Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado February 20 – 22, 2017 Sergey Busygin, Production Operations, Shell Lynn Rowlan, Engineer, Echometer Company Two-Piece Plunger Fall Velocities and Practical Application in the Field
Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Sheraton Hotel, Denver, Colorado
February 20 – 22, 2017
Sergey Busygin, Production Operations, Shell
Lynn Rowlan, Engineer, Echometer Company
Two-Piece Plunger Fall Velocities and Practical Application in the Field
Feb. 27 - Mar. 2, 2011 2011 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Denver, Colorado 2
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Introduction • Previously 2-piece plunger fall velocity has not been
measured using Echometer plunger tracking techniques
• Now can recognize 2-piece collars echoes by combining:
– High frequency data sampling rate (480 HZ)
– New TAM software improves plunger tracking capabilities and
visualization
• Observations: plunger fall against flow, plunger fall
against no flow, fall velocity when sleeve catches the ball
prior to reaching the Bumper Spring Assembly, BSA, and
rise velocity
• Field examples will be discussed: 1) broken plungers,
2) damaged BSAs and 3) loaded wells due to plunger
falling off the rod
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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2-piece plunger tracking
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado 5
TWO
PIECE • Sleeve
• Ball
• Bumper
Spring Assembly
MECHANICAL
COMPONENTS • LUBRICATOR
• SURFACE
SPRINGS
• ANVIL
• SHIFTING ROD
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado 6
Data Collection – for Fast Falling Plunger 30 HZ “Noise” @ 480 HZ Becomes Data
30 HZ 480 HZ
1.0 min
0.1 min
1.0 min
0.1 min Noise Collars
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Zoom in to See Sleeve Fall Fast (480 HZ)
Elapsed Time of 1.617 Minutes
59.933 Min Sleeve
Off Shifting Rod
61.55 Min
Sleeve On
Bottom
Lick Run 3H
Elapsed Time of 1.00 Minute
59.933 Min Sleeve
Off Shifting Rod
Starting to See
Tubing Joints
Elapsed Time of 8.0 Seconds
Can Determine 3189 ft/min Sleeve Fall Velocity
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Acquired Data is Now Easier to See
Limited 800x600 Size
Limited by Screen Size
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
9
2-Piece “Normal” Plunger Cycle
Time - minutes
psi (g)
With
Afterflow
Plunger
Falling
Two Piece
Plunger Cycle
Source: DR. James F. Lea
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
11
Sleeve at
Surface
psi (g)
Time - minutes
7 8
9
10 11
8-9 During 20
sec Shut-in
to release
sleeve of rod
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
12
Plunger Cycle – Shut-in After Arrival
Sleeve catches the ball
West 299 5H
Sleeve
Falls
Ball+Sleeve Fall
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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@ 50th Joint
Sleeve caught
the ball
Sleeve Only 3000 Ft/Min
Sleeve+Ball 400 Ft/Min
Sleeve Only
Sleeve+Ball
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
14
Sleeve/Ball Arrive at Surface
19.5 min Ball and Sleeve Arrive at Surface
Shifting Rod Knocks Ball off Sleeve.
Ball Falls and Sleeve held at Surface.
Ball Seated in Sleeve
Reaches Max Depth of
3677 Ft
Wood 3H
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Sleeve Released from Shifting Rod
20.467 min ~ Increasing
Tubing Pressure Releases
Sleeve from Shifting Rod
Sleeve Only Falls at an
Average 2242 Ft/Min
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Sleeve Catches Ball in 1782 Feet
21.333 min ~ Sleeve
Catches Ball at Depth
of 1782 ft from Surface
Ball Seated in Sleeve Falls
at an Average 275 Ft/Min
Ball Only Falls at 1782/(21.333 -19.5)
an Average 972 Ft/Min
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Before Dropping Sleeve Must Know Ball Fall Velocity – Wait Until Ball Falls
Gas(0.65) - Various Vfall rates for Ball
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Flow Rates, Mscf/D
Pre
ss
ure
, p
sia
200fpm400fpm600fpm800fpm1000fpm0fpmCritical Rates
972 Ft/Min
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
18
Two Piece Plunger Can Fall Fast (480 HZ)
Elapsed Time of 1.617 Minutes
59.933 Min Sleeve
Off Shifting Rod
61.55 Min
Sleeve On
Bottom
Lick Run 3H
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Sleeve Averaging -3189 Ft/Min Fall
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Count Collars to 3133 Ft
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017
2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
21
Damaged plungers
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
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Conclusion
• Field data shows 2-piece plunger fall velocity can be
measured using Echometer plunger tracking techniques
• Need to use High Speed Data Acquisition (480 HZ)
• Software improved visualization displays 100 echoes per
minute at reasonable scale to determine plunger velocity
• 2-piece plunger
– Fell 2200 ft/min against flow,
– Fell against 3600 ft/min no flow
– Sleeve catches the ball prior to reaching the BSA
• Common problems are: 1) broken plungers, 2) damaged
BSAs and 3) loaded wells due to sleeve falling off rod
Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
23
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Feb. 20 - 22, 2017 2017 Gas Well Deliquification Workshop
Denver, Colorado
24
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