Development of shale assets in the United States has drastically increased the overall domestic oil production. This was achievable due to the advances in horizontal well drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology, which gave access to more reservoir rock and surface area. In addition, as wells declined in rate, artificial lift methods like the use of a beam pump, electric submersible pump (ESP), or gas lift physically helped bring the oil and gas to surface and extended the life of a well. Operational challenges such as containing costs to maintain ESPs and using beam pumps on high gas wells became significant factors in determining the economic viability of a well. In this study, we examined a method to improve oil and gas separation down-hole in the production tubing so that a beam-pump will lift primarily liquid to the surface. Simultaneously, the method ensures that an ESP will remain effective and not overheat, as reservoir pressure declines, to lift fluid to the depth of the separator. A gravity-based down-hole gas liquid separator/connector was constructed using three acrylic pipes, one set inside another, with the inner pipe intended to tie in to the production tubing. The outer two pipes acted together as a gravity separator and pump connector. Water and air was pumped at varying rates from the bottom to simulate the fluid an ESP would deliver to the separator/connector. A standing valve was built into the inner tube, and a rod with traveling valve was manually operated to simulate a beam pump. The water and air mixture was visually inspected inside the pump to determine the effectiveness of the separator. The point at which the separator will fail to keep gas bubbles larger than 0.25 inches from coming inside the pump was quantified using three function tests: 1) Allowable Gas-Liquid Ratio the separator will process, 2) Liquid Velocity falling down the middle tube of the separator, and 3) Annular Gas Superficial Velocity between outside and middle tube. After testing a variety of air/water rates through two different sized separators, the results showed that if a separator passed all three function tests for a given air/water rate, then it would successfully separate bubbles larger than 0.25 inches (approximately 6mm) from coming into the pump.

Flow patterns were investigated in a novel dual-use pump connector and down-hole gas-liquid separator. The device was designed by Dr. Paul Bommer with The University of Texas at Austin and is currently on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A detailed description of the pump connector is provided. This includes a discussion of the theory underlying its design and possible applications for its use. Two-phase annular flow occurs throughout this device. This flow has been well documented throughout the literature and is discussed in this report. Following this review are experimental results from testing performed at J.J. Pickle Research Campus at The University of Texas at Austin. Visual observation was used to characterize the upward gas-liquid flow in the prototype's concentric annulus. The pump connector exhibited flow regimes consistent with those seen in literature in its vertical orientation. Additional flow regime maps were generated at 10, 20 and 45 degrees. Increasing the inclination up to 45 degrees delayed the onset of churn flow and appeared to improve the effectiveness of this device. This is the first study to investigate fluid flow in this apparatus. The results of this research will aid in a better understanding of the pump connector and assist in its improved design.

This open access book offers a timely guide to challenges and current practices to permanently plug and abandon hydrocarbon wells. With a focus on offshore North Sea, it analyzes the process of plug and abandonment of hydrocarbon wells through the establishment of permanent well barriers. It provides the reader with extensive knowledge on the type of barriers, their functioning and verification. It then discusses plug and abandonment methodologies, analyzing different types of permanent plugging materials. Last, it describes some tests for verifying the integrity and functionality of installed permanent barriers. The book offers a comprehensive reference guide to well plugging and abandonment (P&A) and well integrity testing. The book also presents new technologies that have been proposed to be used in plugging and abandoning of wells, which might be game-changing technologies, but they are still in laboratory or testing level. Given its scope, it addresses students and researchers in both academia and industry. It also provides information for engineers who work in petroleum industry and should be familiarized with P&A of hydrocarbon wells to reduce the time of P&A by considering it during well planning and construction.

Liquid loading can reduce production and shorten the lifecycle of a well costing a company millions in revenue. A handy guide on the latest techniques, equipment, and chemicals used in de-watering gas wells, Gas Well Deliquification, 2nd Edition continues to be the engineer's choice for recognizing and minimizing the effects of liquid loading. The 2nd Edition serves as a guide discussing the most frequently used methods and tools used to diagnose liquid loading problems and reduce the detrimental effects of liquid loading on gas production. With new extensive chapters on Coal Bed Methane and Production this is the essential reference for operating engineers, reservoir engineers, consulting engineers and service companies who supply gas well equipment. It provides managers with a comprehensive look into the methods of successful Production Automation as well as tools for the profitable use, production and supervision of coal bed gases. - Turnkey solutions for the problems of liquid loading interference - Based on decades of practical, easy to use methods of de-watering gas wells - Expands on the 1st edition's useful reference with new methods for utilizing Production Automation and managing Coal Bed Methane