Compositional Description of Three-Phase Flow Model in a Gas-Lifted Well with High Water-Cut

Abstract

Gas-lift technique is part of a long-term production sustainability solution in oil fields amid increasing water cuts and depleting reservoir energy. A three-phase compositional model describing the continuous gas-lift process for an operational oilfield experiencing high water-cut is developed. Field data with different water-cut values was considered to compare a three-phase black-oil model against its compositional counterpart. Results show that significant deviation may encounter when compositional method is employed in contrast to the black-oil model as water-cut increases. Due to different properties of the injection gas and produced gas in separators, the compositional treatment would be necessary for modeling the gas-lift process. Moreover, three-phase equilibrium calculations for hydrocarbon-water flow mixtures in the gas-lifted well with moderate and high water-cut are required. © 2013, IFP Energies nouvelles.