Combining Gas Lift, PAGL, and Plunger Lift Optimizes Production Across Tight Oil Well Lifecycle

Abstract This paper presents a "full lifecycle" approach to well production that encompasses three interrelated forms of artificial lift ‒ gas lift, plunger-assisted gas lift (PAGL), and plunger lift ‒ applied at distinct phases to collectively span the entire slope of the tight oil well decline curve: Gas lift in early life PAGL in the mid-life "plateau" Plunger lift in late life The authors provide recommendations on well design and equipment to seamlessly transition from gas lift, to PAGL to plunger lift in response to changing production profiles as wells mature. They also examine considerations for deciding when the time is right to transition a well from gas lift to PAGL to plunger lift without having to interrupt production or make capital investments in workovers to change out surface or downhole equipment. The discussion includes surface and downhole equipment, as well as automated controls. Case history data from wells in the Mid-Continent and Permian Basin are presented to illustrate the benefits of adopting an integrated gas lift – PAGL - plunger lift approach as a flexible and economic to artificial lift and production management options in U.S. onshore horizontal tight oil resource plays. Applying a single artificial lift equipment design capable of seamlessly transitioning during every phase of the well lifecycle gives operators a highly efficient solution for optimizing rates and maximizing EURs without having to interrupt well operations or make capital investments in workovers to change out surface or downhole equipment as wells mature.