PETE 332

Engenharia de Produao II

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 Gas Lift

Gas Lift um mtodo de elevao artificial onde gs a presso

relativamente alta usado como meio de elevao, atravs de um
processo mecnico. Isto alcanando de uma das duas formas:

Gas lift contnuo: Um volume contnuo de gs injetado no espao

anular ( ou no tubing) de formas a reduzir a densidade da coluna de
fluido at que a presso no fundo do poo seja reduzida o suficiente
para causar uma diference de presso no fundo do poo que permita o
poo produzir a taxa desejada.

Gs lift intermitente: Gas injetado at ao momento em que a

formao perde capacidade para alimentar o poo. Geralmente usado
com um controlador de ciclos superfcie. Este tipo de Gs Lift usado
em poos com as seguintes caractersticas : Alto ndice de produtividade
com presso no fundo do poo baixa ou Baixo ndice de produtividade
com presso no fundo do poo baixa.

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 Gas Lift

O que alcanado com o gs lift:

Imagine que um poo com 5000 ft de profundidade, est cheio de gua
salgada ( gradiente 0.465 psi/ft) e que deve produzir 100% gua salgada
contra uma presso de escoamento de 100 psi na cabea. Supondo que a
perda de carga por frico 0, este poo deve possuir uma presso no
fundo do poo de 100 + 5000 * (0.465) = 2425 psi

Vamos agora supor que que o poo esteja a produzir 100% 42 API leo
( gradiente 0.354 psi/ft), contra uma presso de 100 psi na cabea.
Novamente, desprezando a perda de carga por frico a presso de
escoamento no fundo do poo deve ser 100 + (0.354)*(5000) = 1870 psi.
Portanto, muito mais fcil fluir 100% leo do que 100% gua saudvel.
Vamos agora supor que o poo esteja a produzir gs juntamente com leo,
isto reduz o gradiente para uma mdia de 0.25 psi/ft a presso de
escoamento no fundo do poo requerida: 100 + 5000 (0.25) = 1350 psi.
Tornando a elevao do fluido muito mais fcil.
Gs mais leve que o leo ou gua, a resultado da mistura das ultimas
substancia com o gs um fluido muito mais leve.

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 Gas Lift

Vlvulas de Gs Lift:

Quanto ao modo de operao existem dois tipos de vlvulas:

1.Casing pressure Operated Valves (IPO): Esta vlvula sensvel a

presso de injeo ( casing pressure, Pc) na proporo de 50 100 % na
posio fechada e 100% na posio aberta. Requere um aumento na
presso do casing para abrir e uma reduo na presso do casing para
fechar
2.Fluid Operated Valves (TPO): Esta vlvula sensvel a presso no
tubing( tubing pressure, Pt) na proporo de 50 100 % na posio
fechada e 100% na posio aberta. Requere um aumento na presso do
tubing para abrir e uma reduo na presso do tubing para fechar

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 Gas Lift

Casing Pressure Operated

Valve:

A figua a esquerda ilutra

uma vvula de gas lift tpica
e respectiva nomenclatura:

Pt = Tubing Pressure

Pc = Casing Pressure

Ap = Area of Port

Ab = Area of belows

Pd = Dome Pressure

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 Gas Lift

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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

O poo morto
O nvel de fluido
no tubing e no
casing est
abaixo da
superfcie e
apenas suficiente
para balanar a
presso do
reservatrio
Tubing e nulos
foram
despressurizados
(presso
atmosfrica)

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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

Incio da injeo
de gs no nulos.
O fluido faz um
movimento em U
do espao anular
para o tubing
atravs de todas
as vlvulas
abertas
A presso do gs
suficiente para
elevar o fluido a
superfcie
A presso no
fundo do poo
superior a
presso da
formaao
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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

Incio da injeo de
gs no tubing.
O nvel de lquido no
nulos atingiu a
primeira vlvula de
descarga. Parte do
gs injetado eleva o
fluido no tubing sob
condies
multifsicas. O fluido
no casing continua a
ser descarregado
atravs das outras
vlvulas
O poo pode
comear a produzir
fluido da formao
( provavelmente leo
morto)
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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

O fluido no espao
anular foi reduzido at
ao ponto de expor a
vlvula n 2
As duas vlvulas no
topo esto abertas e o
gs entra no tubing
atravs das duas.
Todas as outras
vlvulas continuam
abertas e continuam a
descarregar o fludo no
espao anular.
A presso no tubing j
reduziu o suficiente
para causar um
drawdown considervel.
Incio da produao

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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

O processo continua
A primeira vlvula agora
encontra-se fechada
devido a reduo de
presso naquele ponto.
Todo gs esta a ser
injetado pela vlvula n 2
A descarga continua
atravs das outras
vlvulas abaixo da n 2.

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 Gas Lift

O processo de descarga ( Unloading)

O processo continua at
a sua concluso logica
Gs injetado atravs da
vlvula n 4 ( vlvula de
operao) e todas as
outras encontram-se
fechadas.

A vlvula de operao
pode ser apenas um
simples orifcio.

Quanto mais profundo for

o ponto de injeo, maior
o drawdown

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs

Lift ( Contnuo) :

A figura ao lado mostra uma instalao

de gs lift tpica.

H 6 vlvulas no poo. As primeiras 4

vlvulas so usadas para descarga do
poo (unloading) at o gs alcanar a
vlvula 5, que a vlvula de operao.
Existe uma vlvula adicional abaixo da
vlvula de operao por segurana ou
No caso das condies mudarem.

Para uma dada presso de injeo

superfcie, h uma profundidade onde
a presso no casing iguala a presso
no tubing. Este ponto conhecido
como pressure balance point.

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs

Lift ( Contnuo) :

A figura mostra o grfico depth

(profundidade) vs. Pressure
(presso) a linha de presso
dinmica parte da BHP at a
superfcie ( Depth = 0)

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs

Lift ( Contnuo) :
Supondo um gradiente mdio para o
fluido acima do ponto de injeo e um
gradiente abaixo do ponto de injeo
calcule :

Pwh + Gfa L + Gfb (D-L) = Pwf

Este do design de uma instalao de gs lift continuo.

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs Lift ( Contnuo) :

Dois parmetros na equao A profundidade de injeo e o gradiente de

escoamento acima do ponto de injeo podem ser variados independentemente
pelo engenheiro num dado design.

A vlvula de injeo fica a uma distancia pequena acima do ponto de injeo,

devido a queda de presso na vlvula.

O gradiente de escoamento controlado pela taxa de injeo do gs

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs Lift ( Contnuo) :

O primeiro passo determinar o ponto de injeo de gs.

Toda a informao deve constar num grfico de coordenadas cartesianas

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for Continuous Lift:

1) Determinar o ponto de injeo continua de gas

2) Destermianar o espaamentoe entre as vlvulas

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Determinao do ponto de injeo de gas

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PETE -332 Gas Lift
Design de uma instalao de Gs Lift ( Contnuo) :

1) Determinaao do ponto de injeo contnua:

EXAMPLE PROBLEM:
Informaao Dada:
Depth= 8000 ft
Taxa desejada = 1000 B/D (100 % oil)
Diametro do tubing 2 I. D.
Pwh = 100 psig
Pr = 2650 psig
ndice de produtividade = 2 (constante)
Rs = 200 scf/B
SP.Gr Gas de injeo = 0.65 (g)
Presso de operao superfcie = 900 psig (P so)
API= 35
BHT = 200 F
FST = 140 F
Poo carregado com um kill fluid de gradiente = 0.40 psi/ft
Pko= 1000 psi (1050 desponvel)

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design de uma instalao de Gs Lift

( Contnuo) :

1) Determinaao do ponto de injeo

contnua:

SOLUAO:

Step 1) Insira depth na ordenada (vertical)

com profundidade 0 no topo e
profundidade mxima em baixo.

Plot depth scale on vertical (0-8000 ft).

Step 2) Plot pressure on the abscissa

(horizontal) with pressure increasing from 0
at the origin to a maximum.

Plot pressure scale on horizontal (0-2800 psi).

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas

Injection:

Step 3) Plot the static BHP at the correct

depth (bottom of well).

Plot PR 2650 psig at 8000 ft

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas Injection:

Step 4) Determine the necessary drawdown in pressure to produce the

desired flow rate. For a constant PI (flow above bubble point pressure) find
the drawdown in pressure for any rate.

From the PI (productivity index) calculate the pressure drawdown necessary to give
the desired production rate:

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas Injection:

Step 5) Substract the drawdown from the

static BHP to obtain the flowing BHP.
Note this pressure at depth.

Substract the drawdown from the static BHP

to obtain the flowing BHP:

Plot 2150 psi at 8000 ft.

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas

Injection:

Step 6) Select the surface operating

pressure- pressure that can be
maintained at the well-site to
operate the gas lift well. Allow for
control of the injection gas and
safety in variable line pressures.
The full line pressure less some
safety factor (kick-off pressure) may
be used to unload the well initially,
but the operating pressure is used
in finding the point of gas injection.

Mark the pressurgiven available surface

operating e (Pso= 900 psi) at the
surface.
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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas Injection:

Step 7) Mark the kick-off pressure and surface operating pressure at zero
depth and extend downward until intersecting the flowing gradient line,
noting the increase in pressure (gas column weight).

Normally, a static gas column can be assumed, but in some cases the
drop in pressure due to friction must be accounted for.

This is particularly true for annular flow when gas is being injected down a
tubing string.

Even for gas injected down the annulus, the friction should be checked for
extremely high flow rates.

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas

Injection:

Step 7) Extend a line (gas column

pressure line) representing gas column
pressure increase downwards from
Pso= 900 psi.

In order to plot the gas column pressure

line, Figure 3A.1 (Appendix) is used.

For Pso= 900 psig, g = 0.65,

Bottom hole temperature= 200 F
Flowing surface temperature= 140 F

P chart= 21.5 psi/ 1000 ft (From Figure

3A.1)
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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

TEMPERATURE
CORRECTION:

Temp. Avg.

100F 70 1.6F depth / 100 ft Actual average temperature
200 140
170 F
2 2


100F 70 1.6F 8000 / 100 ft 149 F P chart= 21.5 psi/1000ft (From Figure 3A.1)
2

Chart Avg . temp., Rankine

Pcorrected Pchart
Actual Avg . temp., Rankine
149 460
21.5 psi / 1000 ft 0.021 psi / ft
170 460

Gas pressure at 8000 ft= 900+ (8000) (0.021) = 1068 psi

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

1) Determining the Point of Gas

Injection:

Step 7) Extend a line (gas column

pressure line) representing gas column
pressure increase downwards from
Pso= 900 psi.

Gas pressure at 8000 ft= 1068 psi

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PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for Continuous Lift:

Step 8) From the point of flowing BHP, plot the flowing pressure
traverse below the point of gas injection. This may be calculated in
detail or may be traced directly from flowing gradient curves.

Another procedure used when detailed information is unavailable is to

assume the flowing gradient beneath the point of injection can be
approximately by the static gradient of the mixture of oil and water. For
high flow rates of water and low gas-oil liquid ratios, this line may be
nearly equal to the flowing gradient line.

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PETE -332 Gas Lift
Design of Gas Lift Installations
for Continuous Lift:

Step 8) Find the appropriate

vertical flowing gradient chart for
given operational parameters.

From the point of flowing bottom

hole pressure (2150 psi), extend
the flowing gradient for Rs= 200
scf/B upward.This will be sufficient
to obtain the point of gas injection.
This may be calculated or traced
from Figure 3B.2 (Appendix).

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift
Design of Gas Lift Installations for
Continuous Lift:

Step 8)
In order to extend the flowing gradient for
Rs= 200 scf/B from the point of flowing
bottom hole pressure (2150 psi), upward
until reaching Pso=900 psi,

a) Overlay and align depth versus

pressure graph on the chosen flowing
gradient curve for 2 in. Tubing, 1000 B/D
(Figure 3B.2).
(From graph)

b) From the point of Pwf= 2150 psi, draw

the curve until reaching to the gas
column pressure line.

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

Step 9) Mark the point where the

operating casing pressure intersects the
flowing gradient line as the point of
balance between tubing and casing
pressure. For an open installation (no
packer) this would be the annular
working fluid level.
(From graph)

Mark the point where the operating casing

pressure intersects the flowing gradient line
as the point of balance between tubing and
casing pressures. This is at 5000 ft.

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

Step 10) Substract 100 psi from the

pressure in the casing at this point.
Return up the hole a distance
equivalent to this 100 psi on the
flowing BHP line and note this point.
This will be the point of gas injection.
This is necessary to ensure gas entry
and to ensure that the well can be
unloaded to this point of gas injection.
(From graph)

The point of gas injection is at 4800 ft.

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift
Design of Gas Lift Installations for
Continuous Lift:

Step 12) Approximate the flowing well-

head pressure (Pwh) and mark this
value at the zero depth.

(13) Connect the flowing well-head

pressure to the point of gas injection
by means of computer calculations or
tracing the appropriate flowing
gradient curve. This curve will in turn
give the total GLR required to produce
the well. (From
graph)

Overlay and align depth versus

pressure graph on the chosen flowing (From graph)
gradient curve for 2 in. Tubing, 1000
B/D (Figure 3B.2).

It is observed that this line plotted fits the

curve of 1000 B/D GLR=600 SCF/B on
Figure 3B.1. The correct gas liquid ratio
after the gas injection is obtained to be
600 SCF/B.
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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for

Continuous Lift:

Step 14) By substracting solution gas

from this total gas volume, the required
injection GLR is obtained, from which the
required gas flow rate can be determined.

The correct gas liquid ratio after the gas

injection is obtained to be 600 SCF/B.

(From
Gas Injection Rate necessary for graph)
increasing Rs from 200 to 600 scf/stb;

(From graph)

(Total G / L Rs ) qL GasVol .
(600 200) (1000) 400,000 scf / day

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 PETE -332 Gas Lift

Design of Gas Lift Installations for Continuous Lift:

Step 15) Correct the Gas Rate for the temperature at Injection point and find
the correct orifice size (gas lift valve port size) to pass the volume of
gas.

(a) Find the temperature at the operating injection depth. For this case,
assuming a linear temperature gradient the temperature at the point of
gas injection is at 4800 ft;
200 140
140 F

4800 176 F
8000

(b) Correct gas volume of 400,000 scf/D for temperature and specific gravity
by the following equation;
Correction factor 0.0544 T where T R
g

Correction factor 0.0544 0.65176 460 1.11

Correction volume (1.11)(400,000) 444,000 scf / D
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