Development and Successful Field Trial of Novel Downhole Gas Handling Concept

After development of a high-performance gas separation technology, further research focused on the enhancement of gas handling capabilities. The resulting concept significantly improves gas handling capabilities in the pump stages, mitigates gas locking, reduces the upthrust of the impeller, and boosts gas separator efficiency. A high-performance slug mitigation system, which incorporates this advanced anti-lock gas handling pump concept, was installed for field trials. The findings of these trials will be presented. This innovative technology prevents the initiation of gas locking at the impeller inlet. A small hole is introduced in the flow path between the high-pressure fluid on the outer side of the rotating impeller and the suction side of the inlet vane of the impeller. Higher pressure fluid flushes away the gas buildup at the inlet edge of the impeller, thereby decreasing gas locking. Additionally, it reduces upthrust created in the high flow, low density fluid conditions. In addition to the increasing anti-gas locking capabilities, it also allows for a higher gas volume fraction (GVF) over a wider operating range. Introducing this concept with a slug mitigation system further increases the slug handling of gas separators and pumps. This groundbreaking pump stage technology, in conjunction with a high-performance slug mitigation system, was built and tested in the field. Test results showed successful operation under slugging conditions demonstrated by reduced pump intake pressure (PIP), higher drawdown up to 200 PSI, increased gas production and higher gas-liquid-ratio (GLR) handling capabilities. Gas slug mitigation was increased seven times compared to standard gas separators. The novel leak path at the suction side of the impeller inlet prevents gas buildup by continuously flushing the gas, which causes gas locking. This increases the handling capabilities across a wider operating range. Reduced gas recycling and additional liquid during gas slugging enhance gas handling capabilities. The slug mitigation system provides additional fluid reservoirs during gas slugging for the separator to process and deliver to the pump.