In recent years plunger lift controller technology has been advancing with self optimizing controllers optimizing based on everything from arrival times to pressure control and flow rate monitoring. However, you can never replace human intellect or the perpetual “optimization wheel” as things need to be continually evaluated even when artificial intelligence is implemented. As a plunger lift well continues to mature or in some cases “clean up”, where the fluid rates fall off in an adverse relation to the gas rates, the control process may need to be evaluated. These plunger lift wells do need to be monitored for continued servicing and optimizing of the process along with monitoring of the physical equipment.

Pentagon Optimization recently looked at a field of 5 existing plunger lifts wells. These wells were being optimized with self optimizing controllers. The wells varied in plunger lift installation date from the oldest being 3 years to the newest being 6 months old. By adjusting the controlling parameters slightly to account for longer on times combined with allowing the wells less shut in the client was able to realize substantial production gains as noted below.

Clients comments based on Optimization Pentagon did:

"This is just an illustration of our estimated weekly production. There is a bump at about 49 weeks due to a yield adjustment – from then on however we have been growing production through plunger optimization.We’ve gone from about 180 BOE/d up to 212 BOE/d – 18 % growth through optimization.

"This well is the reason I was pushing plunger optimization of our bigger producing plunger wells before Christmas. I would encourage you to take a look at the set points on the self optimizing controllers to see if we have any room to move.

"This is fantastic work – Great job."