Improving gas lift performance in a large North African oil field

This study outlines the systematic engineering studies conducted during the past 3 yr to improve gas-lift efficiency in the Nasser (Zelten) Field of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Libya), where approximately 500,000 bpd of total liquid is currently produced by gas lift. The Nasser gas-lift system was installed during the period from 1969 to 1971 and represented one of the first uses of gas lift on a fieldwide basis to produce the very high volume wells that are typical of Middle East Oil fields. This study gives background information on the original design of the system and includes operating experience over the first 10 yr of service. Since the operations in the Nasser Field were among the first to make extensive use of annular-flow gas lift in high-rate wells, information is also given pertaining to the accuracy of existing multiphase flow correlations for predicting actual well performance in such installation.