Mike Swihart, PROLIFTCO
Plunger Assisted Gas Lift (PAGL) in the Permian Basin Over the last few years Gas Lift has become a popular artificial lift choice for producing unconventional wells in the Permian Basin. Gas Lift is a good choice for producing wells with high bottom-hole pressures (BHP) and high gas liquid ratios (GLR). Gas Lift is also a good choice for wells that produce solids or have deviated wellbores. Gas Lift however like all artificial lift choices has an optimum range which typically tends to be above five hundred barrels per day. When Gas Lift gets below five hundred barrels per day inefficiencies begin to surface with regards to the amount of fluid produced relative to the amount of gas injected. These inefficiencies can be addressed by running a hybrid system of gas lift and plunger lift to help maximize fluid production and minimize injection gas with the use of an interfacing tool known as a plunger that free cycles up and down the tubing and keeps gas from breaking thru fluid while flowing to surface. The system known as Plunger Assisted Gas Lift (PAGL) is becoming more popular and some operators have gone almost exclusively to this choice as Gas Lift wells begin to mature. This paper will highlight operators in the Permian Basin who have successfully integrated these systems into their long term production plans and review before and after production numbers, costs and estimated annual savings and increases to net revenue. The mechanical aspects of the system will be reviewed as well as installation and best operating practices. Additionally a preview of producing the well intermittently as it continues to decline by another hybrid system known as Gas Assisted Plunger Lift (GAPL) will be reviewed.