Joe Koessler and Joe Alapati, Devon
Paige Lairdm, NOV
Long lateral, high-rate wells in the Permian basin present unique challenges to maximize rate relative to ensuring flow stability with gas lift. Annular flow gas lift has offered a transitional lift method between high rate casing flow and traditional tubing flow gas lift to maximize well production. However, annular flow and annular flow gas lift have presented a more aggressive corrosion profile on the exterior of 2 7/8" L80 production tubing than anticipated.
Tubing metallurgy or coatings provide an opportunity to mitigate corrosion in an artificial lift system in which overall fluid and gas rates are too high for traditional corrosion prevention chemical application. Specifically, field trials of 1% CR L80 and spray metal coated L80 tubulars in an annular flow system are compared against lab-based flow loop corrosion testing to evaluate economically viable approaches to tubing preservation.