Simulation of Gas Lift Operations in Order to Optimize Oil Production in One of the Fields in the Southwest of Iran

When the first well is completed in a virgin layer, the hydrocarbon flow to surface naturally. As the production is continued, the reservoir pressure is reduced an also the water cut increases, but the gas content decreases. These factors result in flow of the well cease. In order to optimize production, Gas lift systems are used during oil well completion. In fact gas lift systems energize the hydrocarbon fluid and until when the minimums required energy is reached the well starts to flow. At first stages of production from a reservoir, depended upon its characteristics and also the well itself, the well flows at high rates, but within time and due to gradual pressure depletion of reservoir, the production rates also decrease, and for situation like this gas lift could be used artificial methods of maintaining or increasing production rate. The purpose of this paper to determine optimum method by comparison artificial Gas lift and Electrical Submersible Pump regarding reservoir characteristic of one of the southwest oilfield of Iran. Simulations are done by using PIPESIM software, the simulations result of introduced system are investigated and illustrated in this project