Example 5

EX 5 1

FloSystem User Course

Gaslift Design and Analysis

Gaslift Design

EX 5 2

Overview
A Gaslift design for a well that does not flow naturally
Select Data Preparation and check :

Reservoir data
Fluid data
Deviation data - Well data
Equipment Data - Well Data

Reservoir Data
Enter Reservoir Data

EX 5 3

Fluid Type is Black Oil

Entry Model is Manual

PI = 1.3 STB/day/psia
IPR model = Vogel
Reservoir Pressure = 5100 psia
Reservoir Temperature = 230 F

Fluid Parameters for Black Oil

API = 27.5
GOR = 320
Water cut = 20 %
Gas specific gravity = 0.74
Water salinity = 200 kppm

Deviation Data

EX 5 4

Equipment Data

EX 5 5

Analysis :
Operating Point

EX 5 6

No operating point:
Natural flow

EX 5 7

Gaslift Data

EX 5 8

Select Data Preparation - Gaslift Data

Use the following design parameters :

Casing Injection Pressure = 1200 psia

Gas Specific Gravity = 0.65
Differential pressure across the Valve = 100 psia
Lift gas injection rate 1.5 MMscf/day
Deepest point of injection = 40 ft above tubing shoe

These are the minimum data to calculate the

Operating Point for the
Deepest Point of Injection

Gaslift Design :
Deepest Injection Point

EX 5 9

Gaslift Design Rate

2513 STB/day

EX 5 10

Pressure vs Depth

Injection Depth: 8120 ft TVD

EX 5 11

Gaslift Design

EX 5 12

The design parameters used gives :

Liquid rate = 2513 STB/day

Oil rate
= 2010 STB/day
Water rate = 503 STB/day
Gaslift Valve Depth at 8121 ft. for given Qgi, CHP.

Sensitivity studies can now be made

gaslift injection rate 1.5, 2, 2.5 MMscf/day etc.
water cut increasing to 20, 30, 50, 70 % etc.

At this stage the design parameters

could also be revised (e.g. Casing injection

pressure, wellhead pressure)

Sensitivity of lift gas

injection rate

EX 5 13

Note Payback
Ratio

Sensitivity of an
increasing water cut EX 5 14

Gaslift Design :
Final Parameters

EX 5 15

The final parameters for the optimum design will

depend of the actual operating restrictions.
The initial lift gas injection rate, casing injection
pressure and valve differential pressure will be used
for the Gaslift Design

Select Analysis - Gaslift Design....

Revise the parameters again and set the top node or
Christmas tree pressure and the specific gravity of
the fluid in the annulus

Gaslift Design....
EX 5 16

Sizing...
Design Margins...

Design

Gaslift Design....

EX 5 17

When click the Design button

First:
The temperature profile is calculated using the
model selected
Objective tubing flowing gradient is computed
top down
The gas is forced at the specified MD of
injection (Data Preparation-Gaslift data...)
Second:
Space unloading valves and define operating
valves. Below operating valve space dummy
valves according to minimum spacing

Design Margins....

Casing Controlled Valves + Valve

Number

EX 5 18

Casing Controlled Valves and Valve Number

Additionally
The fluid in the annulus is brine of 0.45 psi/ft
Minimum valve spacing below the operating valve = 450
ft. (100 psi)

Gaslift Design...
Design Margins...

Margin at valve 1

EX 5 19

Kick off Pressure

Increment per valve

Casing closing
pressure margin

Gaslift Design...

Gaslift Valves Spacing

EX 5 20

Gaslift Design...

Gaslift Valves Spacing

EX 5 21
Operating Valve with all
design margins

Minimum valve spacing

Design Operating valve

Gaslift Design...

Spacing of Design Operating

Valve
EX

5 22

The position of the Design Operating valve depends if

the spacing finds the following constraints:
1. Next position less than minimum valve spacing
Last valve is marked as Operating valve and valve
spacing below equal to minimum spacing.
The Design Operating valve is marked at depth with
enough differential pressure (relative to uncorrected
tubing pressure)

Gaslift Design...

Spacing of Design Operating

Valve
EX

5 23

2. Pcasing- Ptubing< differential pressure

Move up until it reaches a depth where the
differential pressure is met
The new position is the Design operating
valve if spacing greater than minimum valve
spacing
If the new position is less than minimum
valve spacing the Design Operating valve is
marked at the valve above

Gaslift Design...

Spacing of Design Operating

EX
Valve

5 24

3. Next position is below Max MD of injection

The Design Operating valve will be positioned at Max
Md provided Pcasing-Ptubing> valve differential
pressure
If Pcasing-Ptubing<differential pressure then move
up until the differential criterion is met
Mark next position as the Design operating valve provided
spacing is greater than minimum valve spacing
If spacing is less than minimum valve spacing then mark
the valve above as the Design Operating valve

Gaslift Design Results

EX 5 25

Active valves 6 and dummy valves 12

5 unloading valves
1 operating valve :

Valve Depth
Casing Pressure
Tubing Pressure
Temperature

= 7621 ft TVD (8068 ft MD)

= 1300 psia
= 1195 psia
= 212.4 oF

12 Dummy valves below the operating valve spaced

at 450 ft (TVD)

Gaslift Design Results

EX 5 26

A new casing injection operating pressure of

1131 psia can be selected
However this new injection pressure will give a
liquid rate = 2434 STB/day because
If the casing injection pressure is kept at 1200
psi, then the liquid rate = 2491 STB/day
(compared with design value of 2513 STB/day)

Sizing.... Facility
EX 5 27
1. Port Size calculation using the Thornhill Craver
equation.
2. Opening and Closing pressures computation for
each valve
3. Dome and Test Rack Opening pressures computation
for each valve
4. Valve type selection :
Gas Charged
Spring
Orifice

Sizing....Facility
EX 5 28
Gaslift Design... results transferred to Sizing...:

Gaslift rate
Valve depths
Wellbore temperature
Tubing transfer pressure Pt
Casing pressure Pvo

Column name
Qgi
MD and TVD
Temp
P tubing
P open valve

Sizing.... Facility
1. Port Size

EX 5 29

Valve
Valvetype
typeand
andPort
PortSize
Size
Critical
CriticalFlow
FlowFlag
Flag

Pvo
Pvo
Pt
Pt

Sizing.... Facility
1. Port Size

EX 5 30

Thornhill-Craver is solved with:

Pt (downstream pressure)
Pvo (upstream pressure)
Temp
Qgi
Discharge coefficient (Disch Coeff column) default
value is 0.865
All these values can be edited independent of the
previous gaslift design results
The column Crit shows whether the valve is on
critical flow

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

EX 5 31

Two methods to determine Opening and Closing

pressures:
A. Use Pvo (from Gaslift Design)
B. Specify a surface closing pressure Psc
(P close surf, column)

Update ratio R = tubing port area /bellows area

R in the order of 0.1 i.e. most of the bellows feel the
casing pressure

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

EX 5 32

A. Use Pvo by setting NO in Calc by P close

spreadsheet column
B. Use P close surf by setting YES in Calc by P close
spreadsheet column

Select calculation method

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

EX 5 33

A. Use Pvo:
The Dome pressure is calculated from:
Pd = Pvo(1- R)+Pt(R)
The Valve Closing pressure Pvc is equal to Pd.
Pd & Pc valve column in spreadsheet

The surface Closing pressure Psc follows by

correcting Pvc for the gas gradient
P close surf column in spreadsheet

The surface Opening pressure Pso follows by

correcting Pvo for the gas gradient

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

Psc

Pt

Pvc

EX 5 34
Pvo
Pvo

Pso
Pso

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

EX 5 35

B. Use P close surf (Psc)

Enter the Psc in the spreadsheet (e.g. 1300 for the
first valve)
The Pvc is computed by using the gas gradient and
Psc. By definition this is the in-situ dome pressure
Pd
Pd & Pc valve column in spreadsheet

The valve Opening pressure Pvo is calculated from

Pd, R and Pt:
Pvo= (Pd-Pt*R) /(1-R)
P open valve column
P open surf (Pso) follows by correcting Pvo for the gas
gradient

Sizing.... Casing controlled

2. Opening and Closing
pressures

B. Use P close surf (Psc)

Psc

EX 5 36
Yes

Sizing.... Casing controlled

3. Pd and TRO opening
pressures

EX 5 37

The in-situ (Pvo, Pvc) and surface (Psc, Pso) and the
dome pressure (Pd) have been calculated at the valve
temperature
Pd is converted to its value at 60 oF
P dome at 60 oF column

The Test Rack Opening TRO is derived from:

TRO= (Pdome at 60oF - 14.65*R) /(1-R)

Sizing.... Casing controlled

3. Pd and TRO
opening pressure

P dome at 60F
Pd at valve Temp

EX 5 38
TRO

Gaslift Design
Summary

EX 5 39

Example of Gaslift design for a well that does not

flow naturally
Design Margins
Casing-controlled valves
Fluid-controlled valves

Sizing Facility

Port size
Opening and closing pressures
Dome and Test Rack Opening pressure
Valve type selection