Rebecca Larkin and Joe Lopez
Apache Corp.
The Apache-operated Adair San Andres Unit (ASAU) currently employs fifteen capillary string (cap string) equipped producing wells, representing 16% of the active producer count. Apache started converting producing wells to cap strings in 2016. This idea was introduced to Apache at the 2012 CO2 Conference in Midland and later reinforced during a field tour of Whiting’s North Ward Estes CO2 flood in 2015. The chief benefit using a cap string is production stability. A review of these installations
is categorized by a reduction in production variance, meaning an increase in stability - be it oil and gas production, or water-oil and gas-liquid ratio (GLR). This equates to less rig intervention, more uptime. Of note: 1) a cap string will successfully operate below the minimum GLR of 400 SCF/BBL/1000’ required by plunger lift, 2) conversion to cap string assisted lift is not affected by the wellbore geometry, and 3) ASAU installations are packer-less.