Automated Plunger Lift for Upstream Solutions

In recent years, artificial lift technologies have become increasingly popular for optimizing upstream solutions such as oil and gas production. The objective of artificial lift is to allow oil and gas producers to enhance well production, as well as minimize maintenance and life-cycle costs. Plunger lift control is a form of artificial lift used by natural gas producers who experience heavy downhole fluid loads. Often when a gas well produces excessive fluid volumes, the natural gas pressure of the well is unable to overcome the weight of the fluid trapped inside the tubing. This means the well is unable to produce the natural gas because it is blocked by the fluids. When the well is blocked, it is far from optimized.

The traditional approach is to manually shut in the well, creating downhole pressure. This process is intended to build enough downhole pressure to lift, or produce the energy. To improve this process, producers also use a plunger, or valve, to assist with lifting the fluid.

Incorporating the plunger is effective but not without risks. If the plunger is not used correctly—such as allowing excessive plunger travel speed—damage is likely to occur to at least the plunger equipment and, perhaps, to other valuable assets. This has a direct, negative impact on maintenance costs and potentially more.

Technologies that combine artificial lift for plunger control and remote monitoring are keys to overall productivity and success. By remotely monitoring a few critical data points—such as pressure, time, production volume, and line pressure—an operator can achieve maximum results at minimal cost and minimum risk for damage (see Figure 1).

To support plunger lift control objectives, automation electronics manufacturers have focused a great deal of their development efforts on plunger lift control applications. They aim to support customers’ needs to automate this process—through the use of electronics—and also to improve the time-based, shut-in procedures while doing so remotely. To improve these manual procedures, manufacturers have created a series of algorithms that allow their electronics to self-optimize the plunger lift process.