Innovations in Unconventional Gas Well Deliquification

CJS Coiled Tubing Services FLATpak

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Umbilical

Contributed by: Collin Morris and Scott Kiser Critical to todays gas market is the challenge for a flexible, cost effective, and reliable production system for the deliquification of produced water in vertical and horizontal low-permeablity sands, shale, and coalbed methane wells. Over the past decade these development projects have become the backbone for gas reserve production for the Canadian and North American markets. As many of these producing reservoirs age the depleting natural reservoir pressure is not adequate to sustain economic production levels because of liquid loading. Some of these classes of reservoirs may require artificial lift systems immediately after drilling to remove sufficient water to attain an economic production rate. In either case the objective to find the lowest cost, highly reliable means of deliquification has been the quest of many oil field production and engineering companies. To this end, CJS Coiled Tubing Services has successfully developed and installed a wide number tm of field applications of the CJS FLATpak Umbilical, a component that creates a unique and game-changing alternative for these types of producing oil and gas wells. The initial concept was intended to be used as coiled tubing deployed conveyance, control and production system for subsurface hydraulic pumps. These pump systems are installed for deliquifying gas wells resulting in an increase in gas production. The original version used (3) carbon steel coiled tubing strings that were encapsulated in a high strength thermoplastic jacket; two of the coiled tubing strings provided a hydraulic circuit for powering a downhole hydraulic pump, while the third string acted as the production conduit to surface for the produced water while reservoir gas is produced via the casing. This system offers a great deal of flexibility due to the strength and durability of the coiled tubing, the plastic extrusion material and the processes used for installation as the tube sizes and the composition of the coiled tubing may be changed together with addition of capillary tubes or wires for chemical injection, data gathering. Following are the challenges and the solutions offered with the use of this technology: Conveyance The use of bare coiled tubing as the conduit for controlling a subsurface hydraulically actuated pump was considered a unique and beneficial solution that was marginally successful. The handling of three coiled tubing strings became a physical challenge as well as an HS&E hazard. To this end, the FLATpak was designed to simplify the handling of the multiple coiled tubing strings into one manageable unit. To assure HS&E compliance, strippers rubbers for the BOP were modified to comply with the rectangular shape the encapsulated coiled tubing and pressure tested for integrity. Of further concern were the conventional injector chains. Because the blocks on the chains are tm designed for round coiled tubing, they were not compliant for the flat shape of the FLATpak . This proved to be a minor challenge by modifying the forged blocks by milling the gripper section into a flat shape. The question on the potential for surface damage imparted by the injector chains to the plastic encapsulation proved to be of little concern. The first prototype was run through the chains under pressure as a first level qualification test. Further field testing in a well proved that the plastic matrix containing the coiled tubing hardly places any damage into the plastic, even with 90,000 plus running ft.
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Control A specialized hanger and wellhead system has been designed that utilizes a unique multiple slip and rubber configuration that delivers simple well control and safety for the final nipple up phase of the completion. The coiled tubing strings are fed through the hanger and wellhead in conventional means used in typical hang off or velocity string completions. Because the coiled tubing used to date has been carbon steel, the reliability, cycle fatigue, and tube specifications are industry standards and have proven to meet and exceed any wellbore requirements so far. Based on pump design requirements, applications, wellbore chemistry and pressure/temperature parameters, the OD, and wall thickness of the tubing can be designed to meet most any application. Further, there are OD coatings and alternative alloys available that can make this system compliant for sour applications. The thermoplastic material used is an EPDM/Polypropylene blend that has had years of field experience in similar completion applications for coating controlline for Subsurface Control Valves, Downhole Chemical Injection, and advanced SmartWell completion technology. The plastic has been fully tested in a variety of the standard oilfield solutions and has shown to be resilient in most applications. Applications There are several different production systems already available to the market or in proto-type tm stage that are complemented using addition of the FLATpak for installation and control. Some of these systems have been used in service applications i.e. being cycled in and out of the producing wells on the umbilical on a service campaign to deliquify a specific field of wells. The same equipment may also be permanently installed in the wells providing daily dewatering service. To date (30) plus 3-Line subsurface hydraulic pump system have been installed in CBM wells in the Western Sedimentary Basin in Alberta and another (7) similar systems in North Texas in Barnett and Cotton Valley shale gas wells (greater than 7,000 ft deep), all with favorable results At the time of this writing, another (3) more are planned this quarter in Barnett and (3) in Fayetteville (Arkansas) Shale gas wells. There is another initiative underway for utilizing the same concept for an ESP deployed pump. The prototype FLATpak was extruded consisting of ESP specific grade wire(s) encapsulated side-by-side in the plastic sheath, together with a string of 1-1/4 coiled tubing. Historically ESPs have been conveyed on jointed tubing with the electrical cable manually banded to the tubing. When manufacturing an ESP Flatpack, the cable is incorporated inside the plastic jacket therefore eliminating the need for cable spooling and banding on location. This concept will significantly reduce the time and cost of conveying an electric submersible pump. Another innovative pump development utilizing the FLATpak is a hydraulically driven, progressive cavity pump (PCP). Many PCP pumps have been installed utilizing a conventional surface driven rod designs. The significant drawback of these systems is rod wear that results in limiting these pumps to vertical or near vertical well bores. The concept with the innovation being developed is to deploy the PCP pump on the robust encapsulated 3-line coiled tubing string tm FLATpak into deviated and horizontal wellbores. The coiled tubing strings provide the ability to maneuver the pump through the deviations. Later, after installation, two of the tubes provide the hydraulic circuit to power the PCP pump with a consistent pressure and volume of fluid, while the third tube provides the conduit to surface for the produced fluid.
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The use of a 2-Line system is being reviewed in conjunction with Jet Pump technology. In this system, one tube provides a conduit for the Jet Pump Power Fluid, while the second tube provides the return line for the power fluid and the produced liquid. The Venturi effect of the power fluid across the bottomhole nozzle mounted on the end of the two coiled tubing strings allows fluids and debris to be vaccumed from the wellbore. This technique is planned as an economic solution used as a permanently installed deliquification system with a coiled tubing unit, however this same system may prove to be equally useful as a service system for temporary installation for individual well dewatering or for sand cleanouts. In another fashion, a 2-Line system has been used to create a single point Gas Lift system. In this case, one smaller tube provides the conduit to supply high pressure gas to the point of injection. The tubing strings are terminated into a mandrel that houses a choke for controlling the gas injection rate. This system was proven successful and remains as another potential use of tm the FLATpak . Conclusion Several applications have been presented that are improved with the use of this robust tm FLATpak conveyance system. The systems that have been installed are gaining momentum in market acceptance for deliquification. As the technology evolves there will be further improvements anticipated in the installation of these systems. These advancements will provide tm transportation of the reels of FLATpak to the clients wellsite on heavy duty spooling trailers that will be capable of transporting material for multiple wells. The effect will be to eliminate down time associated with transporting the CT unit with the spooling section to the manufacturing plant and return to the field location. Not only will this offer cost savings, but will improve the installation time as well. You may contact Scott Kiser of CJS Coiled Tubing Services for more information in Calgary, Alberta at (403) 463-4740.