June 2009 Cover Story

Artificial Lift Advances Address Challenges, Trends In Gas Well Deliquification

By James F. Lea and Cleon L. Dunham

AUSTIN, TX.–The technologies for addressing problems with natural gas well liquid loading continue to advance, and these advancements have been pursued to address many of the trends and new challenges that face the gas production industry in 2009.

Based on the most recent available data, there are more than 450,000 natural gas wells in the United States, up from 300,000 wells a decade ago. In total, these wells produce ±50 billion cubic feet a day, and the average production output per well is 110 Mcf a day. That means the typical U.S. gas well produces well below the “critical rate” that is needed to keep wells unloaded, which averages about 300 Mcf a day at a wellhead pressure of 100 psi. Consequently, 90 percent of all gas wells now on production experience liquid loading problems. For effective gas production without the hindrance of liquid loading, these wells need to be deliquified by some form of artificial lift.

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