Optimization of gas lift production of oil wells

Abstract

Gas lift is one of the artificial lift techniques which it is frequently implemented to raise oil production. Conventionally, oil wells produce, depending on the energy of reservoir pressure and solution gas, which declines due to continuous production. Therefore, many oil wells, after a certain production time become unable to lift oil to the surface. Thus, continuity of production requires the implementation of a gas lift that works to decrease the average fluid density in the tubing by injecting gas through the annulus into the tubing. This study aims to get maximum oil production from an Iraqi oil field at the optimum injected gas rate. The parameters to optimize the gas lift system have been found, which are 6 main variables. They are wellhead pressure, reservoir pressure, water cut, tubing diameters, casing pressure, and depth of injection, which all of the variables could influence the oil production rate. In this study, we consider one of these variables, which is water cut. The software analysis has been performed by PROSPER. The data of the oil field and wells arrangement are from (Buzrgan) Iraqi oil field, and we take 16 wells. In this project, the 16 wells network has been analyzed with a minimum Pwf that is greater or equal to the bubble point pressure plus 50 psi. The main variable is the amount of injection gas that tries to inject a different amount of gas and finds out the highest oil production rate. The objective of the study is to find out the maximum oil production of the field by gas lift optimization. To adjust the best results and sensitivity analysis.