New ESP Gas Separator for Slugging Horizontal Wells

Kennedy, Steven C.; Madrazo, Zachary T.; Rhinehart, Cristin; Hill, Brian M.; Grimm, Chelsea M.; Smith, Chris

doi:10.2118/185147-ms

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

Artificial Lift System Applications in Tight Formations: The State of Knowledge

Kolawole

Gamadi

Bullard

2020

SPE Production &Amp; Operations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary The artificial lift (AL) system is the most efficient production technique in optimizing production from the unconventional horizontal oil and gas wells. Nonetheless, due to declining reservoir pressure during the production life of a well, artificial lifting of oil and gas remains a critical issue. Notwithstanding the attempt by several studies in the past few decades to understand and develop cutting-edge technologies to optimize the application of AL in tight formations, there remains differing assessments of the best approach, AL type, optimum time, and conditions to install AL during the life of a well. This report presents a comprehensive review of AL system application with specific focus on tight oil and gas formations across the world. The review focuses on over 35 successful and unsuccessful field tests in the unconventional horizontal wells over the past few decades. The purpose is to apprise the industry and academic researchers on the various AL optimization approaches that have been used and suggest AL optimization areas where new technologies can be developed.

show abstract

Artificial Lift System Applications in Tight Formations: The State of Knowledge

Kolawole

Gamadi

Bullard

2020

SPE Production &Amp; Operations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Liquids Level Calculation in Loaded Gas Wells from Surface Data Using Combined Analytical Modeling of Gaseous Static Liquids Gradient: Part 2

Nagoo¹,

Harms²,

Hearn

2022

Day 2 Wed, August 24, 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As the second part of this series, we apply our much improved understanding of gas flow through static recirculating liquid columns and analytical countercurrent multiphase flow modeling to both conventional and unconventional horizontal gas well liquids loading and a deep dive of the process of wellbore liquids flow reversal post-loading. This part of our work focuses on a step change in understanding the aspect of multiphase flow that is most pertinent to artificial lift - countercurrent liquids loading and gas flow through liquid columns. It is shown that traditional concurrent flow principles and flow pattern maps used in prior commonly used flowing bottom hole pressure correlations do not apply and cannot explain the changing dual pressure gradient profiles in loaded gas wells as a result of flow reversal. Therefore, this work lays the foundation for a change in conversation and focus among the artificial lift community towards countercurrent and static liquid column multiphase flow behaviors prevalent in all liquids-producing gas wells. We show and field-validate a new computational ability to perform multiphase countercurrent liquids loading calculations that dynamically loads a gas well tubing/casing and the calculations of total pressure gradient that varies with the increasing gas holdup along the static liquid columns of these wells. Additionally, we analyze the process of countercurrent flow and put forward a redefinition of onset of liquids flow reversal in the proper context of prior studies in this field. Our results are used to simulate the liquid levels in loaded gas wells from only basic surface field data. This represents an advance towards low-cost, low-carbon gas well production optimization and the opportunity of simulation-based real-time downhole diagnostics to determine digital liquid levels and reliably accurate FBHP in loaded gas wells without the high-carbon costs of wellsite visits and equipment runs. In terms of reliable digital twin applications for gas wells producing liquids, our new method can be performed in an autonomous way on a wellhead - a sort of "gas well liquid level digital sensor" - a solution that takes advantage of available SCADA surface data and converts it to automated calculations of downhole pressures, flow rates and well liquid levels in response to dynamic well operating conditions. For the first time in the industry, we present in this work a simultaneous calculation of loaded gas well FBHP and gaseous liquids level from only surface data. In either cases of liquids loaded gas wells or pumping oil wells with gaseous liquid columns above them, the significant pressure gradient (delta-P) that gaseous liquid columns impose on the formation is of great importance in correctly understanding and analyzing well supply capacity and enhancing downhole production rates during production operations.

show abstract

New High Performance ESP Gas Separator

Nicholson,

Harryman,

Brown

et al. 2023

Day 3 Wed, October 04, 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper presents a new research method, design, and field testing of a new type of mechanical gas separator for electrical submersible pump systems (ESPs) that increases the operating flow range and separation efficiency while decreasing erosion problems and improving reliability. A state-of-the-art test system was developed to view the internal workings and measure two-phase flow through mechanical separation devices to understand flow paths, recirculation, and separation efficiency, along with the collective and individual performance of various components of a gas separator. The result, a new "helical" design with optimized throughput, has a significant increase in total flow capacity, enhanced erosion protection, and improved gas locking prevention mechanisms. Field tests of the new gas separators were conducted in conventional, unconventional, and CO2 flooded oil wells in the Permian Basin. Performance was evaluated by monitoring motor cooling, motor current fluctuations, intake pressure (drawdown), and wellhead pressure in wells with a high gas/liquid ratio (GLR) or gas volume fraction (GVF) and gas slugging. Cycling and continuous operations were compared for both conventional gas separators and the new gas separator to demonstrate the improved performance of the ESP in these well conditions. The hydro-helical separator system is a new generation of downhole gas separator with a higher flow range, better gas separation efficiency, and reduced erosion, and has been proven to work in different types of wells.

show abstract

New ESP Gas Separator for Slugging Horizontal Wells

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Artificial Lift System Applications in Tight Formations: The State of Knowledge

Artificial Lift System Applications in Tight Formations: The State of Knowledge

Liquids Level Calculation in Loaded Gas Wells from Surface Data Using Combined Analytical Modeling of Gaseous Static Liquids Gradient: Part 2

New High Performance ESP Gas Separator

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About