Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado February 20 – 22, 2017 Enhance Plunger Lift While Reducing CAPEX and OPEX Jeff Saponja, P. Eng., MBA Production Plus Energy Services Inc.
Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado
February 20 – 22, 2017
Enhance Plunger Lift While
Reducing CAPEX and OPEX
Jeff Saponja, P. Eng., MBA
Production Plus Energy Services Inc.
2
The Root cause of Artificial Lift
Challenges is Slug Flow
Slug Flow Mechanisms:
1.Hydrodynamic Based – flow
regime (rates, GLR and pressure)
2.Terrain Based – well geometry
(undulations and toe-up trajectory)
3.Operational Based –
interruptions, stops/starts, pump
on timer = bad plan, pump over-
stroking practices = bad plan
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Horizontal Wellbore Slug Flow
https://youtu.be/DTl10BeLHV0
• Severe slug flow around bend compounds slugging in horizontal
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
4
Solution: mitigate slug flow
• Applying flow conditioning methods to mitigate slug flow
prior to separator and pump offers reliability and
efficiency; reliable maximization of production drawdown
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Mitigating Slug Flow Has Revealed
Significant Production Benefits
5
Reduced Total Well Capital Expenditure • Large artificial lift equipment due to production rate, depth and low efficiency
• Multiple lift systems required after natural flow period
• Complex directional profile to achieve production and geological objectives
Lowered Operating Expenses • Excessive workovers due to poor reliability and downhole equipment failures
• Expensive workovers due to pumps damaged by solids
• Excessive energy consumption due to pump depth and low pump efficiency
• Excessive gas interference and poor runtimes
Maximized Production Rate and Reserves • Inadequate drawdown due to lift system limitations (gas lift, “pump limited”)
• Pump placement limiting ability maximize drawdown
• Persistent high annular fluid levels or pump inlet pressure
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Producing BHP Comparison
6 Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Plunger Lift Challenges in Horizontal
Wells
• Excessive plunger travel time on deep wells
• Increased GLR requirements due to increased liquid loading
tendencies in the build section of the well
• Drawdown limitations with not able to lift liquids from the full
vertical depth of the wells (plunger’s can’t fall beyond angle of
repose ~55o)
• Holding higher casing pressure to avoid the risk of plunger
becoming stuck, limiting production drawdown
• Higher OPEX, as often wells that look like good plunger lift
candidates based on rule-of-thumb methods will not function
efficiently eventually requiring a transition to gas assist or switching
to another artificial lift system
7 Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Can slug flow mitigation using HEAL
System enhance plunger lift?
Hypothesis • Mitigating slug flow from horizontal will increase plunger lift
efficiency, reducing gas assist requirements and lowering
producing BHP
• Bend section inefficiently consumes a large portion of a plunger
lift system’s energy, so use HEAL System to lift fluids from
horizontal to vertical
Design Concept • Place Plunger Bumper Spring up into vertical section and make
plunger lift system “think” it is in a shallower vertical well
• Achieve continuous slug mitigating flow up the SRS at all times,
using annulus as an accumulator – must time plunger cycles to
maintain continuous flow and use continuous flow plunger
• Solids control and separation to maximize plunger longevity
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Development of the HEAL Slickline System:
Offset Well Frac Hit Protection
9 Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
SRS STRING
HEAL SEAL
Rod Pump
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
SEPARATOR PRONG
• Well is on production with rod pump
and HEAL Slickline System
• Slickline HEAL Separator Prong in
place
• Casing is open for separated gas
• HEAL System protects pump from gas
and solids, as well as maximizes
production drawdown
INSERT PUMP
Frac Hit Protection
Separated Gas
Oil / Water
Formation Fluids (Oil, Water, Gas)
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
BLANKING PLUG / PRONG
• Offset well to be fracced, presenting a risk
of a frac hit
• Rods and pump are pulled from well
• Slickline unit pulls HEAL Separator Prong
and installs a standard X profile Blanking
Plug/Prong in Slickline Separator
• With deep well barrier, frac hit risks and
consequences are mitigated
• Post offset well frac, procedure is reversed
and well is placed back on production
SRS STRING
HEAL SEAL
Separated Solids
• Retrieve Flow Through Prong; bumper
spring, HEAL Plunger Lift Prong and
standing valve are installed
• Plunger Lift efficiency improved as shallower
and vertical; enables more cycles/day and
lower GLR
• Casing is closed (unless gas assisting)
• SRS discharges to annulus at HEAL
Slickline Separator and maintains
continuous flow
HEAL Slickline System:
Transition from Natural Flow to Plunger Lift
Extending Natural Flow Plunger Lift
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
FLOW THROUGH PRONG
(annulus isolated from tubing)
• HEAL Slickline Separator Flow
Through Prong installed (HEAL
Slickline Separator is bypassed and
isolated from annulus)
• Extends natural flow period as SRS
lifts fluids around bend and delays
the onset of liquid loading
• Casing is closed
• Option to enhance frac flowback
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
PLUNGER LIFT PRONG
SRS STRING SRS STRING
HEAL SEAL HEAL SEAL
PLUNGER BUMPER SPRING
STANDING VALVE
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Separated Gas
Oil / Water
Formation Fluids (Oil, Water, Gas)
Separated Solids
HEAL Slickline System:
Transition from Plunger Lift to Rod Pumping
11 Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
SRS STRING
HEAL SEAL
Rod Pump
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
SEPARATOR PRONG
• Slickline retrieve bumper spring, HEAL
Plunger Lift Prong and standing valve
• Slickline install HEAL Separator Prong
• Casing is open for separated gas
• HEAL System protects pump from gas
and solids, as well as maximizes
production drawdown
INSERT PUMP
Separated Gas
Oil / Water
Formation Fluids (Oil, Water, Gas)
Separated Solids
• Plunger Lift efficiency improved as shallower
and vertical; enables more cycles/day and
lower GLR
• Casing is closed (unless gas assisting)
• SRS discharges to annulus at HEAL
Slickline Separator and maintains
continuous flow
Plunger Lift
HEAL SLICKLINE SEPARATOR
c/w
PLUNGER LIFT PRONG
SRS STRING HEAL SEAL
PLUNGER BUMPER SPRING
STANDING VALVE
Case Study 1: Enhanced Plunger Lift
• Initial field trial, short
term function test,
HEAL + continuous flow
plunger
• System performed as
expected:
– Consistent plunger
arrivals
– No “stalling” of
system
• According to plunger
provider, production
rate 300% of what was
expected based upon a
conventional plunger
installation in this well
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Case Study 2: Enhanced Plunger Lift
• First commercial install:
–Permian Basin
Wolfcamp
–HEAL + continuous
flow plunger
–Well previously on rod
lift
• Operation proceeding as
expected:
– Consistent plunger
arrivals
– Production 2x from
rod lift
• Excellent production
uplift while greatly
reducing OPEX
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Full cycle artificial lift strategy defined by
mitigating slug flow
1. Control flowback – Reduced risk proppant flowback and fines generation
– Reduced risk of loss of frac conductivity
2. Maximize natural flow period (lowest OPEX) – Bend section liquid loading dictates when a well ceases to
naturally flow
3. Transition to lowest OPEX artificial lift system as quickly
as possible – Maximize pump efficiency to extend top end capacity
– Lower CAPEX by reducing or eliminating intermediate artificial lift
4. Maximize artificial lift system reliability and drawdown – Minimize planned and unplanned workovers
– Achieve lowest producing BHP as possible to maximize rate and
reserves
14 Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Questions & Contact
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CONTACT
Anthony McDaniels Jeff Saponja
970-692-7761 403-472-1440
www.pdnplus.com
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
16
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Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
17
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