Optimization of gas lift allocation for improved oil production under facilities constraints. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016) - Jung, Sun-Young
Abstract: Gas lift system increases oil production rate by injection of compressed gas into the lower section of tubing. The purpose of gas lift optimization is to allocate a limited amount of gas in order to maximize oil production rate. Optimizing gas lift allocation is important since inordinate gas injection rate reduces oil production rate. In this study, gas lift allocation was optimized in order to maximize the oil production rate using a genetic algorithm under the limiting conditions of the gas lift system. The oil production rate with optimal gas lift allocation was predicted. A reservoir simulator was integrated with a multiphase flow simulator for an accurate prediction of the oil production in gas lift system. The results showed that the oil production can be improved by optimizing the gas lift allocation, and the oil production rate can be estimated with the optimized gas lift allocation for the gas lift system.