Vortex SX Tools For Improved Plunger Liftvortextools.com/VtxTechnicalReports/DJ_Case_Study_SX_w_Plunger… · of daily plunger lift cycles from 4 to 14! In addition, the success rate

Denver – Julesburg Basin Case Studies

Vortex SX Tools For Improved Plunger Lift


SX Increases Oil Production… Pre-SX Installation: Wells’ Actual Production compared to their long-term decline curves as a % of the Decline Curve production rate:

Post-SX Installation:

DJ Basin Acutal Oil Production v Projected Decline - Pre Vortex Installation

BeeBee Draw

Bigfoot #1

Bigfoot #2

Jeffers

Kallsen Horth

Maxey 33 Miller

Todd

UPRR

-100.0%

-80.0%

-60.0%

-40.0%

-20.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Oil

DJ Basin Actual Oil Production v Projected Decline - Post Vortex Installation

BeeBee Draw

Bigfoot #1

Bigfoot #2

Jeffers

Kallsen

Horth

Maxey 33

Miller

Todd

UPRR

-100.0%

-80.0%

-60.0%

-40.0%

-20.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Oil


SX Increases Gas Production Pre-SX Installation: Wells’ Actual Production compared to their long-term decline curves as a % of the Decline Curve production rate:

Post-SX Installation:

DJ Basin Actual Gas Production v Projected Decline - Pre Vortex Installation

BeeBee Draw

Bigfoot #1

Bigfoot #2

Jeffers

Kallsen

Horth Maxey 33

Miller

Todd

UPRR

-100.0%

-80.0%

-60.0%

-40.0%

-20.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Gas

DJ Basin Actual Production v Projected Decline - Post Vortex Installation

BeeBee Draw

Bigfoot #1Bigfoot #2

Jeffers

Kallsen

Horth

Maxey 33 MillerTodd

UPRR

-100.0%

-80.0%

-60.0%

-40.0%

-20.0%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

Gas



SX Reduces Wellhead Pressure – Increases Ultimate Recovery - Long Term Value Created

Pressure Difference from Wellhead to Sales Meter at Time of Plunger Arrival

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Don

ald R

osenbro

ok

Kiefe

r Geor

ge

Spike S

tate

State

of C

olora

do

Fred M

ayer

Coy

le

Nor

den

- N

O V

X TO

OL

Inouye

-

N

O V

X TO

OL

Cla

rk F

. -

N

O V

X TO

OL

Rob

bins

-

NO

VX T

OO

L

Jones

Guy

- N

O V

X TO

OL

Car

ter

-

N

O V

X TO

OL

Cal

ly W

hite -

NO

VX T

OO

L

PS

I

DJ Basin Wells

Vortex SX Pressure Reduction Case Study Assumptions: Line pressure at separator is 150 PSI, shut-in tubing pressure is 260 PSI, it takes 7 minutes for the plunger to arrive and the cycle has 10 minutes of delay.

Typical DJ plunger cycle without an SX tool in place:

1) The plunger cycle starts: - Gas starts being produced through the flowline as the plunger ascends from downhole the tubing

pressure drops in the first 30 seconds to equalize closer to line pressure - down to 200 PSI - Over the next 5 minutes, the tubing pressure continues to fall as the 100% gas/liquid ratio production

sweeps more liquids out of the line – down to 180 PSI - With one minute before plunger arrival the line is almost swept from liquids and the tubing pressure

is down to its lowest point in the cycle - 160 - 175 PSI 2) Liquid starts to arrive at the wellhead 30 seconds prior to the plunger arrival

- Tubing pressure starts to increase significantly as the liquid hits the flowline and the tubing pressure increases to 215 PSI

- The plunger is now having to battle against 215 PSI to make it to surface - Assume that the plunger does make it to surface - As the production shifts to a high gas/liquid ratio but still fairly high velocity the flowline clears some

of the liquid and the tubing pressure is lowered to 180 PSI - However, often the gas production rate drops below the critical velocity needed to move liquid and

the tubing pressure builds back up prior to completion of the delay cycle. Tubing pressure now equals 190 PSI.

3) The plunger cycle ends with liquids remaining in the flowline. - If there is no delay period in the cycle, a great deal of liquid never makes it to the separator prior to

the next cycle starting.

With an SX tool in place:

1) The plunger cycle starts:

Gas starts being produced through the flowline as the plunger ascends from downhole the tubing pressure drops in the first 30 seconds to equalize closer to line pressure - down to 200 PSI

Over the next 5 minutes, the tubing pressure continues to fall as the 100% gas/liquid ratio production sweeps more liquids out of the line – down to 180 PSI

Denver – Julesburg Basin Case Studies With one minute before plunger arrival the line is almost swept from liquids and the tubing

pressure is down to its lowest point in the cycle - 160 - 175 PSI

Gas starts being produced through the flowline as the plunger ascends from downhole

The tubing pressure drops in the first 30 seconds to equalize closer to line pressure - now down to 160 PSI as there was only very modest amount of liquid in the lines prior to the cycle beginning

Over the next 5 minutes, the tubing pressure continues to fall as the 100% gas/liquid ratio production sweeps more liquids out of the line - with one minute before plunger arrival the line is almost swept from liquids and the tubing pressure is down to its lowest point in the cycle - Now only 150 - 160 PSI as the 6.5 minutes of gas flow has evacuated all or most all of the liquids from the line (far more than Mother Nature does)

2) Liquid starts to arrive at the wellhead 30 seconds prior to the plunger arrival

Tubing pressure starts to increase only modestly as the liquid hits the flowline and is 'rifled' through the flowline and down to the separator more effectively. The tubing pressure only increases to 160 PSI!

The plunger is now having to battle only against 160 PSI to make it to surface

The plunger makes it to surface

As the production shifts to a high gas/liquid ratio but still fairly high velocity the flowline clears most if not all of the liquid and the tubing pressure quickly lowers to 150 - 155 PSI

The gas production rate lowers the necessary critical velocity needed to move liquid and the tubing pressure remains low at 150 - 155 PSI.

3) Plunger Cycle Ends. No liquids (or only modest) remain in the flowline prior to the next cycle beginning

Denver – Julesburg Basin Case Studies Enhanced Plunger Lift Performance – Enhanced Production - Long Term Value Created

One of the earliest Vortex SX installations was made on the „Max‟ well on 11/9/01. This very

mature well was producing approximately 1 BPOD and 30 MCFD. Detailed well and installation

information is as follows:

Basin: Denver-Julesburg (DJ)

Formation Type: Codell

Well Age: 9 years

Well Type: Plunger Lift

Flowline Size: 2”

Flowline Length: 2,500 feet with “S” turn in flowline

Vortex SX Install: Just after wellhead before 2,500‟ flowline to separator

Plunger Lift Cycles: 4 per day (initial), ~50% success rate on plunger lift returns

Other: Common freeze up problems during cold periods in winter months

In the several weeks following installation, the operator was able to markedly increase the number

of daily plunger lift cycles from 4 to 14! In addition, the success rate of plunger lift returns

improved from 50% to 95%, even with the large increase in daily plunger lift cycles.

The flowline, which had been prone to periodic freeze-ups during cold snaps, did not freeze up

through the „01-‟02 winter months.

Production improvements are measured by comparing actual production data against expected

production as defined by the long-term decline curve for the well. In the 12 months for which data

is available, oil production is an average of 35% above the decline curve and gas production is 42%

above the decline curve. That‟s an additional 3,500 MCF and 164 BO in one year!

The tool was removed for test purposes at the end of October ‟02. Production has dropped by 40%

since removal of the SX tool!

Actual production data before and after the Vortex SX installation is shown below.

Max #33-24

0

400

800

1,200

1,600

2,000

2,400

2,800

3,200

Jan-

99

Mar

-99

May

-99

Jul-

99

Sep

-99

Nov

-99

Jan-

00

Mar

-00

May

-00

Jul-

00

Sep

-00

Nov

-00

Jan-

01

Mar

-01

May

-01

Jul-

01

Sep

-01

Nov

-01

Jan-

02

Mar

-02

May

-02

Jul-

02

Sep

-02

Nov

-02

MC

FM

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

280

300

320B

OP

M

Gas Pre-Install Gas Log Oil Pre-Install Oil Log

Vortex Installation

11/9/01

CODELL - DJ BASIN

Vortex Removal

11/1/02


Another Vortex SX installation was made on the „Kall‟ well on January 31, 2002. This very mature

well that‟s long-term decline curve would suggest monthly production of 1,500 MCFM and 60

BOPM. Detailed well and installation information is as follows:


Formation Type: J-Sand

Well Age: 9 years


Flowline Size: 2”

Flowline Length: 2,000 feet

Vortex SX Install: Just after wellhead before 2,000‟ flowline to separator

Plunger Lift Cycles: 13 per day

Other: Would lose plunger cycles due to high pressure

Pumper commented after having the tool on for one week that the line pressure had doubled from

40# – 80# the day before and the well was still able to have 13/13 successful plunger returns. This

plunger performance was a tremendous surprise. An increase of line pressure to that degree would

have prohibited the plunger from getting to the surface prior to Vortex installation.


production as defined by the long-term decline curve for the well. In the 8 months for which data is

available, oil production is an average of 26% above the decline curve and gas production is 24%

above the decline curve. That‟s an additional 2,802 MCF and 107 BO in one year! Actual

production data before and after the Vortex SX installation is shown below.

Kall

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Jan-0

0

Feb-0

0

Mar-

00

Apr-

00

May-0

0

Jun-0

0

Jul-

00

Aug-0

0

Sep-0

0

Oct-

00

Nov-0

0

Dec-0

0

Jan-0

1

Feb-0

1

Mar-

01

Apr-

01

May-0

1

Jun-0

1

Jul-

01

Aug-0

1

Sep-0

1

Oct-

01

Nov-0

1

Dec-0

1

Jan-0

2

Feb-0

2

Mar-

02

Apr-

02

May-0

2

Jun-0

2

Jul-

02

Aug-0

2

Sep-0

2

Oct-

02

Nov-0

2

MC

FM

-

50

100

150

200

250

BO

PM

Gas Pre-Install. Gas Trendline Oil Pre-Install. Oil Trendline

Vortex Installation

JSND - DJ BASIN

No COGIS Info. Available


Another Vortex SX installation was made on the „Big 1‟ well on June 26, 2002. This very mature

well that‟s long-term decline curve would suggest monthly production of 930 MCFM and 31

BOPM for July 2002. Detailed well and installation information is as follows:



Well Age: 12 years


Flowline Size: 2”


Vortex SX Install: Just after wellhead at first underground 90-degree bend as flowline goes to

separator

Pumper commented that plungers were arriving in spite of “extremely high” line pressure the month

after SX installation. We believe this is due to it taking less pressure for the multi-phase flow to

move from the wellhead to the separator. As a result the plunger is able to withstand a higher

„static‟ pressure downstream of the separator. Production appears to be at more optimal levels since

SX installation.




above the decline curve. That‟s an additional 946 MCF and 59 BO in five months!


Big #1

-

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

Jan-

99

Mar-

99

May-9

9

Jul-

99

Sep

-99

Nov-9

9

Jan-

00

Mar-

00

May-0

0

Jul-

00

Sep

-00

Nov-0

0

Jan-

01

Mar-

01

May-0

1

Jul-

01

Sep

-01

Nov-0

1

Jan-

02

Mar-

02

May-0

2

Jul-

02

Sep

-02

Nov-0

2

MC

FM

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Gas Production Pre-Install Decline Curve Gas Oil Production Pre-Install Decline Curve Oil

Vortex

Installation

6/26/02

CODELL - DJ BASIN


Another Vortex SX installation was made on the „Big 2‟ well on June 26, 2002. This very mature





Well Age: 12 years


Flowline Size: 2”



separator





SX installation.



available, oil production is an average of 17% above the decline curve and gas production is 8.5%

above the decline curve. That‟s an additional 820 MCF and 14 BO in five months!


Big #2

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

Jan-

99

Mar-

99

May-9

9

Jul-

99

Sep

-99

Nov-9

9

Jan-

00

Mar-

00

May-0

0

Jul-

00

Sep

-00

Nov-0

0

Jan-

01

Mar-

01

May-0

1

Jul-

01

Sep

-01

Nov-0

1

Jan-

02

Mar-

02

May-0

2

Jul-

02

Sep

-02

Nov-0

2

MC

FM

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

BO

PM


Vortex

Installation

6/26/02

CODELL - DJ BASIN


Another Vortex SX installation was made on the „Todd” well on June 26, 2002. This very mature





Well Age: 9 years – Refractured 7/01


Flowline Size: 2”



separator





SX installation.




above the decline curve. That‟s an additional 2,042 MCF and 63 BO in five months!


Todd

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-9

9

Mar-

99

May-9

9

Jul-99

Sep-9

9

Nov-9

9

Jan-0

0

Mar-

00

May-0

0

Jul-00

Sep-0

0

Nov-0

0

Jan-0

1

Mar-

01

May-0

1

Jul-01

Sep-0

1

Nov-0

1

Jan-0

2

Mar-

02

May-0

2

Jul-02

Sep-0

2

Nov-0

2

Jan-0

3

Mar-

03

May-0

3

MC

FM

-

50

100

150

200

250

300

BO

PM


Vortex VX

Installation

6/26/02

CODELL- DJ BASIN

VX Removal

1/28/03


Enhanced Plunger Lift Performance – Enhanced Production - Long Term Value Created

Another seven Vortex SX installations were made on the „Spike” wells on October 16, 02. These

very mature wells combined long-term decline curve would suggest monthly production of 4,118

MCFM and 180 BOPM for November 2002. Detailed well and installation information is as

follows:


Formation Type: Codell, Sussex, J- Sand

Well Age: 9 – 29 years


Flowline Size: 2”

Flowline Length: Ave 700 feet

Vortex SX Installs: Just after wellhead at first underground 90-degree bend as flowline goes to

separator

Of note: this is the first set of installations where the flowlines where not extremely long. When

„static‟ pressures are increased these wells now have enhanced plunger lift „successful returns.‟ We

believe this is due to it taking less pressure for the multi-phase flow to move from the wellhead to

the separator. As a result the plunger is able to withstand a higher „static‟ pressure downstream of

the separator. Production appears to be at more optimal levels since SX installation.


production as defined by the long-term decline curve for the well. Actual production data before

and after the Vortex SX installation is shown below:

To find out how the Vortex tools can help, call us at (303) 761-7570 or visit us online at www.vortextools.com

Spike State

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

Jan-

99

Mar

-99

May

-99

Jul-9

9

Sep

-99

Nov-

99

Jan-

00

Mar

-00

May

-00

Jul-0

0

Sep

-00

Nov-

00

Jan-

01

Mar

-01

May

-01

Jul-0

1

Sep

-01

Nov-

01

Jan-

02

Mar

-02

May

-02

Jul-0

2

Sep

-02

Nov-

02

MC

FM

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

BO

PD

Gas Production Oil Production

10/16/02 VX

Installation

http://www.vortextools.com/

Vortex SX Tools For Improved Plunger Liftvortextools.com/VtxTechnicalReports/DJ_Case_Study_SX_w_Plunger… · of daily plunger lift cycles from 4 to 14! In addition, the success rate

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