Method for troubleshooting gas-lift wells

Patent · Tue Jul 16 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5572714

Wellington, S L; Simmons, J F; Richardson, E A

This patent describes a method for determining a point of entry of a lift-gas into a production tubing in a gas-lift well in a subterranean reservoir. It comprises injecting into the lift-gas supplied to the gas-lift well a quantity of an injected fluid, which is at least one of a tracer; a tracer generator, in a quantity which is sufficient to be detected in a produced fluid recovered from the well; monitoring a proportion of the tracer in the produced fluid as a function of time; determining the point of entry of the injected fluid into the production tubing, thereby determining the point of entry of the lift-gas into the production tubing.

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co., Houston, TX (USA)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 5031697
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-542372
• OSTI ID: 5572714
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ARTIFICIAL LIFTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS LIFTS
INJECTION WELLS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS