Integrating True Valve Performance into Production System Analysis Based Gas Lift Design and Troubleshooting for Dukhan Field, Qatar

Qatar Petroleum’s Dukhan field uses gas lift to produce oil wells that cannot sustain natural flow because of reservoir pressure decline or rising water-cut. The increasing number of wells on gas lift has made the effectiveness of gas lift design and troubleshooting a key factor to achieving crude oil production targets. Until the present day production system analysis methods were used for gas lift design and troubleshooting. This was found to be inadequate in several cases to achieve an optimum design or to troubleshoot problems successfully. To resolve such inadequacy, a new approach has recently been applied that makes use of the VPCTM (Valve Performance Clearinghouse) database. The VPCTM database provides tested or true performance data for gas lift valves. The new approach integrates well performance from production system analysis and true valve performance from the VPCTM database into an integrated system performance tool. Sensitivity analysis of the integrated system is then performed with a set of well conditions and valve parameters for gas lift design or troubleshooting. The paper focuses on the intricacies of the approach and presents a typical field example of its application. Application of this approach has enabled effective gas lift design and troubleshooting, unlocked incremental oil potential at negligible cost and extended the producing life of wells.