Determination of VLP by Choke and Bottom Hole Parameters
Determination of VLP by Choke and Bottom Hole Parameters
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING,MUET S.Z.A.B CAMPUS, KHAIRPUR MIR'S 1
Vertical lift performance
The pressure drop experienced in lifting reservoir fluids to the surface is one
of the main factors affecting well deliverability.
As much as 80% of the total pressure loss in a flowing well may occur in lifting
the reservoir fluid to the surface.
The pressure drop along the tubing can be calculated by charts or correlations.
The resulting flowing pressure at the other end of the tubing can then be determined.
The resulting relationship between bottom hole flowing pressure and production rate is
called Tubing Performance Relationship (TPR), and it is valid only for the specified wellhead
pressure.
Other names include:
Vertical Lift Performance
Wellbore Flow Performance
Outflow Performance Relation
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING,MUET S.Z.A.B CAMPUS, KHAIRPUR
MIR'S
5
Factors Affecting the VLP
Choke
If the well head pressure is reduced to minimum then the well produce at its maximum.
Increasing well head pressure by decreasing choke opening will shift the TPR curve upward
resulting decrease in rate
If the well head pressure increase beyond the limit then well will stop producing
It has different effects on two components pressure loss in tubing-fraction and hydrostatic.
Increase in gas liquid ratio lightens the mixture density and there fore reduces the pressure due
to hydrostatic pressure.
Larger quantities of gas will however result in larger pressure losses due to fraction.
An increase in gas liquid ratio tend to shift TPR curve to upward and right, the result is increase in
natural flow and optimized vertical lift performance.
The trend continues up to a certain gas liquid ratio, where the trend is reversed
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING,MUET S.Z.A.B CAMPUS, KHAIRPUR
MIR'S
10
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING,MUET S.Z.A.B CAMPUS, KHAIRPUR
MIR'S
11
Tubing size or diameter
The effect of tubing diameter on vertical lift performance or natural flow is similar
to the effect of gas liquid ratio.
Generally increase in tubing diameter increase the rate of flow, hence improve lift
performance.
For higher diameters rate will decrease, this is due to change of dominance in
pressure loss from fraction to gravity and holdup forces that increase with
increasing pipe diameter.