A study of Injection gas temperature effect on Gas lift mode

A R Chendrasekar, Artificial lift

SE(P)
Problems due to low gas injection temperature:

• Gas injection flow line choke during winter

(hydrate formation )

• Out flow restriction due to high wax content

Solution for the problem ?
• Mechanical : Scraping
Disadvantage : Plugging of perforation, Scraper struck up

• Chemical methods : Chemicals inhibitors

Disadvantages : Inject below wax appearance temperature
and problem chemical reaction deposits

• Thermal : Immediate result

Advantages of high injection gas temperature
1. Injection gas choking problem may rectify
2. Quantity of wax deposition may decrease
3. Depth of scrap may decrease
4. Scrap period may increase
5. Temperature increase in GI, results to high pressure , low density ,
high lifting capacity
6. Reduce the down time
Sources of heat for injection gas
1. Gas heating with fired furnace

2.Gas heating with electricity

The mentioned sources are very costly and very difficult to maintain
Alternate solution to increase gas temperature
(Compressor at GGS IV)
Modification
Estimated Results: (Using Hysis, Chemcad, Glide, Pipesim softwares used
for simulation )

Calculation for the rise of injection gas temperature 30 C to 50 C

• Pressure rised from 48 Ksc to 51 Ksc

• Density reduced from 0.68 to 0.64

• Injection depth increased from 2576 m to 2682 m

• Rise in oil outflow

No. Depth Depth Gas flow Gas flow Prod @30C Prod @50C Extra Prod Prod gain
@30C @50C @30C @50C Gas@50C gain@50C

  m m m3/D m3/D m3/D m3/D m3/D m3/D %

1 712 712              
2 1046 1073              
3 1346 1398              
4 1614 1688              
5 1854 1947 559 813 1.33 1.95 254 0.62 46.62
6 2066 2148 1451 1720 2.97 3.46 269 0.49 16.50
7 2229 2324 2561 2991 4.14 4.66 430 0.52 12.56
8 2368 2473 3565 4315 5.07 5.62 750 0.55 10.85
9 2484 2597 4783 5656 5.8 6.36 873 0.56 9.66
10 2576 2682 5952 6947 6.36 6.94 995 0.58 9.12
 Benefits from the scheme:

1. Outlet temperature to gas injection line pressure will increase and

accordingly density of gas will decrease
2. The efficiency of compressor will increase as the quantity of gas cooling
will reduce
3. The pressure drop across air fin coolers for third stage will be reduce
4. Wax formation may reduce
5. Injection gas line choking problem rectification
Requirements for the scheme:

1. Two globe valves with minor modification of air fin cooler piping

2. Gas line insulation is needed for better implementation of this

scheme.

 
• The cost of implementation for the scheme is very less and benefits
are significant.
Hence the above scheme is needed to implement.
 Injection Gas Analysis

Compressor suction gas Analysis

Compressor discharge discharge gas analysis
Composition 05.09.2022 14.12.2022
Composition 05.09.2022 14.12.2022
       
       
Methane 79.85 79.94 Methane 76.59 80.3
Ethane 6.65 6.76 Ethane 6.6 7.3

Propane 5.2 5.19 Propane 5.29 5.5

Iso Butane 1.5 1.3
Iso Butane 1.37 1.45
n Butane 1.94 1.5
n Butane 1.76 1.87
iso Pentane 0.52 0.3
iso Pentane 0.47 0.48 n Pentane 0.5 0.3
n Pentane 0.39 0.51
Hexane 0.98 0.2
Hexane 0.46 0.35
CO2 2.78 3
CO2 2.63 2.66
N2   1.22 0.79 N2   3.3 0.3
Sum   100 100 Sum   100 100
Spgr 0.7426 0.7442 Spgr 0.7737 0.7322
Density Kg/SCM 0.91 0.912
Density Kg/SCM 0.9481 0.8973
M wt 21.44 21.48
M wt 22.33 21.14
NCV Kcal/Scm 9846.805 9919.386 NCV Kcal/Scm 9936.206 9761.504
GCV   10946.834 10768.181
GCV   10857.963 10937.039