Troubleshooting Gas Lift Wells Using Simultaneous Acoustic Surveys

Gustavo Fernandez (Echometer Company)
Julio Haulcy (Conoco Phillips)

ALRDC Gas Lift Workshop
June 7th-11th 2021

This presentation evolves from the Dual shot Technique with the Wired Well Analyzer Echometer equipment presented a couple of years ago but we’ll see some enhanced analysis capabilities enabled by the use of wireless fluid level Echometer equipment.

• The number of Gas Lift systems has increased significantly along with unconventional wells.
• The need of understanding the performance and troubleshooting Gas Lift systems is now even more relevant for operators.
• Tubing-casing communication is one of the biggest issues and it can be identified from surface using a simple, quick, safe and effective simultaneous acoustic survey to find holes in tubing or leaky gas lift valves above the liquid level.
• The Dual Shot Method is a non-invasive technique.
• Two guns with microphones are connected to the wellhead, one to the tubing and the other to the casing-tubing annulus.
• One of the guns is used to release a pressure wave down the well, while the other gun just listens for possible echoes from tubing-casing pressure communications.
• Both acoustic surveys (tubing and casing) are simultaneously recorded and overlaid for its proper evaluation.