Bridging

 the  Gap  Using  Gas  Assisted  Plunger  

Li5  (GAPL)  
Presented  By:  Todd  Thrash  
Technical  Data  Provided  By:  Rusty  Brown,  P.E.  
 
 Overview
•  What  is  GAPL?  
•  Advantages  of  GAPL  
•  Produc7on  Analysis  
•  A  technical  review  suppor=ng  the  implementa=on  of  GAPL  on  a  well-­‐by-­‐well  basis  
•  Model  flowing  gradients  
•  Es=mate  sta=c  and  flowing  boGom  hole  pressures  
•  Calculate  the  wells  Produc=vity  Index  
•  Es=mate  increase  in  produc=on  
•  Case  Studies  
•  Increased  Produc7on  
•  Lowered  Injec7on  Rates  
•  Improving  Paraffin  Control  While  Reducing  Associated  Costs  
 What  is  GAPL?
 LUBRICATOR  
•  GAPL,  or  Gas  Assisted  Plunger  LiD,  is  a  hybrid  
liD  method  using  both  gas  li5  and  plunger  li5  
HAMMERHEAD

PLUNGER  ARRIVAL  
to  ar7ficially  produce  gas  and/or  oil  wells.       SENSOR CONTROLLER  
•  Gas  Li5  
MANUAL/AUTO  CATCH MOTOR  VALVE
•  Compressor  /  High  Pressure  Gas  Supply  
•  Gas  LiD  Valves   ADJUSTABLE  
•  With  or  Without  a  Packer   INJECTION  CHOKE  
•  Design  in  place  that  allows  for  the  deepest  
possible  point  of  injec7on  
•  Plunger  Li5  
•  Lubricator  
•  Control  Box  
•  Arrival  Sensor  
•  Plunger  
•  Down-­‐Hole  Bumper  Spring  
FREE  CYCLE  PLUNGER
•  Design  Considera;on:    For  GAPL  design,  the  
down-­‐hole  bumper  spring  should  be  set  so   BUMPER  SPRING
that  it’s  1  joint  above  the  system’s  opera7ng   GAS  LIFT  VALVE  
valve,  or  point  of  injec7on.    This  will  allow  for  
more  fluid  recovery  and  drawdown.   TUBING  STOP
 Advantages  –  “Bridging  the  Gap”

•  Cost  effec7ve  method  that  “bridges  the  gap”  between  gas  liD  and  plunger  
liD  systems,  ul7mately  prolonging  the  requirement  for  more  costly  
ar7ficial  liD  methods.  
•  As  BHP’s  decline  in  exis7ng  gas  liD  applica7ons,  the  produc7on  also  
declines.    This  usually  means  less  efficient  liDing  as  gas  breaks  through  the  
fluid  allowing  fluid  to  fall  back  on  the  forma7on.    The  plunger  prevents  
fluid  from  falling  back  and  allows  for  further  drawdown,  maximizing  
produc7on.  
•  A  more  efficient  seal  created  by  the  plunger,  means  less  injec7on  gas  
required  to  liD  the  same  volume  of  fluid.    In  some  cases,  the  injected  gas  
can  be  tapered  off,  allowing  the  well  to  transi7on  into  plunger  liD  alone.  
•  Effec7ve  method  on  paraffin  and  scale  control,  significantly  reducing  
associated  costs.  
 Produc>on  Analysis  –  Gathering  
Produc>on  Data

•  Produc7on  data  is  gathered,  and  outliers  such  as  compressor  down-­‐7me  or  high  line  pressure  are  
omi^ed  
•  GLR’s  are  calculated  for  both  above  and  below  the  point  of  injec7on  
 Produc>on  Analysis  –  Modeling  
Flowing  Gradients  and  FBHP
•  Producing  GLR’s  are  used  to  model  mul7-­‐phase  flowing  gradients  and  FBHP’s  
•  FBHP’s  will  be  used  in  helping  to  determine  the  well’s  current  IPR  
•  Sta7c  and  Flowing  BHP  Tests  can  be  used  in  place  of  well  modeling  

Mul7-­‐Phase  Flowing  Gradient  

Modeled  FBHP  
 Produc>on  Analysis  –  IPR  Curve

•  The  FBHP  for  

each  flowing  
gradient  is  
plo^ed  against  
the  actual  total  
liquid  rate  
•  A  linear  trend-­‐
line  is  drawn  to  
es7mate  SBHP  
•  The  inverse  of  
the  slope  is  used  
to  es7mate  PI  
 Produc>on  Analysis  –  Region  of  Slug  
Flow
•  Turner-­‐Coleman’s  Cri7cal  
Rate  is  plo^ed  against  the    
 
total  actual  gas  rate    
•  Liquid  loading  occurs  when    
 
the  actual  gas  rate  drops    
below  cri7cal,  defined  as    
“Region  of  Slug  Flow”    
 
•  Implemen7ng  GAPL  would    
reduce  the  amount  of    
injec7on  gas  required  to    
meet  the  cri7cal  rate    
 
requirement,  reducing  the    
“Region  of  Slug  Flow”     X
N

 
 Produc>on  Analysis  –  An>cipated  
UpliK
•  Calcula7ng  how  much  of  an  increase  in   Table  3.1.3   –   Well  #1   Anticipated  Uplift  
produc7on  will  take  place  is  hard  to   Decreased  FBHP   Decreased  FBHP   Oil  Uplift   Gas   Uplift  
accomplish  with  a  plunger  in  the  well  
  psi   bpd   mscfd  
•  40-­‐50%  decrease  in  FBHP  is  not  uncommon  
10%   28   1.8   48.0  
•  A  percentage  decrease  in  FBHP  can  be  used  
to  es7mate  the  increase  in  fluid  produc7on   20%   56   3.7   96.0  
•  Decrease  in  FBHP  X  Produc7vity  Index  =  Total   30%   84   5.5   143.9  
Fluid  UpliD  
•  112  PSI  x  0.245  BPD/PSI  =  27.4  bbl  Total  Fluid  UpliD   40%   112   7.3   191.9  
•  27.4  bbl  Total  Fluid  UpliD  x  0.27  OC    =  7.3  bbl  Oil   50%   140   9.1   239.9  
UpliD  
60%   168   11.0   287.9  
•  Assuming  a  constant  GLR  and  taking  into  
account  the  total  fluid  upliD,  the  increase  in   70%   196   12.8   335.8  
gas  produc7on  can  be  es7mated   80%   224   14.6   383.8  
•  Form.  GLR  X  Total  Fluid  UpliD  =  Gas  UpliD  
•  6996  scf/bbl  x  27.4  bbl  Total  Fluid  UpliD  =  191,690   90%   252   16.5   431.8  
scf  Gas  UpliD  
 
 Case  Study  –  Gas  LiK  Converted  to  
GAPL,  to  Plunger  LiK
•  Operator  –  Confiden7al  
•  Well  Name  –  Confiden7al  
2-­‐7/8”  GL   HIT  
•  Region  –  Permian  Basin  
•  Forma7on  –  Wolfcamp  “B”  
•  Packer  Depth  –  8240’  MD  /  
8120’  TVD   2-­‐3/8”  GAPL   Free  Cycle  Plunger  LiD  
•  Tubing  Size  –  2-­‐3/8”  
•  Primary  goal  was  reduce  inj.  
gas  and  keep  the  tubing  clean  
•  Significant  increase  in  gas  
produc7on  allowed  for  
tapering  of  the  injec7on  gas  
un7l  the  plunger  could  run  on  
its  own  
•  ROI  was  less  than  1  week  
 Case  Study  –  GAPL  for  Paraffin  
Control
Operator  Name  –  Confiden7al  
Well  Name  –  Confiden7al  
Region  –  Permian  Basin  
Forma7on  –  Wolfcamp  
Natural  Flow   Gas  LiD   GAPL  
Packer  Depth  –  9250’  MD  
Tubing  Size  –  2-­‐7/8”  
•  Primary  goal  was  to  control  
paraffin  and  reduce  
associated  costs  
•  Not  only  did  GAPL  lower  the  
well’s  LOE,  it  doubled  both  
gas  and  oil  produc7on  
•  Operator  has  installed  
addi7onal  systems  with  
similar  results  
 Questions?
   
CONTACT  INFORMATION      
TODD  THRASH,  PRIORITY  ARTIFICIAL  LIFT  
(817)  694-­‐7208  
TTHRASH@PRIORITYENERGYLLC.COM