Chemically enhanced gas-lift for oil and gas wells

Abstract

A new well system and a corresponding method for the production of fluids from the well is presented. The well system and production process taught herein presents the means to use larger cross sectional flow areas for well fluid production by injecting energized gas and chemicals into the well.

1 . A method for the production of fluids from subterranean reservoirs comprising the steps of:
 (a) constructing a well having a gas-lift injection conduit inserted inside a larger well conduit wherein said gas-lift injection conduit has at least one fluid passage to the larger well conduit, said gas-lift injection conduit and said larger well conduit extending from the surface of the well to a point below the surface of the well, said larger well conduit comprising a surface valve;   (b) energizing a fluid at the surface with an energizing device;   (c) injecting at least a portion of the energized fluid into a well through said at least one gas-lift injection conduit;   (d) injecting a chemical composition into the well; and,   (e) producing fluid to the surface from below the surface through said larger well conduit.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said energizing device is selected from the group consisting of a compressor, a pump, and any combination thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises a corrosion inhibitor. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises a scale inhibitor. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises a hydrate inhibitor. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises a foaming agent. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid has a specific gravity less than water. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of constructing a well comprises deploying a side pocket mandrel on said gas-lift injection conduit. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said step of constructing comprises the step of deploying a gas-lift valve in said side pocket mandrel. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of monitoring said gas-lift valve deployed on the gas-lift conduit. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of monitoring comprises monitoring with a down hole optical fiber system and a surface OTDR instrument. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of injecting into the well a chemical composition comprises injecting said chemical composition into said gas-lift injection conduit. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of constructing a well having a gas-lift injection conduit further comprises constructing said well with a separate chemical injection conduit inside the larger well conduit and said step of injecting a chemical composition comprises injecting a chemical composition through said separate chemical injection conduit. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of deploying a side pocket mandrel on said separate chemical injection conduit. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of deploying a chemical injection conduit valve on said side pocket mandrel on said separate chemical injection conduit. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of constructing a well having a gas-lift injection conduit and a separate chemical injection conduit inside the larger well conduit comprises constructing the well to have said separate chemical injection conduit outside said gas-lift injection conduit, said gas-lift injection conduit inside said larger well conduit. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of constructing a well having a gas-lift injection conduit and a separate chemical injection conduit inside the larger well conduit comprises constructing the well to have said separate chemical injection conduit inside said gas-lift injection conduit, said gas-lift injection conduit inside said larger well conduit. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of constructing a well comprises deploying a side pocket mandrel on said gas-lift injection conduit and deploying a chemical injection conduit valve on said side pocket mandrel on said gas-lift injection conduit, and wherein said separate chemical injection conduit is coupled to said side pocket mandrel and to said chemical injection conduit valve. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of energizing a fluid at the surface with an energizing device comprises energizing at least a portion of the fluid produced from the larger well conduit. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of producing fluid comprises opening said surface valve on said larger well conduit to allow fluid to be produced to the surface. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of blending said chemical composition with said energized fluid prior to said step of injecting at least a portion of said energized fluid. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of injecting at least a portion of the energized fluid is performed using a different gas-lift injection conduit than said step of injecting into the well a composition selected from the group consisting of a friction reducer, a foaming agent, and any combination thereof. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein one or both of said different gas-lift conduits has a distal end located above the a top perforation in a reservoir in said well. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein one or both of said different gas-lift conduits has a distal end located between a top perforation and a bottom perforation in a reservoir in said well. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein one or both of said different gas-lift conduits has a distal end located below a bottom perforation in a reservoir in said well. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of energizing a fluid comprises compressing said fluid. 
   
   
       27 . A well for the production of fluids from a subterranean reservoir comprising:
 (a) a gas-lift injection conduit extending from the surface of the well to a point below said surface;   (b) a chemical injection conduit extending from the surface of the well to a point below said surface;   (c) a larger well conduit extending from the surface of the well to a point below said surface, said larger well conduit comprising surface valve;   wherein said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit is in fluid communication with said larger well conduit through a fluid passage point; and,   (d) an energizing device fluidly coupled to said gas-lift injection conduit.   
   
   
       28 . The well of  claim 27 , wherein said chemical injection conduit and said gas-lift injection conduit are the same conduit. 
   
   
       29 . The well of  claim 27 , wherein said chemical injection conduit and said gas-lift injection conduit are separate conduits. 
   
   
       30 . The well of  claim 27 , further comprising a pump coupled to a reservoir containing a chemical composition and to said chemical injection conduit. 
   
   
       31 . The well of  claim 27 , wherein one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit comprise an injection valve. 
   
   
       32 . The well of  claim 31 , wherein said injection valve of one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit is located at the distal end of said conduit. 
   
   
       33 . The well of  claim 32 , wherein one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit has a distal end located above the shallowest perforation in a reservoir in the well. 
   
   
       34 . The well of  claim 32 , wherein said one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit has a distal end located between the shallowest perforation and the deepest perforation in a reservoir in the well. 
   
   
       35 . The well of  claim 32 , wherein said one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit has a distal end located below a bottom perforation in a reservoir in the well. 
   
   
       36 . The well of  claim 27 , wherein one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit is located inside said larger well conduit. 
   
   
       37 . The well of clam  27 , wherein one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit is located within another gas-lift injection conduit. 
   
   
       38 . The well of clam  27 , wherein one or both of said gas-lift injection conduit and said chemical injection conduit comprises a plurality of side pocket mandrels along its length. 
   
   
       39 . The well of  claim 38 , further comprising a valve in said side pocket mandrel. 
   
   
       40 . The well of  claim 39 , further comprising means for monitoring said valve. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein said means for monitoring comprises an optical time domain reflectometry instrument. 
   
   
       42 . A method of lifting fluids offshore on a facility from a riser pipe comprising the steps of transporting the production of a plurality of wells to the riser pipe, and injecting energized gas-lift gas into a gas-lift conduit located inside the riser pipe said gas-lift conduit in fluid communication with said riser pipe and injecting a chemical composition into the riser pipe, blending said chemicals in the energized gas, reducing the riser pipes minimum critical velocity required to lift fluids from the riser pipe.