Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Syahezat Ismail, Sy Puteh Mariah Sy Rahim, Zaidil Yahia, Saied Mustafa Elshourbagi, M Faizatulizuddin Ishak, M
Rizwan Roslan, and W Afiq Farhan Che Hamat, PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd; Abdel Ben Amara, Stephen Faux,
and Graham Makin, Silverwell Energy
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition held in Brisbane, Australia, 23–25 October 2018.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect
any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may
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Abstract
Objectives/Scope: Moving to digitalization era in the current low oil price environment, paradigm shift
is really crucial in managing brownfield development and production. The challenge is to select the best
technology to harvest the optimum production from the field but at the same time reduce potential capital
and operating expenditure.
Methods, Procedures, Process: The paper highlights the technology evaluation of Digital Intelligent
Artificial Lift (DIAL) system. This includes it's working principles, candidates screening, risk mitigation
plan as well as technology success criteria developed specifically for the technology.
DIAL system is an in-well gas lift system that can overcome the well design and operational limitations
of existing side pocket mandrels and valves. DIAL enables a better gas lift well design as well as able
to interconnect downhole and surface monitoring & control in real-time. It provides opportunity for
automation, better subsurface and surface integration as well as minimizing well intervention requirement.
Based on the promising technology evaluation, one pilot well was identified by the team at DL field. The
well was part of DL drilling campaign executed in Q2 2018. Details of the well design & scope, as well as
gas lift design for the well will be shared. Commercial comparison was demonstrated between conventional
side pocket mandrel system and the DIAL system.
Results, Observations, Conclusions: The case study at DL field will be discussed in details, starts from
their wells’ design, technology deployment strategy, installation, production test result as well as lessons
learnt during installation and operationalization of the system.
Moving forward from the pilot application, root cause failure analysis was done, lessons learnt were
identified, design improvements were proposed and continuous monitoring of the system will be done,
according to the success criteria outlined. Potential replication candidates have also been identified by the
team with at least 10 promising potential candidates to be installed within the next 2 years.
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Novel/Additive Information: The technology deployment was the result of collaborative works between
PETRONAS, Silverwell Energy and Neural Oilfield Service.
Introduction
Gas lift is a method of artificial lift that uses an external source of high-pressure gas to assist lifting well
fluids from the reservoir to the surface. Gas is injected from the surface, usually supplied by compressors,
into the casing of the well and then ported into the production tubing. The injected gas reduces the overall
density of the fluid column in the production tubing, which will reduce the flowing bottom hole pressure,
increases formation drawdown and hence increases production.
Gas lift has been used in the oil industry for over 100 years, and there have been many advances
in gas lift system design during this time to increase efficiency and operability when compared to the
early rudimentary designs. These different design iterations and ideas encompassed the development of
the pressurized bellows gas lift valve, patented in 1944 by W.R. King. This was closely followed by the
introduction of the Side Pocket Mandrel (SPM) that enabled valves to be not only selectively positioned,
but also retrieved by wireline, and therefore replaceable to enable adjustments to the gas lift system beyond
those possible by manual adjustments to gas injection rate at surface. Although we have seen some further
advances in design, such as greater integrity of back flow check valves, and the introduction of exotic
materials to combat corrosion and erosion giving increased reliability and longevity of components, the
main principles of the gas lift system have remained the same to this day.
Moving to the digitalization era, a paradigm shift was enabled so that gas lift wells could be operated
with higher efficiency due to better understanding and control of downhole conditions, and reduction of
capital and operating expenditure.
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (The Operator), in line with its strategic objective of digital transformation
to reach operational excellence, has partnered with Silverwell Energy and Neural Oilfield (The Contractors),
to implement a digitally controlled in-well gas lift system called Digital Intelligent Artificial Lift (DIAL).
The objective of this paper is to discuss the approach to technical evaluation and pilot installation of Digital
Intelligent Artificial Lift (DIAL) system. This includes operating philosophies, candidate well screening,
risk mitigation, technology pilot success criteria, and finally, lessons learned from a recent installation of
the system in the Operator's DL field.
campaign wells would be completed with a Digital Gas Lift system on a pilot basis. The installation and
chronology will be discussed in the next subtopics.
Technology Evaluation
DL pilot implementation involved collaboration of multidisciplinary teams from both the operator and
service companies and had several phases that will be described in detail in this section of the paper. It
included the preparation and validation of a business case, screening and selection of candidate wells, well
design and gas lift simulations, HAZID and risk mitigation, selection of pilot success criteria, preparation
for systems integration with DCS (distributed control system) and training of operators.
Crafting the business case was the initial step required to evaluate the financial benefits of the new digital
technology compared to legacy gas lift technology. The business justification for the digital gas lift system
is based on three main benefits:
1. The first is the oil gain, achieved by making use of the downhole pressure and temperature sensors,
monitoring the well performances daily and adjusting gas injection rates and depths of injection
immediately without well interventions. It was estimated that an average oil gains of 10-30% could be
achieved. This when compared to the legacy production optimization method for pressure operated
gas lift valves, which is based on periodic downhole pressure surveys and scheduling for wireline
interventions to change downhole valves and orifices.
2. The second benefit considered is the reduction of lift gas consumption, by eliminating any chance of
multi-pointing or shallow valve injection, since downhole valves of the digital system are not sensitive
to downhole conditions. The risks of lift gas over-injection are also mitigated, through continuous
surveillance of flowing bottom hole pressure and real-time adjustment of gas injection rate at depth,
it was estimated that gas savings of 20% could be achieved.
3. The final benefit considered in the business case is the reduction of operating expenditure by removing
any requirements for in-well interventions related to gas lift systems. It was estimated that on average
two wireline interventions and one well test could be saved for each year of operation, including
deferred production associated with these interventions as well HSE risks.
Graph below gives a summary of the assessed business case results with revenue generation attributed
to Digital Gas Lift (red curve) as compared to the revenue generated by legacy gas lift system (blue curve).
Both curves are declining per the estimated well decline curves. The higher value generation in the Digital
Gas Lift case is attributed to oil gains and gas savings. The periodic "dents" observed in the blue curve are
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due to well interventions for gradient surveys and valves /orifices changes—cost and deferred production.
The first drop on both curves are indicative of capital expenditure to procure and install each system.
Modbus mapping addresses for the systems were shared with the Operators’ instrumentation team in
order to program the DCS. This allowed control of the opening and closing of downhole valves from the
DCS, as well as monitoring of the well's downhole parameters, through a user-friendly dashboard. The
dashboard was available through the PI (Plant Information) system, accessible in the regional office and
headquarters located in Kuala Lumpur.
The left side of the dashboard is used to visualize the status of downhole valves with a simple well
schematic. The center has a real-time Pressure vs. Depth graph, with pressure and temperature gradients
below and above point of injection. This facilitates production optimization decisions with a clear view
of opportunities for deeper injection or change of injection rates. The right side tracks the history of all
units with curves showing trends for casing pressure, tubing pressure, tubing temperature and downhole
gas injection rates.
Training Sessions
Training sessions were organized for the Operator's engineers, to familiarize future end users with the
system, its benefits, and operations. Two separate sessions were scheduled to accommodate for the rotation
schedule and train both teams of operators. The training programs included theoretical courses and a
practical session using the systems already in country.
performed every ten tubing joints, confirming integrity of TEC line, functioning of all downhole valves and
reading of each station pressure and temperature sensors.
The installation finished on the 18th of April 2018, by feeding the cable through the tubing hanger and
wellhead, and then installing the wellhead outlet where the TEC line was terminated and made ready for
surface hook-up.
Surface hook-up took place on the 7th of May 2018 with surface cable connections to the wellhead outlet
and to the SCS installed in the control room. The SCS was also connected to the platform DCS, allowing
control of downhole valves and receipt of sensor information directly at the DCS. During testing of the
Contractor system and the associated Foxboro communication and control system it was noted that three of
the units, those deepest in the well, had stopped communicating.
On May 16th, the spare back-up unit (DIAL #7) was returned to shore for DCS integration testing when
it also developed a fault that prevented communication via its lower connector to further units. This unit
was returned to Contractor for analysis. At this point the Operator decided to install IPO valves in the back-
up SPMs to operate the well.
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Analysis of the system in the DL OP4 installation revealed that the likely failure mode was an open circuit
of the positive power connection immediately below the second of the five units. Additionally, resistance
measurements indicated the probable presence of salt contamination within the electrical connector. The
symptoms of the fault within the DL OP4 system and that of the spare unit returned to Contractor were
noted to be remarkably similar and a common failure mode was suspected. The returned back-up unit was
carefully stripped down to reveal that the positive power pin on the outlet electric connection had failed.
Considerable corrosion deposits were noted around the negative terminals.
Subsequent investigations indicated that the failure was due to an electrolytic corrosion mechanism,
whereby a positive anode corrodes in the presence of an electrolyte between two electrodes with an applied
voltage. This conclusion was backed up by 3rd party analysis by corrosion experts at The Welding Institute
(TWI). They also confirmed that the choice of materials used in the electrical connectors was good, these
materials being generally highly resistant to corrosion.
As electrolyte contamination (salt spray) cannot be fully avoided in an off-shore application. It is to be
noted here, that the connector housing did not fail, but the corrosion was due to a wet salty environment
trapped within the connector prior to run in hole.
Initial Operation
Well OP4 was unloaded on 27th of June 2018 using the conventional gas lift. Below are the data recorded
from the two (2) shallowest units; before and after the well was flowed. DIAL #1 showed good response as
there were changes in temperature and pressure observed before and during the unloading process.
However, DIAL #2 showed that the sensor was not functioning correctly, as indicated by the fact that
there was no change in temperature before and after the well started to be unloaded. Additionally, during the
unloading process, OP4 was beaned up from 48/64" choke to 56/64" choke. This had caused the FWHP to
reduce rom 414.7psia to 314.7psia. Nonetheless, there was no change at DIAL #2 pressure measurements
at annulus and tubing.
It was later revealed that the lower connector of DIAL #1 had failed with a similar failure mode as DIAL
#7. This was to be expected as all units were exposed to the same environment.
It was then possible to carry out a functional test of the unit from the output connection, by inserting
a probe into the aperture left by the failed PS+ pin and connecting this probe to the PS+ control signal.
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This confirmed that the failure of the PS+ pin was the only failure within the system. The GTMS connector
was then removed from the unit for additional analysis. Further strip down and analysis of the remaining
components of the unit found no further defects.
Failed PS+ pin and associated GTMS were analyzed at The Welding Institute (TWI). The conclusion
was that the broken pin was severely corroded, with both a reduction of the pin diameter and loss of the
protective coatings. The corrosion products were a mixture of Mo-, Cr- and Ni-rich oxides. Mo-, Cr- and
Ni-rich oxides were also detected on the glass wall adjacent to the broken pin. The results suggested that
the pin was in contact with an aqueous solution when it was subjected to the applied voltage, causing the
pin to corrode by electrolysis.
The most likely candidate for the electrolyte seemed to be brine or salt spray. The equipment, both that
installed and the back-up unit, could have both been subjected to such contamination during shipping to
the well and while stored on the platform. Normally the electrical connections would be protected by a
cover that is sealed by an O-ring. Any ingress must have taken place while the cover was removed. The SIT
(System Integration Test) conducted at the Neural Workshop is near the port and a saline environment.
The Contractor simulated the failure mechanism in the laboratory on a new GTMS sample, by submerging
it in brine and applying 0.5 amps of continuous current. This, resulted in the corrosion by electrolysis of
the PS+ pin as shown the photograph below.
Preliminary testing was carried out as proof of concept for the proposed remedial actions. A sample
GTMS was wired up and the connection pins covered with a heat shrink sleeve as per the existing process.
The remaining exposed conductive surfaces and the creepage paths across the glass seals were then covered
in a high-temperature, low-outgassing epoxy and heat cured. No sign of conduction was evident after 26
hours total immersion in brine (5ml of NaCl in 125ml tap water) at an applied voltage of 62V.
A highly accelerated life test is also on-going with GTMS fully submerged in brine at a temperature of
125 deg Celsius and continuously powered. At the time of writing the GTMS sample had already exceeded
the equivalent of 10 years of life under normal operating conditions.
Way Forward
Even though this initial pilot it was considered ‘mixed success’ for the Digital Gas Lift implementation in
DL field, the Operator is committed to continue evaluating and searching for innovative technology to be
implemented in its operations worldwide.
Based on the proposed mitigation plans provided, further candidate wells are currently being evaluated
for Digital Gas Lift implementation.
In parallel, dual completion wells are planned to be piloted with Digital Gas Lift in 2019, as gas lift
operating challenges are further amplified with dual completion strings using legacy pressure operated
valves: fluctuating casing pressure; unpredictable temperatures due to the proximity of the two strings; and
inability to individually control the injection rates to each string. The string dedicated to the formation
with the lowest productivity and reservoir pressure tends to "rob" gas from the other string. Digital Gas
Lift systems installed on both strings would allow direction of the right amount of lift gas to each string
efficiently.
Another focus for further deployments are wells with higher intervention costs, such as highly deviated
wells requiring tractor interventions to change pressure operated valves, as well as deep offshore and subsea
wells.
Systems automation and software developments are also planned to be developed in partnership
with the service company, with the target to automate well unloading and well kick-off, as well as
automate production optimization, with gas injection rates and injection depths changed automatically based
downhole pressure and temperature values, making the Digital Gas Lift system an autonomous gas lift
production optimization system.
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