Novel Foam-Assisted Gas Lift Technology for Resuscitation of High-Salinity and High-GOR Oil Wells

This rig-less technique incorporates introduction of solid and liquid foaming agents in conjunction with gas lift which not only overcome the limitation of gas lift systems but also transformed well performance. Formulation of well selection criteria, individual well sampling and assessment, proper data gathering, data analysis, application methodology and custom-made design of de-liquification program have made it possible to re-activate decades-old wells to enhance production from depleted reservoirs with liquid loading problems.

A pilot project on five wells of a major operator in the middle east exhibited a significant improvement in well performance with an incremental gain of 3000+ bopd along with savings of 10 mmscfd of injection gas from an oil reservoir which had ceased to flow due to high water cut or unavailability of enough reservoir support. Application of this technology has broken the barrier in evaluation of these wells and provides an effective means of reviving the oil wells with liquid loading issues beyond the capability of standard de-liquification methods. It is a cost-effective technology to unravel the untapped reserves from existing wells.

This paper considers multiple scenarios that help revive and elevate a potential hydrocarbon source and recommends suitable actions which allow production engineers to analyze performance of reviving oil wells. The paper will also discuss the role of this technology in the overall production enhancement workflow.

With the increased complexity of mature fields, each next step to improve recovery comes with increased cost. Therefore, novel horizons of affordable technology will play a pivotal role in maximizing economic recovery and meet rising demand in the current business environment.