multi-stage plunger lift: an economical alternative to ... · pdf filegas well deliquification...

Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado

February 27 – March 2, 2011

Multi-Stage Plunger Lift:

An Economical Alternative to

Pumping Units

Tyler Lightbown, District Manager

Production Control Services

Conventional Plunger Lift Overview

Performs best in wells:

– Producing primarily gas

– Producing at or near

critical flow rate

– Accumulating large

amounts of solids

– Producing light oil, condensate or water

– That are low volume or marginal

– That have tubing irregularities

Feb. 27 - Mar. 2, 20112011 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Denver, Colorado

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Plunger Lift Advantages

• Efficiently removes accumulated liquids

• Can extend production to economic depletion

• Increases BHP drawdown to increase production

• Utilizes well’s own energy; no power source needed

• Controls solid and hydrate buildup

• Performs well in deviations

• Low capital and operating costs


Denver, Colorado

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Plunger Lift Limitations

• GLR requirements and adequate associated

gas: typically 4 Mcf to 1 Bbl ratio of gas to

liquid needed

• Limited fluid removal volume

• Fall time is prohibitive in deep wells


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Other Potential Lift Methods


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Pump Jack/Beam Lift

Advantages

• Large fluid volumes

• Greater depths

• Requires little intervention

• Familiar to operators

Disadvantages

• High capital cost

• High operating cost

• Gas locking

• Challenging in horizontals

Soap Injection

Advantages

• Low capital cost

• Easy implementation

• Familiar to operators

Disadvantages

• High operating cost

• Not effective in oil

How Multi-Stage Plunger Lift Compares

• Effective in GLRs nearing 1 Mcf to 1 Bbl gas to liquid

• Lower installation and maintenance costs (works with

existing plunger lift equipment)

• Entirely mechanical; no power or fuel requirement

• Less expensive than pump jack; conservatively

less than one-tenth of the cost

• Good performance in horizontal wells

• Better at removing solids and preventing buildup


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The Multi-Stage Tool

• Bumper spring absorbs impact of

arriving plunger

• Collar stop holds the tool in place in

the tubing

• Seal element (pack off) ensures one-way

flow of liquids and prevents slippage

• Locking mechanism holds tool in Open

position until set

• Ball and seat (flow cage) and holds liquids

for transfer to the upper plunger, which

lifts and removes them


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Ball & Seat

(flow cage)

Seal Element

(Packoff)

Resettable

Locking

Mechanism

Collar Stop

Heavy Duty

Bumper

Spring

How Multi-Stage Lift Works

• Bottom assembly and plunger are installed.

• Tool is placed by wireline about 40-70% down the tubing,

above the bottom plunger.

• First cycle: Bottom plunger carries fluids up to the tool.

Tool holds the fluids above it.

• Top plunger is installed; it descends and lands at the tool.

• Next cycle: Top plunger delivers its fluids to surface.

Bottom plunger delivers more fluids up to the tool.

• Plungers travel in tandem in subsequent cycles, delivering

fluids first to the tool, then to the surface.


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How Multi-Stage Lift Works

Multi-Stage Plunger Lift

Demonstration


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Case History A

Well A: Challenges

• Frequently loading up; no longer able to lift fluids on its own

• Plunger lift installed, but large amounts of liquids required long shut-in times

• When the plunger could run, tubing pressure often knocked down the separator

• Plunger was not able to cycle consistently

• Pump jack was considered, but cost was prohibitive


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Results


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• Multi-Stage Tool and upper plunger installed over

existing plunger lift system

• Gas production increased from 17 to 124 Mcf/day

• After a few cycles, separator was able to function and

consistent production was achieved

Gas Production

(Mcf/D)

Oil Production

(B/D)

Before Stage Tool 17 12.6

After Stage Tool 124 12.6

Case History B

Well B: Challenges

• Inhibited by high production of frac sand and wax

• Plunger would not cycle consistently; well shut-in

most of the time

• Pump jack installation and soap injection were

considered


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Results

Gas Production

(Mcf/D)

Oil Production

(B/D)

Before Stage Tool 0 0

After Stage Tool 42 8.8


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• Multi-Stage Tool and upper plunger lift installed over

existing plunger lift system

• After cleaning the tubing, sand production decreased

• Plungers began to cycle consistently and well was

able to produce

Options Advantages Disadvantages

Multi-Stage

Plunger Lift

Low capital cost

Easy installation

Familiar to operators

Can be labor intensive

Pump Jack Familiar to operators

Best reservoir

drawdown

High capital cost

Intervention often costly

Challenging on horizontals

Soap

Injection

Low capital cost

Easy installation

Familiar to operators

Expensive to operate

Technology often not

applied


Denver, Colorado

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Comparison of Lift Options

Conclusion

• Multi-Stage Plunger Lift can cost-effectively increase

production of gas and oil

• Extends range of plunger lift applications, even in

wells approaching 1 Mcf : 1 Bbl gas-to-liquid ratio

• Much more economical than pump unit (beam lift);

installation and maintenance costs are significantly

lower than beam pumping

• More effective in oil-rich environments than soaping


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Questions?

What else would you like to know

about multi-stage plunger lift?


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Feb. 27 - Mar. 2, 2011 2011 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Denver, Colorado

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Copyright

Rights to this presentation are owned by the company(ies) and/or author(s) listed on the title page. By submitting this presentation to the Gas Well Deliquification Workshop, they grant to the Workshop, the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC), and the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course (SWPSC), rights to:

– Display the presentation at the Workshop.

– Place it on the www.alrdc.com web site, with access to the site to be as directed by the Workshop Steering Committee.

– Place it on a CD for distribution and/or sale as directed by the Workshop Steering Committee.

Other use of this presentation is prohibited without the expressed written permission of the author(s). The owner company(ies) and/or author(s) may publish this material in other journals or magazines if they refer to the Gas Well Deliquification Workshop where it was first presented.

Feb. 27 - Mar. 2, 2011 2011 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop

Denver, Colorado

19

Disclaimer

The following disclaimer shall be included as the last page of a Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Course. A similar disclaimer is included on the front page of the Gas Well Deliquification Web Site.

The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council and its officers and trustees, and the Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Steering Committee members, and their supporting organizations and companies (here-in-after referred to as the Sponsoring Organizations), and the author(s) of this Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Training Course and their company(ies), provide this presentation and/or training material at the Gas Well Deliquification Workshop "as is" without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information or the products or services referred to by any presenter (in so far as such warranties may be excluded under any relevant law) and these members and their companies will not be liable for unlawful actions and any losses or damage that may result from use of any presentation as a consequence of any inaccuracies in, or any omission from, the information which therein may be contained.

The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed in these presentations and/or training materials are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Sponsoring Organizations. The author is solely responsible for the content of the materials.

The Sponsoring Organizations cannot and do not warrant the accuracy of these documents beyond the source documents, although we do make every attempt to work from authoritative sources. The Sponsoring Organizations provide these presentations and/or training materials as a service. The Sponsoring Organizations make no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the presentations and/or training materials, or any part thereof, including any warrantees of title, non-infringement of copyright or patent rights of others, merchantability, or fitness or suitability for any purpose.

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