Profitable Continuous Flow Gas Lift in 18,000 Feet TVD Wells with Low Reservoir Pressures

摘要

Two fields near Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, have been difficult to produce with gas lift because they are so deep and the reservoir pressure is so low. In both fields 1000 psig lift gas systems were installed several years ago and served effectively for several years. To get a higher lift gas pressure with today's low reservoir pressures, skid mounted motor compressors were installed at ten well sites in 1995-96. Sixteen more compressors were installed in 1997. In one field, Cardenas, the static pressures and depths range from 2794 psig at 18446 ft to 2712 psig at 18056 ft. This field has twentytwo wells and produces 37,500 bopd. Six wells were gas lifted with the 100 psig lift gas system In 1995-96, four compressors were installed at four of these six wells and the production increased 5258 bopd. The other field Samaria-Iride, has a static pressure of 3342 psig at 14750 ft. This field has fifty wells and produces 107,850 bopd. Twentynine wells were gas lifted with the 1000 psig lift gas system. In 1995-96, six compressors were installed at six of these twentynine wells and the production increased 6595 bopd. All of the designs were made with a kick off pressure of 2300-2500 psig using API type IPO valves for unloading. The body of the paper discusses two wells from each field describing the before and after production and the completion schematic.