Simulação e otimização da produção de petróleo por Gas lift contínuo via ferramenta PIPESIM.

Abstract

Artificial lift is an essential step in oil production engineering, especially in wells with insufficient reservoir energy for natural fluid flow. This study analyzes the performance of a well using the continuous gas lift method, based on simulations performed in PIPESIM software. The well model was constructed based on practices applied in the oil industry, including five casing stages and fluid characterization using the Black Oil model. The simulations were divided into three scenarios: (i) natural lift, (ii) gas lift with variations in valve depth and gas injection rate, and (iii) critical conditions, such as reservoir depletion and increased water cut. The results show that natural production is not feasible under the conditions evaluated. Among the configurations tested, gas lift with a valve at 15,000 ft and injection of 5,000 MSCF/d showed the best performance, combining operational stability and efficiency. Sensitivity analysis indicated a drop in productivity with the reduction of reservoir pressure and the increase in water cut, reinforcing the need for operational adjustments over time. It is concluded that, when correctly sized, continuous gas lift is a viable technical solution for deep wells with low energy, contributing to more informed decisions in the planning and operation of artificial lift systems.