Evaluation of hydraulic gas pump as a new artificial lift method for oil and gas wells /
The need for improving the performance of the existing artificial lift methods or for inventing new methods is recognized. There is a special need for an effective and efficient lift method for gassy environments. Gas interference and gas locking can reduce the efficiency of all existing pumps. L...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1997.
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| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=739887621&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | The need for improving the performance of the existing artificial lift methods or for inventing new methods is recognized. There is a special need for an effective and efficient lift method for gassy environments. Gas interference and gas locking can reduce the efficiency of all existing pumps. Liquid loading causes significant drop in the production rate of a gas well and will ultimately kill the well. Existing pumps such as the rod pump, electric submersible pump and progressive cavity pump have problems operating in gassy environments. Other methods such as gas lift or plunger lift have limited applications because of operational problems, excessive back pressure on the formation, or economics. These methods become even more limiting for deeper wells. The inability to solve the liquid loading problem results every year in abandonment of many gas wells with significant remaining reserves. Substantial additional gas could be recovered from existing reservoirs if an efficient method of unloading gas wells can be found. Therefore, new economical and efficient technologies are needed to minimize liquid loading in gas wells. The author proposes the concepts for a new type of pump that can theoretically be used for oil wells or to dewater gas wells. This pump uses a small volume of high-pressure gas to lift liquids to the surface. The important features of this pump include its ability to operate in gassy environments; its ability to operate in deep, directional and high temperature wells; its handling of viscous crude, sand and solids; its few moving parts; and its potential for being designed for wireline installations. This new pump is called a Hydraulic Gas Pump (HGP). This pump has not been field tested yet. The author has built a prototype model to demonstrate its concepts in the laboratory and the technology to build it for field application is available. The HGP has the potential of becoming a more economic option than existing pumps by providing additional recoverable oil and gas reserves. This dissertation presents the principles of its operation, design and installation. We evaluate its potential applications and its expected performance in various producing environments. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Petroleum Engineering". |
| Physical Description: | xi, 154 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references: pages 96-102. |