Once horizontal wells expend their phase of natural flow and an artificial lift system is required, they are well known to have production challenges associated with downhole pump gas interference and solids issues. Gas lift is often implemented as a transitional artificial lift solution since it is solids-tolerant, it can handle high decline rates and it can manage sluggy flow conditions inherent to horizontal wells. Producing fields with gas infrastructure frequently default to this option to capitalize on existing equipment, but knowingly sacrifice longer term production and reserves from the limitations of gas lifting.
This paper will present an approach to replace gas lift in the intermediate lifting cycle of the life of a well. The paper will discuss the limitations of gas lift, introduce an alternative approach and demonstrate its efficiency with case study.