Super Sonic Gas Lift Tool – Delaware Pilot Test to Assess Production Improvement and Gas Injection Reduction

Gas Lift (GL) has emerged as a preferred Artificial Lift (AL) technology in the Permian Basin. As GL wells age, operators are looking at late-life AL alternatives, such as Plunger Assisted Gas Lift (PAGL) and Gas Assisted Plunger Lift (GAPL) to reduce gas injection and improve overall lift efficiency. However, conversion to these plunger-based late-life AL systems has been slow and somewhat costly, often requiring surface modifications through a Management of Change (MOC) process and, in some cases, a workover. The number of wells waiting to be converted to plunger alternatives is typically more than can be accomplished during a year due to budget and manpower constraints. For wells waiting for conversion, the Gas Lift Production Enhancement Tool or Super Sonic Tool (SST) was pilot tested to confirm it’s ability to provide a low-cost, through-tubing method to boost production and reduce gas requirements. This paper presents the results of a 4-well pilot test conducted in the Delaware. 

The Gas Lift Production Enhancement Tool is a novel application of gas dynamics utilizing a patented convergence-divergence design based on the Venturi principle. The tool accelerates injected gas to sonic velocity, creating a low-pressure zone below the tool that generates additional drawdown and increases the velocity of the gas introduced into the production flow. Also, this tool improves the ability of the injected gas to lift liquids by reducing the slippage between the gas and liquid phases downstream of the tool. The tool is installed through-tubing via slickline and placed over the active Gas Lift (GL) valve, so the injected gas is forced through the tool as the power fluid. 

Interest in this tool was generated by it’s theorical ability to improve drawdown and reservoir inflow, and the potential to reduce injection gas requirements by up to 40%. Its streamlined design enables easy integration into the existing completion, requiring no wellhead modifications or downtime, making it a practical solution that does not require a MOC. In addition, other field deployments made by the vendor in the Permian Basin seemed to demonstrate its effectiveness. For example, in the Delaware Basin, the tool achieved a 12% production increase while reducing lift gas consumption by 250 MSCFD. Similarly, in the Midland Basin, it delivered a 15% production boost with significant gas savings. 

To confirm/validate performance of this tool, a pilot project was undertaken in the Delaware Basin. After careful review of multiple candidates, 4 wells were selected. The SST was first installed in 2 wells and then installed in an additional 2 wells with a Multiphase Meter (MPM) to confirm baseline well performance and uplift. The tool was installed via slickline in less than one day for each well. This presentation details the findings of these pilot projects and lessons learned. The best response was a 35% uplift in oil production confirmed via a surface multiphase meter. CO2 tracers were shown to be critical in confirming the gas injection location (active valve) which is essential for tool operation. For example, in another well, the tool was installed across the wrong valve and later moved to the correct position based on a CO2 tracer survey. The importance of accurate well testing in a bulk-test system was also a lesson learned from this pilot as was the value of a multiphase meters when continuous real-time metering is needed to quantify uplifts in the 10-35% range.