US20150000926A1 - Gas lift system for oil production - Google Patents
Gas lift system for oil production Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150000926A1 US20150000926A1 US14/378,246 US201314378246A US2015000926A1 US 20150000926 A1 US20150000926 A1 US 20150000926A1 US 201314378246 A US201314378246 A US 201314378246A US 2015000926 A1 US2015000926 A1 US 2015000926A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- gas
- pressure
- high pressure
- jet pump
- well head
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 42
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 claims description 12
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000007791 liquid phase Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 16
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 10
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 4
- XQCFHQBGMWUEMY-ZPUQHVIOSA-N Nitrovin Chemical compound C=1C=C([N+]([O-])=O)OC=1\C=C\C(=NNC(=N)N)\C=C\C1=CC=C([N+]([O-])=O)O1 XQCFHQBGMWUEMY-ZPUQHVIOSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000003129 oil well Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000295 fuel oil Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000009286 beneficial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003085 diluting agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011143 downstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012071 phase Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
- E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
- E21B43/124—Adaptation of jet-pump systems
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
- E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
- E21B43/122—Gas lift
- E21B43/123—Gas lift valves
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
- E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
- E21B43/122—Gas lift
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a gas lift system for improving oil production from a well.
- gas lift involving the injection of high pressure gas at different depths of an oil well, is well known as an effective way to reduce the hydrostatic head of fluids flowing through the well bore and to increase the velocity of flow in order to prevent liquids building up in the well bore.
- a rise in the FBHP will in turn restrict production.
- the flow regime improves as the produced gas flows at a lower pressure and therefore at a higher apparent velocity and volumetric flow rate. For this reason the flow regime at the well bore sections near the wellhead is more stable and often of dispersed bubble flow type.
- a gas lift system increases the velocity of the total gas flowing through the well bore and can change the flow regime within part of the well bore to the more favorable and stable flow regimes such as dispersed bubble flow. This in turn will reduce the FBHP of the well and results in a more stable production rate such that production can increase.
- gas lift gas is dictated by the well depth, injection depth and production pressure at the injection point.
- Typical gas lift pressure has been 70 to 100 barg, but this is not a limit.
- WO 2011/025590 relates to the use of jet pumps downhole and is particularly for improving the production of heavy oil. In this case, by using light oil or diluents as the motive flow, the viscosity of the heavy oil is reduced which helps to reduce pressure losses along the well bore.
- the system is downhole, i.e. with no use of a surface apparatus to reduce wellhead pressure.
- EP0717818 relates to the use of surface jet pump where flow from a high pressure oil well is used to reduce the back pressure on low pressure wells.
- the source of motive flow is a high pressure well and the low pressure well is not gas lifted.
- the present invention seeks to address the identified conditions to improve operation of a gas lift system, thereby providing a corresponding improvement in production from an oil well.
- an improved gas lift system for use in the production of fluid from a well bore including: an injector for supplying pressurized gas to the well bore; a well head; a tube (also known as “tubing”) extending from the well head into the well bore; a plurality of openings or valves at different depths of the tube for permitting the ingress of injected gas to assist fluid flowing upwards through the tube by reducing the hydrostatic pressure; further including a boosting unit downstream of the well head for reducing the flowing well head pressure and capable of discharging produced fluid at a pressure required by a downstream production system.
- the improved gas lift system of the invention lowers the flowing wellhead pressure (FWHP) of the well in order to increase production and also to increase the velocity of gas flowing through the well bore.
- the flowing wellhead pressure (FWHP) of the well is often dictated by the downstream production and process system, however, provision of a dedicated boosting system at surface provides a clear advantage because it can reduce the FWHP of the well whilst delivering the produced fluids at the pressure demanded by the downstream production system.
- the boosting unit is a surface jet pump.
- SJP surface jet pump
- the flow regime improves within the well bore because the produced fluid flows at a lower pressure and therefore at a higher apparent velocity and volumetric flow rate.
- the motive HP flow for the SJP could be one of the following: HP gas; HP oil or gas from one or more HP wells; HP liquid phase (oil or water).
- HP liquid may be from an available HP source such as injection water or export oil, the pressure of which has been boosted for other reasons.
- Typical pressure of the motive high pressure flow of the surface jet pump is twice the flowing wellhead pressure, but the pressure can be several times this value and typically up to 70 barg or higher.
- the flow rate of the HP flow is also typically equal to or higher than that of the well flow rate to be highly effective in reducing the FWHP by a factor of two or higher.
- the combined gas lift system (with otherwise limited or not optimum gas lift rate) and the use of a surface jet pump will enhance production in a very cost effective and simple way.
- an improved gas lift system for use in the production of fluids from a well bore including: an injector for supplying pressurized gas to the well bore; a well head; a tube extending from the well head into the well bore; a plurality of openings or gas lift valves at different depths of the tube for permitting the ingress of injected gas to assist fluid flowing upwards through the tube by reducing the hydrostatic pressure; further including a boosting unit upstream of the injector to boost the pressure of the lift gas.
- the boosting unit is a surface jet pump configured to receive lower pressure injection gas (i.e. “lower pressure” is interpreted as lower than that ideally desired for optimum gas lift) into a first inlet, the flow rate of gas at the first inlet being increased by a high pressure motive flow capable of being received into a second inlet downstream of a recycle loop from a compressor (e.g. an existing compressor for provision of lift gas or for export of gas by pipeline), wherein the outlet of the surface jet pump is configured to supply gas to the inlet of the gas compression system.
- a compressor e.g. an existing compressor for provision of lift gas or for export of gas by pipeline
- This aspect of the invention addresses the problem identified where high pressure gas in the gas lift system is not of sufficient pressure to inject at the lowest parts of the well bore where gas lift is needed and is most effective.
- the surface jet pump acts as a “pre-boost” pressurisation means before the compressor.
- the system of the invention has two main distinctions from prior art discussed above.
- the first is the fact that the low pressure well is gas lifted and the second distinction is the fact that the motive flow can be from any source such as injection water, export oil or any high pressure liquid available.
- the main aspect of invention is a system which combines with gas lift to increases production and compensates for cases where gas lift is not optimised, either because there is insufficient gas or because the gas lift pressure is insufficient to inject it into the deeper part of the well where it is mostly needed.
- FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of an improved gas lift system according to the invention
- FIG. 2 shows in graphical form the additional production achieved as a result of implementing the invention
- FIG. 3 illustrates a surface jet pump suitable for use with the present invention
- FIG. 4 illustrates a further improved modification of a gas lift system according to the invention.
- increased oil production in a low GOR well is achieved by implementing a gas lift injection system 10 into a well 11 such that the hydrostatic head of fluids in the extraction tube 12 is reduced.
- An oil/gas mixture leaves the well head 13 for downstream processing via a pipeline 14 .
- a pressurized upper section 11 A of the well 11 is sealed from the pay zone P by a barrier 15 (through which the tube 12 passes) and gas is introduced through the tube 12 wall at different depths via valves or apertures (not pictured in FIG. 1 ).
- the flow rate of fluid naturally rising through the tube 12 due to underground pressure in the pay zone P is increased by bubbles forming from the injected gas into the tube 12 .
- a boosting unit e.g. surface jet pump (SJP) 16 is installed downstream of the well head 13 to improve the flow regime within the well bore, while reducing flowing well head pressure.
- a valve 17 may, when closed, divert fluid in the pipeline 14 through the surface jet pump 16 or, when open, bypass the pump.
- the effect of the SJP in the above described condition is an improvement in the flow regime within the well bore, a reduction in the FBHP of the well and, ultimately, an increase in production.
- a suitable SJP may be as described in EP0717818; the present FIG. 3 is derived from this document.
- the choice of the SJP system is dependent on the amount of liquids produced with gas and whether HP gas is sufficient as the motive flow or whether because of the rate of liquids produced the motive flow should be HP liquid phase such as that shown in FIG. 3 .
- the motive (high pressure) flow 18 entering SJP 16 may be sourced from: HP gas; HP oil or gas from one or more HP wells; HP liquid phase (oil or water).
- HP liquid may come from an available HP source such as injection water or export oil, the pressure of which has been boosted for other reasons.
- the combination of a gas lift system at reduced rate or reduced pressure (depending on the availability and pressure of the HP gas) and an SJP system will be more cost effective and beneficial in maximizing production from wells (as opposed to finding other ways to increase the injection gas pressure).
- the SJP also offers the simplest solution compared to alternative surface boosting systems such as multiphase pumps which, if used, require a significant amount of electric power not often available on platforms or well sites.
- FIG. 2 graphically illustrates the additional (i.e. rise in) production (AP) expected from a system of the invention utilizing a surface jet pump and gas lift injection system (SJP+GI), compared to gas lift injection alone (GI).
- the respective curves also illustrate the optimum (peak) production, i.e. produced oil flow rate, which drops off with excessive gas injection flow rates as mentioned previously.
- Typical pressure of the motive high pressure flow of the surface jet pump is twice the flowing wellhead pressure, but the pressure can be several times this value and typically up to 70 barg or higher.
- the flow rate of the HP flow is also typically equal to or higher than that of the well flow rate to be highly effective in reducing the FWHP.
- FIG. 4 A further improvement is shown in FIG. 4 , wherein an SJP unit 16 A is installed within an injection gas circuit 19 to assist in raising the pressure of gas lift gas so that it can be injected effectively at the lowest part of the well to enhance gas lift and improve production.
- an SJP unit 16 A is installed within an injection gas circuit 19 to assist in raising the pressure of gas lift gas so that it can be injected effectively at the lowest part of the well to enhance gas lift and improve production.
- HP high pressure
- the SJP 16 A uses as a motive flow 18 recycled gas from a gas lift compressor unit 20 such that the injection gas 21 input into the low pressure side of the SJP is “pre-pressurized” by the motive flow before it is further compressed by the downstream gas lift compressor 20 .
- the illustrated system boosts pressure of lift gas 10 for injection to reach the lowest points within the well 11 .
- FIG. 4 does not show a barrier 15 such that liquid oil from the pay zone rises to a low level 22 in the well 11 .
- lift gas passes through the tubing, well casing annulus and the wall of tube 12 via gas lift injection valves 23 .
- the upper valves 23 on tube 12 represent a gas lift at limited pressure, whereas the lower valves (in this case below level 22 ) represent gas lift at a higher pressure. Bubbles formed in the fluid reduce the hydrostatic head pressure and enable the volumetric flow rate to increase.
- the system of FIG. 4 can be coupled with an additional SJP as in FIG. 1 for further improvements in efficiency.
- system of the invention can be assembled from available oil production components at a well site.
- the components can be manufactured for specific compatibility, i.e. tuned to cooperate with each other for best performance.
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
- Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB1202904.7 | 2012-02-20 | ||
GBGB1202904.7A GB201202904D0 (en) | 2012-02-20 | 2012-02-20 | Extra production gain with SJP system and gaslift |
GB1210847.8A GB2499473B (en) | 2012-02-20 | 2012-06-19 | Improved gas lift system for oil production |
GB1210847.8 | 2012-06-19 | ||
PCT/GB2013/050321 WO2013124625A2 (fr) | 2012-02-20 | 2013-02-13 | Système amélioré d'extraction au gaz pour la production de pétrole |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20150000926A1 true US20150000926A1 (en) | 2015-01-01 |
Family
ID=45939897
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/378,246 Abandoned US20150000926A1 (en) | 2012-02-20 | 2013-02-13 | Gas lift system for oil production |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20150000926A1 (fr) |
GB (2) | GB201202904D0 (fr) |
NO (1) | NO20141023A1 (fr) |
WO (1) | WO2013124625A2 (fr) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9494166B1 (en) * | 2015-12-22 | 2016-11-15 | Syphon Energy, LLC | Jet-gas lift system and method for pumping well fluids |
WO2017112508A1 (fr) * | 2015-12-22 | 2017-06-29 | Shell Oil Company | Appareil d'ascension au gaz à colonne montante amélioré |
US10837463B2 (en) | 2017-05-24 | 2020-11-17 | Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Llc | Systems and methods for gas pulse jet pump |
US11060385B2 (en) * | 2019-02-12 | 2021-07-13 | Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc | Artificial lift system for a resource exploration and recovery system |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2529491B (en) * | 2014-11-14 | 2020-09-16 | Caltec Production Solutions Ltd | A method of using a surface jet pump to mitigate severe slugging in pipes and risers |
GB2541504B (en) * | 2016-06-17 | 2017-09-20 | Starstream Ltd | Flow control system and method |
US11193483B1 (en) | 2019-09-30 | 2021-12-07 | Estis Compression, LLC | Gas lift compressor system and method for supplying compressed gas to multiple wells |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4967843A (en) * | 1987-09-29 | 1990-11-06 | Institut Francais Du Petrole | Device for producing an effluent contained in a submarine geological formation and production method employed using such a device |
US20030085036A1 (en) * | 2001-10-11 | 2003-05-08 | Curtis Glen A | Combination well kick off and gas lift booster unit |
US20040149445A1 (en) * | 2001-05-17 | 2004-08-05 | Appleford David Eric | Fluid transportation system |
US20050269134A1 (en) * | 2004-06-04 | 2005-12-08 | Strazhgorodskiy Semen I | Underbalanced drilling method and apparatus |
US20070158075A1 (en) * | 2003-03-22 | 2007-07-12 | Beg Mirza N A | System and process for pumping multiphase fluids |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB9318419D0 (en) * | 1993-09-06 | 1993-10-20 | Bhr Group Ltd | Pumping liquids using a jet pump |
WO2003003865A1 (fr) * | 2001-07-03 | 2003-01-16 | Promoción De Calzado, S.A. (Prodecasa) | Chaussure amelioree |
GB0410961D0 (en) * | 2004-05-17 | 2004-06-16 | Caltec Ltd | A separation system for handling and boosting the production of heavy oil |
WO2011025590A1 (fr) * | 2009-08-31 | 2011-03-03 | Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company | Méthodes et systèmes de production de boue dense |
-
2012
- 2012-02-20 GB GBGB1202904.7A patent/GB201202904D0/en not_active Ceased
- 2012-06-19 GB GB1210847.8A patent/GB2499473B/en active Active
-
2013
- 2013-02-13 WO PCT/GB2013/050321 patent/WO2013124625A2/fr active Application Filing
- 2013-02-13 US US14/378,246 patent/US20150000926A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2014
- 2014-08-21 NO NO20141023A patent/NO20141023A1/no not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4967843A (en) * | 1987-09-29 | 1990-11-06 | Institut Francais Du Petrole | Device for producing an effluent contained in a submarine geological formation and production method employed using such a device |
US20040149445A1 (en) * | 2001-05-17 | 2004-08-05 | Appleford David Eric | Fluid transportation system |
US20030085036A1 (en) * | 2001-10-11 | 2003-05-08 | Curtis Glen A | Combination well kick off and gas lift booster unit |
US20070158075A1 (en) * | 2003-03-22 | 2007-07-12 | Beg Mirza N A | System and process for pumping multiphase fluids |
US20050269134A1 (en) * | 2004-06-04 | 2005-12-08 | Strazhgorodskiy Semen I | Underbalanced drilling method and apparatus |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9494166B1 (en) * | 2015-12-22 | 2016-11-15 | Syphon Energy, LLC | Jet-gas lift system and method for pumping well fluids |
WO2017112107A1 (fr) * | 2015-12-22 | 2017-06-29 | Syphon Energy, LLC | Système et procédé d'ascension au gaz de jet pour le pompage de fluides de puits |
WO2017112508A1 (fr) * | 2015-12-22 | 2017-06-29 | Shell Oil Company | Appareil d'ascension au gaz à colonne montante amélioré |
US20190003289A1 (en) * | 2015-12-22 | 2019-01-03 | Shell Oil Company | Enhanced riser-based gas-lift apparatus |
US10837463B2 (en) | 2017-05-24 | 2020-11-17 | Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Llc | Systems and methods for gas pulse jet pump |
US11060385B2 (en) * | 2019-02-12 | 2021-07-13 | Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc | Artificial lift system for a resource exploration and recovery system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB2499473B (en) | 2016-03-23 |
GB201210847D0 (en) | 2012-08-01 |
GB2499473A (en) | 2013-08-21 |
NO20141023A1 (no) | 2014-11-20 |
GB201202904D0 (en) | 2012-04-04 |
WO2013124625A3 (fr) | 2014-04-10 |
WO2013124625A2 (fr) | 2013-08-29 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CALTEC LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOM Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BEG, MIRZA NAJAM ALI;SARSHAR, MIR MAHMOOD;REEL/FRAME:033517/0550 Effective date: 20140731 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |