GAS FIELD ENGINEERING

Gas Well Performance

CONTENTS

6.1 6.2 6.3

Gas Well Performance Static Bottom-hole Pressure(static BHP) Flowing Bottom-hole Pressure(flowing BHP)

LESSON LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of the session, students should be able to: Determine static bottom-hole pressure(static BHP) using different methods Determine flowing bottom-hole pressure(flowing BHP) using different methods

Gas Well Performance

Figure (6.1) Gas Production Schematic

Gas Well Performance

Referring to Fig.(6.1), ability of a gas reservoir to produce for a given set of reservoir conditions depends directly on the flowing bottom-hole pressure, Pwf. The ability of reservoir to deliver a certain quantity of gas depends on the inflow performance relationship

flowing bottom-hole pressure

Flowing bottom-hole pressure depends on Separator pressure Configuration of the piping system

Gas Well Performance

These conditions can be expressed as: (8.1) (8.2)

Static and Flowing Bottom-Hole Pressures

The static or flowing pressure at the formation must be known in order to predict the productivity or absolute open flow potential of gas wells. Preferred method is a bottom-hole pressure gauge (downhole pressure gauge). However, Static BHP or Flowing BHP can be estimated from wellhead data (gas specific gravity, well head pressure, well head temperature, formation temperature, and well depth.)

Figure (6.2) Deliverability test plot

Basic Energy Equation

In the case of steady-state flow, energy balance can be expressed as follows: (8.3)

OR
(8.4)

Basic Energy Equation

Figure (6.3) Flow in pipe (After Aziz.)

Basic Energy Equation

udu Second term ( ) kinetic energy is neglected in pipeline flow calculations. 2g c
If no mechanical work is done on the gas (compression) or by the gas (expansion through a turbine), the term ws is zero. Reduced form of the mechanical energy equation may be written as: (8.5)

OR
(8.6)

10

Basic Energy Equation

All equations now in use for gas flow and static head calculations are various forms of this Equation. The density of a gas( g )at a point in a vertical pipe at pressure p and temperature T may be written as: (8.7)

11

Fig.(6.4) Compressibility factor for natural gases for Ppr (0 to 10)

12

Fig.(6.5) Compressibility factor for natural gases for Ppr (9 to 20)

13

Fig.(6.6) Moody Friction Factor Chart

14

Basic Energy Equation

The velocity of gas flow ug at a cross section of a vertical pipe is

(8.8)

15

Basic Energy Equation

General vertical flow equation assuming a constant average temperature in the interval of interest is

(8.10)

16

Basic Energy Equation

Sukker & Cornell and Poettmann assumed gas deviation factor varies with pressure. But accurate in relatively shallow wells. A more realistic approach is that of Cullender & Smith. They treated gas deviation factor as a function of both temperature and pressure.

17

Static Bottom-Hole Pressure

Average Temperature and Deviation Factor Method The Equation is: (8.20)

18

Example (1)
Calculate the static bottom-hole pressure of a gas well having a depth of 5790 ft. The gas gravity is 0.60 and the pressure at the wellhead is 2300 psia. The average temperature of the flow string is 117oF.

Solution

19

First trial

Second trial

20

QUIZZ 4 1. Calculate the static bottom-hole pressure of a gas well having a depth of 8570 ft. The gas gravity is 0.63 and the pressure at the wellhead is 2800 psia. The average temperature of the flow string is 124oF.Use average Temperature and Deviation factor method. Pc=672,Tc=358 2. Calculate the static bottom-hole pressure of a gas well having a depth of 9230 ft. The gas gravity is 0.66 and the pressure at the wellhead is 3100 psia. The average temperature of the flow string is 119oF. .Use average Temperature and Deviation factor method. Pc=672, Tc=358
21

Cullender and Smith Method

This is a more realistic approach that gas deviation factor is a function of both temperature and pressure. (8.25)

Define

(8.26)

22

Cullender and Smith Method

Which, for the static case, reduces to
(8.27) (8.29) For the upper half, For the lower half, (8.30) (8.31)

Static bottom-hole pressure at depth Z in the well is finally given by

(8.32) Where Its is evaluated at H = 0, Ims at Z/2 and Iws at Z.

23

Cullender and Smith Method

Calculation procedure First: to solve for an intermediate temperature and pressure condition at the mid point of the vertical column; Second: Repeat the calculations for bottom-hole condition.

-A value of Its is first calculated from Eqn 8.27 at surface conditions. -Then, Ims is assumed(Its=Ims at first approximation) and pms is calculated for the mid point conditions. -Using this value of Ims , a new value of Ims is computed. -The new value of Ims is then used to recalculate pms . -This procedure is repeated until successive calculations of pms are within the desired accuracy (usually within 1 psi difference).
24

Cullender and Smith Method

-The Cullender and Smith method is the most accurate method for calculating bottom-hole pressures. -This method is generally applicable to shallow and deep wells, sour gases, and digital computations.

25

Example (2)
Calculate the static bottom-hole pressure for the gas well of Example 1 using the Cullender and Smith method. depth of the well=5790 ft., gas gravity = 0.60 pressure at the wellhead = 2300 psia. Temperature at well head=74oF Average temperature of flow string=117F Ppc =672psia Tpc=358R Solution (a) Determine the value of z at wellhead conditions and compute Its.
26

Example (2)
(a) Determine the value of z at wellhead conditions and compute Its. Solution

27

(b) Calculate Its for intermediate conditions at a depth of 5790/2 or 2895 ft, assuming a straight line temperature gradient. As a first approximation, assume Ims = Its = 178 Then, from Eqn 8.30,
(8.30)

(8.27) (8.30)

28

Since the two values of Pms are not equal, calculations are repeated with Pms=2477 psia.

This is a check of the pressure at 2895 ft. (c) Calculate Iws at bottom-hole conditions assuming, for the first trial, Iws = Ims = 191. Then, from Eqn 8.31,

29

Repeating the calculation,

(d) Finally, using Eqn 8.32,

30

QUIZZ E

1. Calculate static bottom-hole pressure by using the same data given in exercise. Take tubing head pressure to be 3340 psia.

31

Flowing Bottom-Hole Pressure

Flowing bottom-hole pressure of a gas well is the sum of the flowing wellhead pressure, the pressure exerted by the weight of the gas column, the kinetic energy change, and the energy losses resulting from friction. As kinetic energy change is very small, it is assumed zero. For the situation of no heat loss from gas to surroundings and no work performed by the system. (8.33) This equation is the basis for all methods of calculating flowing bottom-hole pressures from wellhead observations. The only assumptions made so far are single-phase gas flow and negligible kinetic energy change.
32

Average Temperature And Average Gas Deviation Factor Method

Assumptions in the average temperature and average gas deviation factor method are: 1. Steady-state flow 2. Single-phase gas flow, although it may be used for condensate flow if proper adjustments are made in the flow rate, gas gravity and Z-factor 3. Change in kinetic energy is small and may be neglected 4. Constant temperature at some average value 5. Constant gas deviation factor at some average value 6. Constant friction factor over the length of the conduit

33

Equation for Average Temperature and Deviation Factor method is

(8.39)

34

If Fanning friction factor is used, use the following equation.

(8.40)

35

Equation 8.39 is to be applied when Moody Friction factor is used.

Equation 8.40 is to be applied when Fanning Friction factor is used.

Moody friction factor= 4* Fanning friction factor
36

Example (3)
Calculate the sandface pressure of a flowing gas well from the following surface measurements: Use Average temperature and Deviation Factor method.

Solution Using Eqn 8.39,

37

First trial

Guess, Pwf = 2500 psia

At 1.0 atm and 121.5oF.

Viscosity at average pressure:

38

The Reynolds number is given by

From the Moody friction factor chart,

OR Pwf = 2543 psia

39

Second trial

There is no appreciable change in z for this trial; so, first trial is sufficiently accurate.

40

QUIZZ 1.

QUIZZ 5

Calculate the sand-face pressure of a flowing gas well from the following surface measurements:

q= 12 MMscfd
g = 0.62
Twf = 160F

D=4 in.
Depth = 8400 ft. (bottom of casing) Ttf = 83F

Ptf = 2755 psia e= 0.0006 in viscosity at average pressure= 0.0167 cp length of tubing= 8350 ft. Pc= 672

Tc=358

41

Q&A

42

Thank You

43