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Vol. 58 No. 5

May 2006

Artificial Lift

Pilot Capillary Surfactant-Injection System in the San Juan Basin

Depletion of San Juan basin reservoirs is causing production rates to drop below the rate required for the minimum critical velocity (MCV) in a large number of wells. Traditional methods used to remedy this situation include plunger lift, pumping units, foam lift, and recirculation. With declining reservoir pressures, plunger lift and recirculation become less effective, and often the expense of purchasing and operating a pumping unit cannot be justified. In some cases, surfactant injection may offer the most cost-effective fluid-removal method.

Synopsis of SPE 94293

This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 94293, "Downhole Capillary Surfactant-Injection System Pilot on Low-Pressure Gas Wells in the San Juan Basin," by J.P. McWilliams, SPE, and D.Gonzales, SPE, Burlington Resources, prepared for the 2005 SPE Production and Operations Symposium, Oklahoma City, OK, 17-19 April.

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