Application of Gas Lift to Heavy-Oil Reservoir in Intercampo Oilfield, Venezuela

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents successful applications of the gas lift to heavy oil reservoirs in Intercampo oilfield, Lake Maracaibo. Liquid production rate ranges from 50 to 2000 bbl per day per well, gas lift was selected as the first artificial lift method in the oilfield. The paper expresses the gas lift mechanisms in high water cut with lower API degree in heavy oil reservoirs. The theory analysis showed that injection gas rate of gas lift and GOR of oil well have direct effects on fluid flow state in wellbore. Scenarios of theory design and actual production of gas lift were described in the paper. For artificial lift design, the paper points out the correlation equations of gas lift for heavy crude reservoirs that their flow behavior of actual situation should not characterized by present equations, therefore, there are big error value between theory design and actual production when producer is high water cut with lower API degree. In addition, the error created reason was analyzed and oil well normal production in high water cut stages with lower API degree was emphasized, in the case, emulsion of water and oil should not happen. A corrected coefficient of gas lift design was provided under the high water cut with lower API degree. Nowadays, for the new correlations are very preliminary that will need to be developed by means of production engineers and researchers further. It is particularly important to production engineers in optimization and design of gas lifting equipments.