Erasmus Mensah and Smith Leggett
Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University
Intermittent gas lift (IGL) is emerging as a key late-life artificial lift method for the growing number of aging horizontal wells in the Permian Basin. With more than 20,000 wells on continuous gas lift, operators face challenges in converting to IGL and operating it effectively. This study synthesizes lessons gathered from controlled IGL experiments at the Texas Tech Oilfield Technology Center (OTC) and multiple Permian Basin wells.
1. Tubing integrity presents a major barrier to successful IGL implementation. Perforation sealers and tubing patch systems offer a temporary fix. However, the corroded tubing strings left in a well for a long time can turn into expensive fishing jobs.
2. Proper IGL conversion depends on the liquid fallback factor, tubing size, and depth of the gas lift valve.
3. Flaws in the deployment method of standing valves affect their performance in IGL.
4. Reservoir depletion must be considered in the initial IGL design since the gas lift valve behavior alters with declining tubing pressures. The gas lift valve mechanics depend on the tubing pressure, so the valve opening pressure and spread change with declining tubing pressure.
5. High-frequency bottomhole pressure sensor data is essential for diagnostics and effective optimization of IGL.
6. Identified the operational similarities between sucker rod pumping and IGL.
These insights provide a practical framework to improve candidate selection, system design, and long-term intermittent gas lift success in unconventional reservoirs.