Gas lift is one of the artificial lift offerings from Liberty Lift. The traditional methodology has been used for more than 50 years with few notable changes. Gas lift has several advantages, especially in the early stages of a well’s production when flows are critical for optimized financial returns. Because of its relatively simple design with few moving parts, the gas lift technique is uncomplicated to operate. The method is cost effective with few maintenance or repair issues regardless of sand content or produced solids. It can, however, become costly when switching lift between annular and tubing flows.
Recently, Liberty Lift developed HYRATE®, US Pat. 10,502,037 and other patents pending, to address and improve this gas lift shortcoming.
Gas lift-assisted annular flow is usually more impactful during a well’s initial production stage. Because the annulus diameter has increased flow area, it can more effectively assist in unloading the well during initial production. As the well’s effective pressure naturally declines, it becomes prudent to switch from production flow up the annulus to conventional tubing flow. This conversion has significantly increased operating costs for gas lift as well as other lift methods, especially ESPs.
Positioned inside the tubing string, the gas lift mandrel is internal when used for annular lift. In this configuration there is insufficient clearance to pull the bottom plug to convert to tubing lift. Consequently, a workover rig must be engaged, removing the entire tubing string and mandrels in order to pull the plug. This expensive and time consuming procedure causes a production shutdown, use of specialized equipment and increased manpower. A less intrusive side pocket mandrel configuration is available, but that assembly is also expensive.
Initial operating volumes ranging from more than 5,000 bbls/day to as low as 50 bbls/day can be effectively handled by this single flexible solution. During later stages, HYRATE allows the well to flow unassisted for the remainder of its life-cycle, all with a single cost-effective rigless wireline intervention.
HYRATE’s value is multiplied in today’s robust unconventional production where deviated wells are run from the same pad , incurring frac hits from offset producing wells. Removal of the transient fluids using tubing lift is considerably slower, but HYRATE can quickly unload those fluids by seamlessly switching to annular flow returning the well to optimal production. This ability to continually convert the system between conventional to annular lift with only a slickline intervention, is cost effective, efficient and extends the life of the well and its components.
Contact Liberty Lift today and learn how HYRATE can save you costs through the entire life cycle of the well.
Gas lift is one of the artificial lift offerings from Liberty Lift. The traditional methodology has been used for more than 50 years with few notable changes. Gas lift has several advantages, especially in the early stages of a well’s production when flows are critical for optimized financial returns.