WHOC11-131

HOT GAS INJECTION AS AN ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEM THROUGH A CONCENTRIC TUBING COMPLETION IN A HEAVY OIL WELL
S. MARFISSI
PDVSA E&P

A. LUJAN
PDVSA E&P
This paper has been selected for presentation and/or publication in the proceedings for the 2011 World Heavy Oil Congress [WHOC11]. The authors of this material have been cleared by all interested companies/employers/clients to authorize dmg events (Canada) Ltd., the congress producer, to make this material available to the attendees of WHOC11 and other relevant industry personnel.

Abstract
This paper shows the results of the use of pre-heated gas (215 º F), which is used as a gas lift for wells producing heavy oil (ºAPI 12), based on experiences in a pilot test carried …ver más…

The study was focused on the Pilon field. Pilon field there are a number of gas lift wells that are inactive due to casing damage therefore the conventional gas injection can not produce, so it is necessary to use a completion with concentric tubing, where a pipe is inserted into a 2-3/8 inch production line 4 ½ inches, thereby isolating the area where the hole in the casing. In this way the gas will be injected through smaller diameter pipe and oil will be produced by the annular created between the inner diameter of the pipe 4 ½ inches and 2-3/8 inch pipe. These areas have specific characteristics that make oil extraction a complex process, due to high viscosity, which generates resistance to flow through the integrated production system (from the porous medium to the flow lines). In order to improve production and reduce oil viscosity, the implementation of hot gas injection system using an artificial lift completion of concentric tubes in a heavy oil well in the Pilon Field was conducted, which an increase in oil production over 50% was achieved.

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large heat exchanger, thereby reducing viscosity of oil produced an increase well production.

Reservoir description
The following table shows the basic information of the well where the evaluation was performed with hot gas