Abstract
Operators of deep gas wells in West Texas have installed a wide variety of gas producing equipment to best utilize the productivity of specific wells and to meet gas contract requirements. Several installations are discussed, and the need for the Equipment Engineer to be familiar with gas contracts is emphasized.
TEXT
The discovery and development of the very deep natural gas reserves of the Delaware Basin of West Texas led to what has been described as the largest concentration of ultra-deep drilling rigs ever assembled in simultaneous operation. Due to the success of these operations, it may now be said that the basin also contains the largest concentration of high pressure gas producing, treating, and transmission facilities ever assembled. Fig. 1 indicates the location of some of the major gas fields of the Delaware Basin in Ward, Reeves, and Pecos Counties. This paper will attempt to illustrate and describe the producing equipment and various methods of making gas available to purchasers which have been developed by the working interest owners for some of the wells in these fields.
Fig. 2 is an example of split-flow of gas downstream from jointly owned producing equipment. The well, which producing equipment. The well, which is completed in the Ellenburger at approximately 20,000 ft, was initially tested at 23 MMCF/D at a flowing tubing pressure of 6600 psi. The producing equipment consists of a 48 in. x producing equipment consists of a 48 in. × 18 ft 2,000,000 BTU/hr steam generator and a 30 in. × 10 ft 1440 psi working pressure separator. Gas is delivered pressure separator. Gas is delivered into one owner's flow line at 1200 psi where it is transported to a flow psi where it is transported to a flow control center. Gas is delivered another owner to an on-the-site purchaser at 1200 psi by means of a purchaser at 1200 psi by means of a control valve on the separator outlet and a differential controller on the on-the-site sale meter.
