Deliquification - George E King Petroleum Engineering Oil and Gas
Transcription
Deliquification - George E King Petroleum Engineering Oil and Gas
Low Pressure Gas Well Deliverability Issues: Common Loading Causes, Diagnostics and Effective Deliquification Practices George E. King Brownfields: Optimizing Mature Assets Conference, September 19-20, 2005, Denver, Colorado. www.GEKEngineering.com 1 What Technology Will Drive Deliquification? Technology Cost, price? Life Cycle of a Gas Well May Add Energy to System What’s New? www.GEKEngineering.com 2 US Mature Well Base (2001) • 880,000 producing or temporarily abandoned wells • 320,000 gas wells (many at 5 to 15 mcf/d) • Vast majority of these wells are low pressure and low rate. www.GEKEngineering.com 3 Gas Wells: Two Facts • Potential: Very long life in some cases – 30 to over 70 years and large recovery for every extra 10 psi drawdown. • Challenge: Liquid loading from condensed or connate fluids will kill or sharply reduce the production. www.GEKEngineering.com 4 Example: Oklahoma Gas Wells Gas Production Per Well mcf/d Oklahoma Gas Production Per Well Average Flow Per Well 250 200 150 100 32,672 producing gas wells in 2001 50 0 1992 1994 1996 1998 www.GEKEngineering.com 2000 5 Tubing Performance - Vertical Oil Well P gas, oil and water oil, water and gas oil Gas Well Water vapor condenses as gas rises and expands. P gas and liquid DT Water must be removed to allow the well to flow. Water that builds up holds a backpressure on the formation. www.GEKEngineering.com gas 6 Turner Unloading Rate, Water For pressures > 1000 psi 3000 4.5" (3.958" ID) 3.5" (2.992" ID) Gas Rate (mscf/d) 2500 2.875" (2.441" ID) 2.375" (1.995" ID) 2000 2.0675" (1.751" ID) 1500 1000 500 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 Flowing Pressure, psi www.GEKEngineering.com Source – J. Lea, Texas Tech, Turner Correlations. 7 Minimum Critical Velocities • Turner and Coleman Equations • Estimate minimum gas flow velocity needed to lift water droplets out of well. • If flow velocity below critical, then water droplets fall / build up in bottom of well. • The well may or may not cease to flow but production will be decreased. www.GEKEngineering.com 8 Small Gas Well Example – Lift Progression – 2-3/8” Tubing Gas Flow Rate, MSCFD Flow and Lift - 2-3/8" Tubing 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Flow to here then plunger then ? 0 20 40 60 www.GEKEngineering.com Percent of Well Life 80 100 9 Source Bryan Dotson We’ll have to put energy into the well: Pump Power (assum es 50% Efficiency and 200 psid friction drop) 9 1000' depth 8 5000' depth Pump HP 7 10000' depth 6 5 4 3 Low Pow er is 1-10 HP. Micro Pow er is less than 2 HP. 2 1 0 1 5 10 25 50 100 150 200 BPD of Water www.GEKEngineering.com 10 How Much Can We Pay? $300,000 If plungers get us to 50 MSCFD, we can’t afford too much.. $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $140,000 $100,000 $50,000 $280,000 $70,000 $15,000 $0 10 50 100 200 Incremental M SCFD www.GEKEngineering.com 11 System Requirements • • • • • Low initial cost. Reasonable life: 3-5 years; more is better. Low cost energy. Handle gas gracefully. Automatic pump-off control. • • • • • • 180F to 280F, to 12000 feet. Handle solids and paraffin well. Resistant to CO2 and H2S corrosion. Works in highly deviated wells. Acid-resistant. www.GEKEngineering.com Resistant to scale formation. 12 Monobore High Packer Liner and & Gap Long Monobore & Tail Pipe Small Tail Pipe V6 The design of the well bore can alter the velocity. Where is critical rate calculated? Multiple velocity calculations are needed with gas in compressed state. Tapered String and Restrictions V5 V4 V2 V3 V3 V1+ V3 V2 V2 V2 V1 V1 www.GEKEngineering.com V1 V1 13 Gas Bubble Growth With Rise In A Water Column 292 cm3 2 cm3 1 cm3 surface 14.7 psi (1 bar) 5000 ft (1524m) 2150 psi (146 bar) 10000 ft (3049m) 4300 psi (292 bar) Gas column is different – gas is low density at the top of a column and higher density at bottom – so although rate is14 www.GEKEngineering.com constant, velocity is not. 52887040.ppt Liquids in Gas Wells • Gas phase – condensing to a liquid – Water – several bbls/mmcf, unusually fresh – Condensate – can be much higher volume • Connate Water – Usually saltier than condensing water – Often stays in bottom of the well. www.GEKEngineering.com 15 Where is Critical Rate Calculated? Surface or Bottom Hole? Pres: Temp: Tbg: Rate: 400# 60 deg F 1 ¼” CT 200 mscfd Wellhead Critical Rate: 180 mscfd 10,000’ 1 ¼” CT Pres: Temp: 900# 200 deg F Bottom of Tubing Critical Rate: 220 mscfd 10,500’ 3 ½” Csg to Perfs Pres: Temp: 1100# Casing www.GEKEngineering.com 200 deg F Critical Rate: 1500 mscfd 16 Water Content of Wet Gas Pressure 14.7 STB/MMscf 10000.00 100 200 1000.00 500 1000 100.00 2000 3000 10.00 4000 5000 1.00 0.10 0.01 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Temperature (deg F) www.GEKEngineering.com How much potential water condensation are we facing? 17 Condensation Drivers • Loss of temperature – Gas condenses to liquid phase • Loss of Rate – Slower velocity => • Poorer lift potential. • Longer transit times, more heat loss, more condensation opportunity. – Less flowing mass => less total heat to loose before water starts to condense. www.GEKEngineering.com 18 Diagnostics: The production history of a well starting to load up. There are usually many causes that lead to load-up. www.GEKEngineering.com 19 Gas Rate (MCF/D) www.GEKEngineering.com 10/31/2000 10/24/2000 10/17/2000 10/10/2000 10/3/2000 9/26/2000 9/19/2000 9/12/2000 Champlin 242-C3 9/5/2000 8/29/2000 8/22/2000 8/15/2000 8/8/2000 8/1/2000 7/25/2000 7/18/2000 7/11/2000 7/4/2000 6/27/2000 6/20/2000 6/13/2000 6/6/2000 5/30/2000 5/23/2000 5/16/2000 5/9/2000 5/2/2000 4/25/2000 Typical Wamsutter New Well Decline 3500 3-1/2” Production Casing 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Line Pressure (PSI) 20 Note pressures Liquid holdup from declining velocity The liquid holdup applies a backpress ure to the bottom hole. Rate is decreased www.GEKEngineering.com Enough liquid finally drops down the well to reduce or balance formation pressure. Flow is decreased or the well is dead. 21 An increase in the differential between casing and tubing pressure over time indicates loading. No packer example. Csg-tbg pressure www.GEKEngineering.com Time 22 Gradient survey to locate static liquid level. www.GEKEngineering.com 23 Lift Selection Considerations • • • • Size of the prize? Cost of water prod? How much water? Source? – Water control? • Condensation cause? • Condense location? • • • • • • Well limits? Safety valve? Power? Computer control? Well W/O costs? Well W/O risks? www.GEKEngineering.com 24 Lift and Deliquification • • • • • • • • Natural Flow Intermitter Rocking Equalizing Venting Soaping Velocity String Compression • • • • • • • • Gas Lift Beam Lift Plunger ESP and HSP PCP Diaphragm Pump Jet Pump Eductor www.GEKEngineering.com 25 What causes the sharp initial decline when the well is brought on? Q What causes the short-lived increases in rate when a well is started up after a brief shut-in? Can it be used for advantage? www.GEKEngineering.com Cumulative Production 26 Why the increase after a shut-in? 1. Recharging of the near wellbore from the formation away from the wellbore. 2. Cross flow from low permeability, higher pressure zones to high permeability, partly depleted zones (also recharging). – High perm streaks – Natural fractures – Stimulated fractures www.GEKEngineering.com 27 Shutting in a Well at Surface Doesn’t Mean the Flow Stops Downhole! Most formations are layered and often have distinctly different permeabilities in a package of pay. These layers flow as individual units, emptying the higher perm units first before the lower perm reservoirs begin to flow. When a well is shut in, higher remaining pressures in the low perm layers cause flow into the high perm, more depleted streaks. Natural cross flow! fractured shale Fractured, high perm shale 10 md 10 md 1 md 1 md shale shale 10 md 10 md www.GEKEngineering.com 28 Using Cross Flow • Repressuring the higher permeability streaks during a shut-in can lend a sharp, short lived increase to flow and can help unload a well without outside equipment or services. • To use it effectively, the behavior of the well such as how quickly it recharges, how quickly it blows down and what happens to the water during a shut-in must be understood. www.GEKEngineering.com 29 Lift and Unloading Options • At least 15 options of full time and part time lift. • The well design, conditions and economics dictate the optimum method – and remember – both can change with decline. • Another very important contributor is the operator. www.GEKEngineering.com 30 Well With A Plunger Installation Installed Plunger www.GEKEngineering.com 31 Effective CT Velocity String – Champlin 149-B2 7” Casing 2-3/8” Tubing 1-1/4” CT 1200 CT Installed 1000 Total Cost: $20,121 MCFD Tubing PSI Casing PSI Line PSI Projection 800 600 400 Paid out in 3 months 200 11 /1 /1 99 11 6 /1 5/ 11 199 6 /2 9/ 19 12 96 /1 3/ 12 199 6 /2 7/ 19 9 1/ 10 6 /1 1/ 997 24 /1 99 7 2/ 7/ 19 97 2/ 21 /1 99 7 3/ 7/ 19 97 3/ 21 /1 99 7 4/ 4/ 19 97 4/ 18 /1 99 7 5/ 2/ 19 97 5/ 16 /1 99 5/ 30 7 /1 6/ 997 13 /1 99 6/ 27 7 /1 7/ 997 11 /1 99 7/ 25 7 /1 99 7 8/ 8/ 19 97 8/ 22 /1 99 7 9/ 5/ 19 97 9/ 19 /1 99 10 7 /3 /1 9 10 /1 97 7/ 19 10 97 /3 1/ 19 97 0 Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 246 mcfd www.GEKEngineering.com Average for last 30 days: 327 mcfd 32 MCFD Average rate for 90 days prior to installation: 911 mcfd Line PSI projection www.GEKEngineering.com Average rate for last 30 days: 539 mcfd 12/22/2000 12/8/2000 11/24/2000 200 11/10/2000 10/27/2000 1200 1000 -20 800 -40 600 -60 400 -80 0 MMCF 1-1/4” CT 10/13/2000 9/29/2000 9/15/2000 9/1/2000 8/18/2000 8/4/2000 7/21/2000 7/7/2000 6/23/2000 6/9/2000 2-3/8” Tubing 5/26/2000 5/12/2000 4/28/2000 4/14/2000 3/31/2000 3/17/2000 3/3/2000 2/18/2000 5-1/2” Casing 2/4/2000 1/21/2000 1/7/2000 12/24/1999 12/10/1999 11/26/1999 11/12/1999 10/29/1999 10/15/1999 10/1/1999 MCFD Ineffective CT Velocity String – Champlin 222-C2 Gross Cost: $19905 0 CT Installed -100 -120 cumwedge 33 3/1 /0 0 3/8 /0 3/1 0 5/ 0 3/2 0 2/ 0 3/2 0 9/ 00 4/5 /0 4/1 0 2/ 0 4/1 0 9/ 0 4/2 0 6/ 00 5/3 /0 5/1 0 0/ 0 5/1 0 7/ 0 5/2 0 4/ 0 5/3 0 1/ 00 6/7 /0 6/1 0 4/ 0 6/2 0 1/ 0 6/2 0 8/ 00 7/5 /0 7/1 0 2/ 0 7/1 0 9/ 0 7/2 0 6/ 00 8/2 /0 0 8/9 /0 8/1 0 6/ 0 8/2 0 3/ 0 8/3 0 0/ 00 9/6 /0 9/1 0 3/ 0 9/2 0 0/ 0 9/2 0 7/ 0 10 0 /4/ 10 00 /11 10 /00 /18 10 /00 /25 /0 11 0 /1/ 00 Gas Rate (MCF/D) Soap Injection to Reduce Fluid Column Hydrostatic 1800 CT Installed CG Road 25-4 3-1/2” Casing 1-1/4” CT www.GEKEngineering.com Soap Injection 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 Venting to unload wellbore 0 34 Conclusions • Small increases in pressure drop can make large gains in production. – Every ft of liquid in a well holds nearly ½ psi in backpressure on the formation. – Water invading the pores of the rock during a shut-in can be held on the formation and gas cannot displace it. – Water refluxing in a gas well is the largest single source of corrosion. – Liquid loaded www.GEKEngineering.com wells may still produce but are 35 very erratic. Conclusions • Tubng size is a legitimate and low cost choice ONLY if GLR will allow the well to be placed in mist flow. • Lift consideration should include the limits and well as the advantages. • If Turner or Coleman correlations do not work in your applications, develop your own – Really, it’s OK! www.GEKEngineering.com 36 Pressure Effects of Liquid Loading www.GEKEngineering.com 37 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 38 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 39 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 40 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 41 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Unstable Gas Well Flow Behavior, Followed by Loading 1,000 900 800 Loading 600 500 400 300 200 100 www.GEKEngineering.com 99 A- 99 A- 8 -9 D 98 A- 98 A- D -9 7 97 A- 97 A- 6 -9 D 96 A- 96 A- 5 -9 D 95 A- 95 A- 4 -9 D 94 0 A- MCF/Day 700 42 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Effects on Production 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 0 1000 2000 Depth 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 Pressure, psig Before Heating www.GEKEngineering.com After Heating 43 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Pressure Effects of Liquid Loading Pressure, psia 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 0 1000 Liquid Loading Results in 30 PSI Back-Pressure 2000 Depth 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 www.GEKEngineering.com Flowing Shut-in 44 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Effects on Production 700 Shutdow n for 3 Phase Pow er Installation Line Restrictions Removed at Surface Current System Operational Cable Operational 3 Phase Pow er Installed 600 500 Testing Generator Test MCFD 400 300 200 100 Compressor Changed Screw Compressor to 3 Stage 0 ay M 00 00 nJu 0 l-0 Ju 00 gAu 00 pSe O 00 ct- 00 vNo 00 cDe 01 nJa 1 01 -0 bar Fe M 1 r-0 Ap ay M 01 01 nJu www.GEKEngineering.com 1 l-0 Ju 01 gAu 01 pSe O 01 ct- 01 vNo 01 cDe 02 nJa 2 02 -0 bar Fe M 45 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Effects on Production 600 Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable On Casing Flow Only Cable On Compressor On 500 Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable On Tubing Flow Only Compressor On Cable On 400 300 Tubing & Casing Flow Compressor On Cable Off 200 100 Compressor Dow n Compressor Dow n Temperature, Deg. Fahrenheit Pressure, psig www.GEKEngineering.com 411 401 391 381 371 361 351 341 331 321 311 301 291 281 271 261 251 241 231 221 211 201 191 181 171 161 151 141 131 121 111 101 91 81 71 61 51 41 31 21 11 1 0 Rate, Mcf/Day 46 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Effects on Temperature Gradient 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 1,000 2,000 Depth, ft. 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 www.GEKEngineering.com Temperature, F After Heating Before Heating 47 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 48 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Heating Gas – Downhole View During Gas Flow www.GEKEngineering.com 49 Jason Piggot, SPE 2002 Support Slides • Lift Methods • Deviated Wells • Critical Flow Calculations www.GEKEngineering.com 50 Lift Methods and Unloading Options • Most mechanical methods are build for oil wells – that’s grossly over designed for gas wells and much too expensive. • A “dry” gas well may produce on 4 to 16 ounces per minute (100 to 500 cc/min). www.GEKEngineering.com 51 Lift and Unloading Options Method Natural Flow Description Flow of liquids up the tubing propelled by expanding gas bubbles. Pros Cheapest and most steady state flow Cons May not be optimum flow. Higher BHFP than with lift. Contin Adding gas to the produced Cheap. Most uous fluid to assist upward flow widely used lift Gas Lift of liquids. 18% efficient. offshore. Still has high BHFP. Req. optimization. ESP or HSP Costly. Short life. Probs. w/ gas, solids, and heat. Electric submersible motor driven pump. 38% efficient. Or hydraulic driven pump (req. power fluid path). Can move v. large volumes of liquids. www.GEKEngineering.com 52 Lift and Unloading Options Method Description Pros Cons Hydraul Hydraulic power fluid ic driven pump. 40% efficient. pump Works deeper than beam lift. Less profile. Req. power fluid string and larger wellbore. Beam Lift V. Common unit, well understood, Must separate gas, limited on depth and pump rate. Varies with techniques. New - sharp learning curve. Walking beam and rod string operating a downhole pump. Efficiency just over 50%. Special Diaphram or other style of ty pump. pumps www.GEKEngineering.com 53 Lift and Unloading Options Method Description Pros Cons Intermit Uses gas injected usually at tent one point to kick well off or Gas Lift unload the well followed by natural flow. 12% efficient. Cheap and doesn’t use the gas volume of continuous GL. Does little to reduce FBHP past initial kickoff. Jet pump Uses a power fluid through a jet to lift all fluids Can lift any GOR fluid. Req. power fluid string. Probs with solids. PCP Progressive cavity pump. Can tolerate v. large volumes of solids and ultra high visc. fluids. Low rate, costly, high power requirements. Plunger A free traveling plunger Cheap, works on pushed by gas below to low pressure mover a quantity ofwww.GEKEngineering.com liquids wells, control by above the plunger. simple methods Limited volume of water moved, 54 cycles backpressure. Lift and Unloading Options Method Pros Cons Soap Forms a foam with gas Injection from formation and water to be lifted. Does not require downhole mods. Costly in vol. Low water flow. Condensate is a problem. Compres Mechanical compressor sion scavenges gas from well, reducing column wt and increasing velocity. Does not require downhole mods. Cost for compressor and operation. Limited to low liquid vols. Velocity Strings Description Inserts smaller string in Relatively low existing tbg to reduce flow cost and easy area and boost velocity www.GEKEngineering.com Higher friction, corrosion and less access. 55 Lift and Unloading Options Method Description Pros Cons Cycling / Flow well until loading Cheap. Can be Intermitt starts, then shut in until effective if optm. er pressures build, then flow. No DH mods. Req. sufficient pressure and automation (?) Equalizi ng Shuts in after loading. Building pressure pushes gas into well liquids and liquids into the formation. Will work if higher perm and pressure. No downhole mods. Takes long time. May damage formation. Rocking Pressure up annulus with supply gas and then blow tubing pressure down. Inexpensive and usually successful. Req. high press supply gas. Well has no packer. Venting Blow down the well to Cheap, simple, increase velocity and no equipment decrease BHFP. www.GEKEngineering.com needed. Not environmentally friendly. 56 Very Generalized Operating Ranges for Some Lift Systems. Note that some lift systems are depth limited and some are volume limited. Almostwww.GEKEngineering.com all are limited to some extent by the 57 diameter of the wellbore. Deviated Wells • About 30% of US produced gas comes from offshore. • Most offshore wells are deviated – Flow is very different in deviated wells! www.GEKEngineering.com 58 The liquid flow character can change dramatically with depth and deviation. Severe liquid holdup by reflux motion is common in the Boycott Settling range of 30o to 60o. www.GEKEngineering.com 59 Liquid Holdup – Driven By Density Segregation In a vertical well, the falling liquid droplet may be lifted if the rising gas more than offsets the fall of the liquid. In deviated wells, liquid holdup, sometimes seen as a reflux or percolation in sections of the tubing, can account for large volumes of water and significant www.GEKEngineering.com backpressure on the formation. 60 www.GEKEngineering.com Oilfield Review 61 Note the flow velocity difference between the top and bottom of the pipe. Oilfield Review www.GEKEngineering.com 62