1. 41st Gas-Lift Workshop Houston, Texas, USA June 3 - 7, 2019
High Pressure Gas Lift
(HPGL)
“The Rest of the Story”
Jim Hacksma ►Consultant
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

2. HPGL Tubing hanging free Higher rates Lower rates
O/G/W Production (up tubing or annulus)
Gas Injection (down annulus or tubing)
Tubing hanging free
No packer ►No Valves
Higher rates
Inject down tubing ►Lift Annulus
Lower rates
Inject down annulus ►Lift tubing
Unconventional ►Simple ►Effective

3. Use of HPGL Reportedly, HPGL being used in 100+ wells
Texas: ►Permian ►Eagle Ford ►Austin Chalk
Oklahoma: SCOOP & STACK plays
Others?
Reportedly, ±12 operators are using HPGL
Few are talking about it
Protecting competitive advantage
Only one has published their findings
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

4. New Learnings About HPGL
Thus far, it has been used only at high rates
As a replacement for ESPs
But, HPGL can also be used at low rates
In fact, HPGL can be used at any & all rates
Thus, HPGL can be used for entire life of well
HPGL is not always high pressure
In fact, injection pressure will be below 1000 psi for much of well life
Injection pressure can be as low as 250 psi
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

5. Totally Unlike Conventional Gas Lift (C-GL)
High Pressure Gas Lift
(HPGL)
Totally Unlike Conventional Gas Lift (C-GL)
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

6. What kind of performance can you expect from such a simple system
Performance Curves
for HPGL
What kind of performance can you expect from such a simple system
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

7. Performance Curves for HPGL
Assumed conditions
Depth = 10,000’
FTP = 50 psig
Gas gravity = 0.65
100% water
No oil or gas production
Tubing = 2⅜” ►Casing = 5½” 20#/ft
Flow models = Ansari & Gray (modified)
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

8. Lift tubing at lower rates
FBHP
Data for lift up annulus
Data for lift up tubing
An arbitrary switch point chosen
Annulus
Lift annulus at higher rates
Overall, FBHPs are lower than expected?
Arbitrary?
Tubing
Lift tubing at lower rates

9. Total Gas (injection + production)
When producing 100% water, all gas is injected gas
When producing some oil, the injection rate is reduced by amount of associated gas production
Max = 5000
Min = 300
Tubing
Annulus

10. Injection Pressure (IP)
C-GL = Conventional GL
With HPGL, IP can be both very high & very low
High = 3500
HPGL is largely a low pressure method
C-GL has no highs & lows
Always ±1000 psi
A disadvantage for C-GL?
Low = 250
1000#
Tubing
Annulus

11. Flowing Gradient (psi/ft)
Overall, gradients are lower than expected?
Max = 0.4
Min = 0.025
0.1 psi/ft
Tubing
Annulus

12. Comparisons to ESP, C-GL & SRP
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
In unconventionals, some use a series of AL methods
SRP

13. Comparison to ESP Early tests show HPGL roughly comparable to ESP
Rates of 5000 BPD, and more, are possible
HP compressor is required
ESP may produce more, but not much more
ESP may produce more, but not for long
Plus, HPGL has many other advantages over ESP
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP

14. Comparison to C-GL (conventional GL)
HPGL has the clear advantage
Can lift up 2⅜” x 5½” annulus
(Instead of 2⅞” with C-GL)
Higher rates & lower FBHPs
At appropriate time, switch lift to tubing
Easy switch ►No packer ►No valves
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP

15. Comparison to SRP FBHPs as low as 300-500 psi with HPGL
Can SRP really do significantly better?
Replace HPGL with SRP? ►NO
Costly ►Too little uplift ►No payout
Better way ►Continue with HPGL
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP

16. Comparison to SRP (cont’d)
FBHPs as low as psi with HPGL
Add a plunger? ►Plunger assisted GL?
Reduce FBHP even further?
Makes HPGL even more competitive with SRP ►Continue with HPGL
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP

17. Comparisons to ESP, C-GL & SRP
Why use ESP, C-GL & SRP?
Instead, use only HPGL
Use HPGL for entire well life
Never pull, kill, or unload well again ►No need for valves
HPGL is better
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP X
XXX

18. $$$ X XXX HPGL saves $$$ ►CAPEX & OPEX
Compare to combined cost of ESP + C-GL + SRP
HPGL is so cheap, you can’t afford to reject it
Need to give HPGL a try
Even if you have doubts about HPGL
C-GL up 2⅞”
ESP
SRP X
XXX

19. Caution
The pressures shown here (FBHP & injection pressure) are flowing pressures
They are steady-state pressures
They are the lowest pressures you can expect
You may experience higher pressures
During unloading
They are transient pressures
While working down to lower flowing FBHPs
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

20. HPGL; Why Now? HPGL has been possible virtually for ever
HPGL uses nothing new
Downhole ►Only tubing hanging free
Surface ►Only compressors
There is nothing to be developed
Higher pressure compressors?
They don’t make HPGL possible
But, they certainly expand the range of HPGL
They permit higher producing rates
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

21. Very Attractive Performance
HPGL can lift several 1000 BPD
With FBHPs that are comparable to ESP
At 10 BPD, HPGL can achieve;
FBHP as low as 310 psi
Injection pressure as low as 250 psi
Flowing gradient as low as psi/ft
Even at 1800 BPD;
Injection pressure as low 1000 psi
Flowing gradient as low 0.10 psi/ft
10,000 ft
2⅜” x 5½”
FTP = 50 psi
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

22. Other Notes Curves can be created for differing conditions
Depth ►Tubing & casing size ►FTP ►Etc.
Never heard of HPGL? ►Not surprising
No service company will promote HPGL
No profit potential
Everything has been removed
Gas lift vendors certainly won’t tell you about HPGL
Only the operators will benefit from this new artificial lift method
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

23. The Developers of HPGL We are retired production engineers
The developers of HPGL are;
Jim Hacksma ►Kerr-McGee
Bill Elmer ►EOG
Larry Harms ►ConocoPhillips
Each offers consulting services regarding HPGL
Each has a slightly different message
Each brings a different perspective to the table
Together, you get a revolutionary AL method
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

24. Acknowledgements Branden Pronk ►SM Energy
Early adopter of HPGL in Permian
SM Energy allowed their test results to be published
See SPE MS
“Single Point High Pressure Gas Lift Replaces ESP in Permian Basin Pilot”
Presented at SPE Oklahoma City Oil & Gas Symposium
9-10 April 2019
Will Nelle ►Estis Compression
Responded to need for HP compressors
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

25. Questions? Jim Hacksma Consulting Petroleum Engineer
Specialty – High Pressure Gas Lift
office
cell
Houston, TX
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

26. Copyright
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June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

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The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council and its officers and trustees, and the Gas-Lift Workshop Steering Committee members, and their supporting organizations and companies (here-in-after referred to as the Sponsoring Organizations), and the author(s) of this Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Training Course and their company(ies), provide this presentation and/or training material at the Gas-Lift Workshop "as is" without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information or the products or services referred to by any presenter (in so far as such warranties may be excluded under any relevant law) and these members and their companies will not be liable for unlawful actions and any losses or damage that may result from use of any presentation as a consequence of any inaccuracies in, or any omission from, the information which therein may be contained.
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June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop