Well Production System: VLP and IPR

Summary

This video explains the key components of a production system, including the producing formation, tubing, choke, flow line, and separator. It explores how pressure and flow rate are interconnected and how various components contribute to pressure loss. The Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) curve is highlighted as an essential tool to predict well performance, showing the impact of reservoir pressure on production rates. The system's efficiency depends on the careful management of these pressure losses, with the IPR curve serving as a guide to understanding and optimizing production over time.

Takeaways

• 😀 The production system consists of key components such as the producing formation, tubing, choke, surface flow line, and separator.
• 😀 Fluids can only be produced at rates that match their flow from the formation or tubing, and they flow from high pressure to low pressure.
• 😀 Pressure losses occur not only within the formation but also in the tubing during vertical flow, with various flow regimes that complicate the predictions.
• 😀 Correlations have been developed to predict vertical pressure losses in tubing for a wide variety of flow conditions, aiding in estimating pressure drops.
• 😀 The IPR diagram helps describe pressure losses throughout the system, incorporating tubing, choke, and flow line pressures.
• 😀 The choke is selected to maintain critical flow velocity, which results in the upstream pressure being approximately twice the downstream pressure.
• 😀 The flow line introduces additional pressure losses, which are accounted for by adding a curve to the pressure production rate diagram.
• 😀 The maximum pressure available at the separator is determined for any given flow rate, with the separator's minimum pressure requirement helping define the well's maximum production rate.
• 😀 Pressure losses in the system include the formation pressure, tubing losses, choke effects, surface line losses, and separator losses.
• 😀 The IPR curve describes the well's potential to produce fluids at different bottom hole pressures, and this curve shifts as the reservoir pressure declines over time.

Q & A

What are the major components of the producing system discussed in the script?

The major components of the producing system are the producing formation, tubing, choke, surface flow line, and separator. These elements interact to describe the pressure and flow rate relationships within the production system.

Why is it important to understand the pressure flow rate relationships in a production system?

Understanding pressure flow rate relationships is crucial because it helps predict how fluids flow from the formation to the surface, estimates pressure losses at each stage, and ensures the system operates efficiently without exceeding pressure or flow limits.

How does the pressure loss in the tubing affect production?

Pressure loss in the tubing from the bottom of the well to the surface can reduce the flow rate of fluids. Different flow regimes occur due to this loss, which must be accounted for using established correlations to predict the pressure drop and optimize flow.

What is the IPR curve, and why is it important?

The IPR (Inflow Performance Relationship) curve is a graphical representation of how a well’s production rate varies with the bottom-hole flowing pressure. It is important because it provides a way to estimate a well’s potential and predict how changes in pressure affect production over time.

How does the choke influence the pressure and flow rate in the system?

The choke controls the flow rate by maintaining critical flow velocity. It reduces the upstream pressure by approximately half, and this effect is incorporated into the pressure production rate curves to predict the pressure downstream of the choke.

What role does the separator play in the production system?

The separator is responsible for separating produced fluids into oil, gas, and water. It requires a minimum pressure to operate effectively, and this pressure must be taken into account when determining the maximum production rate and sizing the equipment.

What happens if the system pressure is too low to maintain production?

If the system pressure drops too low, the flow rate will decrease, and the well may no longer be able to produce. Maintaining a balance between pressure and flow rate is crucial to sustain production over time.

What is the relationship between reservoir pressure and the IPR curve over time?

As the reservoir pressure decreases over time due to production, the IPR curve shrinks towards the origin, indicating that the well’s potential to produce at any given bottom-hole pressure decreases with declining reservoir pressure.

Why is it necessary to reduce pressure losses in the production system?

Reducing pressure losses in the production system is necessary to increase the flow rate and maintain efficient production. This can be done by optimizing various components such as the tubing, choke, and surface flow lines.

What is the significance of the flow rate versus pressure plot over time?

The flow rate versus pressure plot helps visualize how a well’s production rate changes with pressure and provides insights into how the well will behave as the reservoir depletes. It is useful for planning future production strategies and understanding well performance.