METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS IN GAS-LIFT PRODUCTION WELLS

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for identifying operational problems based on the hydrodynamic characterization of the well/gas lift and production line assembly, by means of injecting alcohol, preferably ethanol, into the gas lift line. The detection of the passage and return of the alcohol is carried out by direct analysis of the information about the process variables (pressure and temperature at the bottom of the well, at the Christmas tree and at the surface, gas or liquid flow meters, etc.). Preferably, said detection must also be confirmed by measuring the concentration of the returning alcohol, either by sequential collection of samples of the liquid produced by the well and subsequent physical and chemical analysis in a laboratory, or by an online measuring instrument installed to this end. A practical procedure for collecting samples has been developed for application in conjunction with this invention. Chemical analysis methods for determining small quantities of water in alcohol are known from the prior art, but the reverse is not found. Procedures for analysing small quantities of alcohol in water have thus been specially developed for application in conjunction with this invention.