Engineering approach in developing and optimizing troubleshooting procedures

by
Authors: Tom Basic, Chevron PE
Sriram Chandrasekhar, Chevron PE

Annular gas lift wells often exhibit intermittent or declining performance that cannot be easily explained through surface diagnostics alone. This paper presents a practical method for troubleshooting underperforming annular gas lift wells using dynamic simulation in Petex PROSPER. The objective is to determine whether gas lift design or mechanical issues are contributing to instability, and to evaluate changes that could improve well performance, such as valve configuration or unloading procedures. By simulating real-world transient behaviors, this method helps reduce costly trial-and-error field interventions.