Deliquification PDF

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
Technology
What Technology -
Will Drive Deliquification?
Cost, price?
Life Cycle of a Gas Well

May Add Energy
to System
What’s 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.
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
Average Flow Per Well
Gas Production Per Well mcf/d
250
200
150
100
32,672 producing gas wells in 2001
50
0
1992 1994 1996
www.GEKEngineering.com 1998 2000 5
Tubing Performance - Vertical
Oil Well P Gas Well P
gas, oil
and water
Water vapor
condenses as
gas and
gas rises and liquid
expands. DT
Water must be
removed to
oil, water allow the well to
and gas flow.
Water that
builds up holds
a backpressure
on the gas
oil
formation.
Turner Unloading Rate, Water
For pressures > 1000 psi
3000 4.5" (3.958" ID)
3.5" (2.992" ID)
2500 2.875" (2.441" ID)
Gas Rate (mscf/d)
2.375" (1.995" ID)

2000 2.0675" (1.751" ID)
1500
1000
500
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
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
Gas Flow Rate, MSCFD
1600 Flow to here

1400
1200
1000
then plunger
800
600
400 then ?
200
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent of Well Life
Source -
Bryan
Dotson
We’ll have to put energy into
the well:
Pump Power
(assum es 50% Efficiency and 200 psid friction drop)
9
1000' depth
8
5000' depth
7
10000' depth
6
Pump HP
5
4 Low Pow er is 1-10 HP.
3 Micro Pow er is less than
2 HP.
2
1
0
1 5 10 25 50 100 150 200
BPD of Water
How Much Can We Pay?
$300,000 If plungers get us to 50
MSCFD, we can’t afford $280,000
$250,000
too much..
$200,000
$150,000 $140,000
$100,000 $70,000
$50,000 $15,000
$0
10
50
100
200
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.
• Resistant to scale formation.
Monobore Liner and Long Small Tail Tapered
High & Gap Monobore Pipe String and
Packer & Tail Pipe Restrictions
The design V6
of the well
bore can V5
alter the
V4
velocity.
Where is V2
V3 V3 V3
critical rate V1+
calculated?
Multiple
velocity
calculations V2
are needed
with gas in V2
V2
compressed
V1
state.
V1 V1
www.GEKEngineering.com V1 13
Gas Bubble Growth With Rise
In A Water Column
surface 14.7 psi (1 bar)

292 cm3
2 cm3 5000 ft 2150 psi (146 bar)

(1524m)
1 cm3
10000 ft 4300 psi (292 bar)
(3049m)
Gas column is different – gas is low density at the top of a
column and higher density
52887040.ppt
at bottom – so although rate is14
www.GEKEngineering.com
constant, velocity is not.
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.
Where is Critical Rate Calculated?
Surface or Bottom Hole?
Pres: 400# Wellhead
Temp: 60 deg F Critical Rate: 180 mscfd
Tbg: 1 ¼” CT
Rate: 200 mscfd
10,000’ 1 ¼” CT
Pres: 900# Bottom of Tubing

Temp: 200 deg F Critical Rate: 220 mscfd
10,500’ 3 ½” Csg to Perfs
Pres: 1100# Casing

Temp: www.GEKEngineering.com
200 deg F Critical Rate: 1500 mscfd 16
Water Content of Wet Gas Pressure
14.7
10000.00 100
200
1000.00 500
1000
2000
STB/MMscf
100.00 3000
4000
10.00 5000
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.
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0
500
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
Gas Rate (MCF/D)

7/18/2000
7/25/2000
8/1/2000
8/8/2000
8/15/2000
8/22/2000
Champlin 242-C3
Line Pressure (PSI)

8/29/2000
9/5/2000
9/12/2000
9/19/2000
Typical Wamsutter New Well Decline
9/26/2000
10/3/2000
10/10/2000
10/17/2000
10/24/2000
3-1/2” Production Casing
10/31/2000
20
Note pressures
Liquid The liquid

Enough
holdup holdup
liquid
from applies a
finally
declining backpress
drops
velocity ure to the
down the
bottom
well to
hole.
reduce or
Rate is
balance
decreased
formation
pressure.
Flow is
decreased
or the well
is dead.
An increase in
the differential
between casing
and tubing
pressure over
time indicates
loading.
Csg-tbg
No packer pressure
example.
Time 22
Gradient survey to locate static liquid level.
Lift Selection Considerations
• Size of the prize? • Well limits?
• Cost of water prod? • Safety valve?
• How much water? • Power?
• Source? • Computer control?
– Water control? • Well W/O costs?
• Condensation cause? • Well W/O risks?
• Condense location?
Lift and Deliquification
• Natural Flow • Gas Lift
• Intermitter • Beam Lift
• Rocking • Plunger
• Equalizing • ESP and HSP
• Venting • PCP
• Soaping • Diaphragm Pump
• Velocity String • Jet Pump
• Compression • Eductor
What causes
the sharp
initial decline
when the
well is
brought on?
Q
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
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 Doesn’t Mean the Flow Stops Downhole!
Most formations are

layered and often have
distinctly different fractured Fractured, high perm
permeabilities in a
package of pay. shale shale
These layers flow as
individual units, 10 md 10 md
emptying the higher
perm units first before
the lower perm
reservoirs begin to flow. 1 md 1 md
When a well is shut in,

higher remaining
pressures in the low shale shale
perm layers cause flow
into the high perm, more
depleted streaks. 10 md 10 md
Natural cross flow!
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.
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
Effective CT Velocity String – Champlin 149-B2
Total Cost: $20,121
7” Casing 2-3/8” Tubing 1-1/4” CT
1200
MCFD
CT Installed
Tubing PSI
1000 Casing PSI
Line PSI
Projection
800
600
400

Paid out in 3 months
200
0
97
97
97
97
97
97
6
96
10 6
97
97
6
1/ 997
30 7
6/ 997
27 7
7/ 997
25 7
/1 97
11 199
12 199
9
99
99
99
99
99
99
99
99
99
99
99
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
9
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
/1
5/
9/
3/
7/
7/
1/
7/
7/
4/
2/
8/
5/
/1
24
21
21
18
16
13
11
22
19
/3
2/
3/
4/
5/
8/
9/
/1
/2
/1
/2
/3
11
10
1/
2/
3/
4/
5/
5/
6/
7/
8/
9/
11
12
10
10
Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 246 mcfd Average for last 30 days: 327 mcfd
MCFD
1000
1200
0
200
400
600
800
10/1/1999
10/15/1999
10/29/1999
11/12/1999
11/26/1999
12/10/1999
5-1/2” Casing
12/24/1999
1/7/2000
1/21/2000
2/4/2000
2/18/2000
3/3/2000
Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 911 mcfd

MCFD
3/17/2000
CT Installed
3/31/2000
2-3/8” Tubing
4/14/2000
4/28/2000
Line PSI
5/12/2000
5/26/2000
6/9/2000
6/23/2000
7/7/2000
projection
1-1/4” CT
7/21/2000
8/4/2000
8/18/2000
9/1/2000
cumwedge
9/15/2000
9/29/2000
10/13/2000
10/27/2000
11/10/2000
11/24/2000
Ineffective CT Velocity String – Champlin 222-C2
12/8/2000
Average rate for last 30 days: 539 mcfd
12/22/2000
Gross Cost: $19905
-80
-60
-40
-20
-120
-100
MMCF
33
Gas Rate (MCF/D)
3/1
/0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
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
CG Road 25-4
7/
0
5/2 0
4/
0
5/3 0
CT Installed
1/
00
6/7
/0
6/1 0
4/
0
6/2 0
1/
0
6/2 0
8/
00
7/5
/0
3-1/2” Casing
7/1 0
2/
0
7/1 0
9/
0
7/2 0
6/
00
8/2
/0
0
Venting to unload wellbore
8/9
/0
8/1 0
6/
0
8/2 0
3/
0
1-1/4” CT 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
Soap Injection
10 /00
Soap Injection to Reduce Fluid Column Hydrostatic
/25
/0
11 0
/1/
00
34
Conclusions
• Small increases in pressure drop can
make large gains in production.
– Every ft of liquid in a well holds nearly ½ 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, it’s OK!
Pressure
Effects of
Liquid
Loading
Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow
Jason Piggot, SPE 2002
Unstable Gas Well Flow Behavior, Followed by Loading
1,000
900
800
700
Loading
600
MCF/Day
500
400
300
200
100
0
94
95
95
96
96
97
97
98
98
99
99
4
8
-9
-9
-9
-9
-9
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
A-
D
D
Heating Gas – Effects on Production
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
0
1000
2000
3000
Depth
4000
5000
6000
7000
Pressure, psig
Before Heating After Heating
Pressure Effects of Liquid Loading
Pressure, psia
60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130
0
Liquid Loading
Results in 30 PSI
1000 Back-Pressure
2000
3000
Depth
4000
5000
6000
7000
Flowing Shut-in 44
700
Shutdow n for 3 Phase Line Restrictions Removed at Surface
Pow er Installation
Current System Operational
600 Cable Operational
3 Phase Pow er Installed
Testing
Generator
500
Test
400
MCFD
300
200
100
Compressor Changed
Screw Compressor to 3 Stage
0
00 00 0 00 00 00 00 01 01 1 01 01 1 01 01 01 01 02 02 2
l-0 00 -0 1
l-0 01 -0
ay
- n- Ju g- p- ct- v- c- n- b- ar r-0 ay
- n- Ju g- p- ct- v- c- n- b- ar
M Ju Au Se O No De Ja Fe M Ap M Ju Au Se O No De Ja Fe M
600
Tubing & Casing Flow Tubing Flow Only Tubing & Casing Flow
Compressor On Compressor On Compressor On
Cable On Casing Flow Only Cable On
Cable On
Cable On
500 Compressor On
400
300
Tubing & Casing Flow

200 Compressor On
Cable Off
100
Compressor Dow n Compressor Dow n

0
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
411
1
11
21
31
41
51
61
71
81
91
Temperature, Deg. Fahrenheit Pressure, psig Rate, Mcf/Day
Heating Gas – Effects on Temperature Gradient
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
Depth, ft.
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Temperature, F
47
After Heating Before Heating Jason Piggot, SPE 2002
Support Slides
• Lift Methods
• Deviated Wells
• Critical Flow Calculations
Lift Methods and Unloading
Options
• Most mechanical methods are build for oil
wells – that’s 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).
Method Description Pros Cons
Natural Flow of liquids up the Cheapest and May not be

Flow tubing propelled by most steady optimum flow.
expanding gas bubbles. state flow Higher BHFP
than with lift.
Contin Adding gas to the produced Cheap. Most Still has high
uous fluid to assist upward flow widely used lift BHFP. Req.
Gas Lift of liquids. 18% efficient. offshore. optimization.
ESP or Electric submersible motor Can move v. Costly. Short

HSP driven pump. 38% efficient. large volumes of life. Probs. w/
Or hydraulic driven pump liquids. gas, solids, and
(req. power fluid path). heat.
Hydraul Hydraulic power fluid Works deeper Req. power

ic driven pump. 40% efficient. than beam lift. fluid string and
pump Less profile. larger wellbore.
Beam Walking beam and rod V. Common unit, Must separate

Lift string operating a well understood, gas, limited on
downhole pump. Efficiency depth and
just over 50%. pump rate.
Special Diaphram or other style of Varies with New - sharp
ty pump. techniques. learning curve.
pumps
Intermit Uses gas injected usually at Cheap and Does little to

tent one point to kick well off or doesn’t use the reduce FBHP
Gas Lift unload the well followed by gas volume of past initial
natural flow. 12% efficient. continuous GL. kickoff.
Jet Uses a power fluid through Can lift any GOR Req. power
pump a jet to lift all fluids fluid. fluid string.
Probs with
solids.
PCP Progressive cavity pump. Can tolerate v. Low rate,
large volumes of costly, high
solids and ultra power
high visc. fluids. requirements.
Plunger A free traveling plunger Cheap, works on Limited volume
pushed by gas below to low pressure of water moved,
mover a quantity ofwww.GEKEngineering.com
liquids wells, control by cycles 54
above the plunger. simple methods backpressure.
Soap Forms a foam with gas Does not require Costly in vol.
Injection from formation and water downhole mods. Low water flow.
to be lifted. Condensate is a
problem.
Compres Mechanical compressor Does not require Cost for
sion scavenges gas from well, downhole mods. compressor
reducing column wt and and operation.
increasing velocity. Limited to low
liquid vols.
Velocity Inserts smaller string in Relatively low Higher friction,
Strings existing tbg to reduce flow cost and easy corrosion and
area and boost velocity less access.
Cycling / Flow well until loading Cheap. Can be Req. sufficient

Intermitt starts, then shut in until effective if optm. pressure and
er pressures build, then flow. No DH mods. automation (?)
Equalizi Shuts in after loading. Will work if Takes long
ng Building pressure pushes higher perm and time. May
gas into well liquids and pressure. No damage
liquids into the formation. downhole mods. formation.
Rocking Pressure up annulus with Inexpensive and Req. high press

supply gas and then blow usually supply gas.
tubing pressure down. successful. Well has no
packer.
Venting Blow down the well to Cheap, simple, Not

increase velocity and no equipment environmentally
decrease BHFP. www.GEKEngineering.com
needed. friendly. 56
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!
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.
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
backpressure on the formation.
www.GEKEngineering.com Oilfield Review 61
Note the flow
velocity
difference
between the
top and
bottom of the
pipe.
Oilfield Review

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Low Pressure Gas Well

Deliverability Issues: Common

Life Cycle of a Gas Well

2.375" (1.995" ID)

1600 Flow to here

surface 14.7 psi (1 bar)

2 cm3 5000 ft 2150 psi (146 bar)

Pres: 900# Bottom of Tubing

10,500’ 3 ½” Csg to Perfs

Pres: 1100# Casing

Gas Rate (MCF/D)

Line Pressure (PSI)

Liquid The liquid

Can it be used for

Most formations are

When a well is shut in,

Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 911 mcfd

Tubing & Casing Flow

Compressor Dow n Compressor Dow n

Temperature, Deg. Fahrenheit Pressure, psig Rate, Mcf/Day

Natural Flow of liquids up the Cheapest and May not be

ESP or Electric submersible motor Can move v. Costly. Short

Hydraul Hydraulic power fluid Works deeper Req. power

Beam Walking beam and rod V. Common unit, Must separate

Intermit Uses gas injected usually at Cheap and Does little to

Cycling / Flow well until loading Cheap. Can be Req. sufficient

Rocking Pressure up annulus with Inexpensive and Req. high press

Venting Blow down the well to Cheap, simple, Not

In deviated wells, liquid holdup,

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