Success Story of Sucker Rod Pump and Wellhead Compressor Implementation to Handle Liquid Loading Problem in Gas Well, Kampar Block, Indonesia

Abstract

An accurate and easy-to-use method is highly desirable. This paper fills that gap. Starting from Turner et al (1969), Coleman et al (1991) equations for determining the critical rate as the main cause of liquid loading problem. Gas critical velocity is the minimum parameter that is required to lift liquid droplets to surface. This paper will use unusual method to carry out fluid in the wellbore using a sucker rod pump and wellhead compressor to help stabilize gas rate after the liquid loading problem solved. The author made a breakthrough using a sucker rod pump that is uncommon used in gas well to lift formation fluid from tubing pump that causes liquid loading and also increase gas velocity. When the gas velocity is increasing, the gas rate will also increase, so the gas will flow / produce through the annulus.

The key success affecting this method, is how to design the appropriate tubing pump size according to liquid level and type of Sucker Rod Pump needed. In determining the design for SRP, the first thing that needs to be done is to calculate the weight of the polish rod string from the surface to the desired Pump Setting Depth. Next, we need to calculate the minimum and maximum tensile stress of the string. After that, we performed calculate the value of counterbalance from the SRP and then calculate the peak torque required. The final step is to calculate the horsepower of the electric motor needed to move the SRP, along with the right stroke per minute (SPM) and the stroke length (SL).

The uncommon method that have been carried out in the gas wells of the Kampar block, are proven to be successful to handle the problem of liquid loading in gas wells with the proper pump size and sucker rod pump design. The use of SRP is also proven to be an effective method to lift produced water from wellbore. Produced water flows to surface through the tubing pump and gas flows through annulus. Wellhead compressor is also proven to be an effective way in maintaining gas rate in Gas Well to optimize its production so that the produced gas could be used as a gas feed for gas engine generator and gas fuelled heater to reduce operational cost in diesel fuel for power generation.