Gas Well Deliquification Workshop Sheraton Hotel, February 23 25, 2015 Lab Testing of Shallow Gas Well Deliquification Pumping Systems Daniel Booy, Research Engineer Kelly Piers, Division Director, Exploration and Production Cindy Wolfe, Specialist, Collaborative Innovation
Presentation Contents Project Motivation and Objective Advertisement to Vendors Flow Loop Design/Construction Tests Completed Review of Systems Tested Source Rock (Jet Pump) Hydro Pacific (Hydraulic Piston Pump) Fluica Inc. (Air Chamber Pump) ERSI (ESPCP) Samson/Unico (Rod Pump) Further Testing Future Work Results/Conclusions 2
Project Motivation Gas prices high at the start of 2008 Motivated operators to produce more gas! Desire for new, novel dewatering Artificial Lift solutions Operators had disappointing field trials: Lacking adequate experimental controls Most expensive place to fail is in the field Joint Industry Project (JIP) created: Cenovus Energy, EnCana Corporation, Enerplus Corporation, and Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC) Co-operative testing with funding spread amongst many Lower cost, lower risk C-FER Technologies: technical services provider 3
Project Objective Determine the types of AL systems available Determine the development status of each system Qualify some of the new and novel systems Assist the vendors with development of their products (where applicable) Help the vendors bring their systems to market (where applicable) 4
Advertisement to Vendors Project advertised to vendors: 17 vendors responded Vendors submit application form Vendors give presentation to JIP Selection of systems based on: Is the system new and/or novel? Purchase price at or below target (< $50k) Does it match target performance criteria? 5 out of 17 systems were selected for laboratory testing at C-FER Fluid rate: 1-10 bpd Manages solids effectively Fits in a 4.5 casing No power on site Sandface Pressure = 0 5
Flow Loop Design/Construction (1) Flow loop designed to test shallow gas well dewatering systems Easy installation/removal of pumping system Safe operation indoors Accurate data collection of key variables Operator able to see the pumping system during testing 6
Flow Loop Design/Construction (2) Casing Pressure Control Valve Water Tank Slurry Tank Blowdown Tank Vortex Meter Seepex PCP Air Supply Control Valve Return Flow Coriolis Meter Supply Flow Coriolis Meter Note: Power meter located on the other side 7
Tests Completed Performance Curve Test Controlled pump discharge and intake pressures; measured the flow rates Pump-off Test Controlled water supply rate to casing, pump inlet pressure, and pump discharge pressure (when possible) Pumped fluid level down to pump intake; Measured flow rate before, and at, pump-off condition Solids/Water Mixture Test (1-10% solids) Controlled solids concentration, pump intake pressure, and pump discharge pressure; measured flow rate Pump Restart Test Restart pump after 24 hr shutdown w/ solids positioned above the pump discharge; measure flow rate (if any) 8
Systems Tested: Source Rock (Jet Pump) Pump relies on the Venturi principle Pros/Cons for Shallow Gas Wells Suited to a wide range of flow rates Operated continuously or intermittently Can pump out and replace nozzle and throat Mature technology: field ready Pumping system requires competent and self-sustaining pump package Currently not a well understood technology within the gas industry Power Fluid Inlet Nozzle Wellbore Fluid Inlet Throat Comingled Fluid Discharge 9
Systems Tested: Source Rock (Jet Pump) Project Test Results Required power fluid rates and pressures for a given production rate were as expected (from jet pump theory) Produced with 5 psig at the inlet Operated with fluid level at pump intake, and less fluid supplied to casing than the desired pumping rate of the system (i.e. pumped-off condition) No noticeable concerns during solids production tests Could be difficult to target 2-10 bpd (continuous) using this technology 10
Systems Tested: Hydro Pacific (Hydraulic Piston) Fluid pressure applied to bottom of linearly oscillating transfer piston Pros/Cons for Shallow Gas Wells Simple to operate (set cycle times) Piston reset by gravity after each stroke, so only one power fluid tubing string is required Mature technology: Field ready 11
Systems Tested: Hydro Pacific (Hydraulic Piston) Project Test Results Pump functioned as expected for a positive displacement pump Lower overall efficiency (2/3 of fluid returns to well to reset the piston) Produced with 5 psig at the inlet Can operate while pumped-off No problems with pump during solids production tests Surface back pressure valve eroded during solids production: loss of surface back pressure 12
Systems Tested: Fluica Inc./Nojak (Air Chamber Pump) Chamber Lift System Multiple chambers ~250 ft. apart Pros/Cons for Shallow Gas Wells Each chamber only lifts fluid to next chamber: low pressure design Could be created from plastics instead of steel: potentially low cost, low weight, and corrosion resistant Solids will only fall to chamber below Failure of one chamber could result in failure of the whole system Currently not field ready for live gas wells 13
Systems Tested: Fluica Inc./Nojak (Air Chamber Pump) Project Test Results Only one chamber could be tested due to space constraints Low hydraulic efficiency from compressing and venting supply air during each pumping cycle No problems during solids production Produced with 5 psig at the inlet As intake pressure decreased, more off time needed to fill bottom chamber Able to operate while pumped-off 14
Systems Tested: ERSI (Electric Submersible PCP) Programmed to turn on at specified periods and shut off once fluid level is pumped down to (or near) intake Pros/Cons for Shallow Gas Wells Simple to install and operate Under $50k for entire automated, solar powered ESPCP system, including install Self Draining Check Valve prevents solids accumulation in discharge tubing Field tested in CBM wells up to 1000m depth Not recommended for > 2% solids (by mass) 15
Systems Tested: ERSI (Electric Submersible PCP) Project Test Results Functioned as expected during performance curve tests Highest overall efficiency Produced with 5 psig at the inlet Liquid level shutdown system was unreliable: caused stator failure Improved design worked better during subsequent field trials No problems during solids production tests (up to 2% solids by mass) 16
Systems Tested: Unico/Samson System (Rod Pump) System consisted of Samson Rod Pump, and Unico Crank Rod Pump (CRP) Drivehead Pros/Cons for Shallow Gas Simple to operate Samson pump modified from conventional SRP to be more compatible with solids Able to pump at very low stroking rates and high ΔPs Cost expected to be high for full system (including drive unit, tubing, and service rig) Courtesy of Unico Inc. 17
Systems Tested: Unico/Samson System (Rod Pump) Project Test Results Functioned as expected during performance curve tests Produced with 5 psig at the inlet Able to continually produce water with solids Experienced loss in volumetric efficiency after shutdown test with solids (Note: features in drive system to help clear solids from pump were not utilized) 18
Further Testing Several systems were modified (based on the test results) to improve system performance Lab test results not fully reflective of how the system would function in the field: Source Rock and Hydro Pacific both taken to a controlled test well for further testing Some field test results will be provided in subsequent presentations Resulted in the development of the Rapid Jet deliquification concept 19
Future Work Current JIP workscope completed: Lab flow loop still available for further testing at C-FER Field testing equipment and test well also available for further field testing Some equipment field trials still ongoing with operators JIP still interested in collaboration with other operators Interest received in similar work on AL alternatives for deep, horizontal, liquids-rich wells Laboratory flow loop can be positioned horizontally or new apparatus built C-FER has recently performed consulting work on AL technologies for these applications C-FER current investigating new JIP options 20
Results/Conclusions Operators interested in new/novel artificial lift solutions for their shallow gas wells: resulted in the formation of a JIP Variety of emerging technologies were available for effectively dewatering shallow gas wells Gas well dewatering flow loop constructed, and five systems were tested in the C-FER laboratory Each novel system has advantages and disadvantages that would make it applicable for specific wells (i.e. rate, solids concentration, install requirements/regulations) Systems often improved by vendors as a result of the tests Further testing was completed in a controlled test well (to be explored further in later presentations) Resulted in development of the Rapid Jet concept Currently investigating further deliquification work 21
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