to be made soon
January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #15

Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

Other Thrusts
Database: Gas-lift database
• Concept:
– Develop a comprehensive gas-lift performance and failure
tracking database
– Supply it with information from GLUE, SGAS, etc. on a routine
basis, or when a failure occurs
– Include results from “post mortem” gas-lift valve analysis
• Plan:
– New idea (in Shell)
– Conduct evaluation in 1999
– Explore interest in multi-company participation

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #16

 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell
Other Thrusts
ESP: Conversion of gas-lift wells to ESP
• Headline:
– 100’s of gas-lift wells being converted to ESPs
• Higher current production rates
• Higher ultimate recovery
• Less complicated infrastructure, don’t need gas
• Challenges:
– High free gas fractions
– High temperatures
– Heavy oils
– Solids
• Many of these are being effectively addressed
• Will gas-lift have a response?

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #17

1999 Gas-Lift R&D in Shell

R&D: We will continue gas-lift R&D in 1999

• Headline:
– But, our emphasis is shifting to ESPs
– We will expand our R&D focus on ESPs in 1999
– We expect our focus on gas-lift to decline in the future
• Is this the right thing to do?

January 12, ASME/API Gas-Lift Workshop Gas-Lift #18