SETTING PLUNGER FALL VELOCITY

USING VENTURI PLUNGERS

Rick Nadkrynechny, T-Ram Canada
David Green, Well Master Corporation
Lynn Rowlan, Echometer

 noun pl. venturis A short tube with a constricted throat

used to determine fluid pressures and velocities by
measurement of differential pressures generated at the
throat as a fluid traverses the tube.
A constricted throat in the air passage of a carburetor,
causing a reduction in pressure that results in fuel vapor
being drawn out of the carburetor bowl.

Venturi plunger by
definition

What the Venturi is NOT.

A version of the Capillary Plunger
from the early 1980s
A hollowed plunger with an
opening at the upper end of a
standard fish neck
A simple means of bypassing gas
through the body of the plunger

(Reference Dr. J.F. Lea, private correspondence,

from an internal report for Amoco, 1984)

 Testing began in 2007 after numerous encounters with damaged

bypass plungers
hollow sleeves from damaged bypass plungers would still
sometimes surface without the internals
Industry misconceptions surrounding fall velocities and conventional
vs continuous applications are still a problem
There was a need to create a fast falling plunger without any
moving parts to assist with improper lubricator plunger piping
arrangements
Patent pending status granted in 2010.
Testing still ongoing to further evaluate design enhancements
including shift valve arrangements.

Venturi history when

and why?

The Concept

Internal
Fish Neck

Upper
Chamber

Venturi Orifice

Lower
Chamber

 The orifice provides the mechanism for the effect to occur

A pressure differential is created across the orifice while the plunger
is rising causing an accelerated flow regime inside the tool.
The accelerated flow regime interacts via the exit of the tool helping
lift
The upper chamber is at a lower pressure than the lower chamber and
the accelerated flow through the orifice creates hydrodynamic lift
The upper chamber also collects liquid from the liquid column above
the plunger and from the tubing wall as it ascends
The upper chamber then acts as a mixing chamber, where gas and
liquid are intensely mixed, creating a traveling gas lift valve effect.

How does the venturi

concept work in a plunger?

CFD Velocity
Plot of Full
Cross Section

CFD View of
Venturi
Action
Cross
Section at
Venturi
Orifice
Velocity
Plot

CFD Flow Vectors Shows Strong Mixing Action in Upper Chamber

Venturi set up considerations

Determine if the well is a conventional/continuous candidate
Orifice selection based on expected gas velocities and casing
pressure build rates
Strong wells allow for larger orifices thus increasing fall velocities as
a result
Weaker wells require smaller orifices thus enhancing the venturi
effect fall velocities become less important
Material selection to address risk management especially low
pressure wells
Auto catch/dual outlet considerations based on length of after flow
periods

Similar looks

Some plungers may look the same

but different metals can reduce
impact force.

1000 ft./min = 2282 lbs. impact force [steel]

1000 ft./min = 1548 lbs. impact force [titanium]

Orifice selection

Orifice selection to address build rate

By-pass
Bypass or
10 mm
4.7 mm, Barstock or Pad

Foss & Gaul

PcMax

8 or 4.7 mm

 Dual outlet required to guarantee

shift pin behavior
Auto catch required to prevent
freewheeling and to ensure shift
pin behavior
Not a good fit for wax/debris
Ensure 12-15 ft./second at the
bottom of the well
Fall velocity against flow can be
controlled through orifice selection
as well as material selection.
Fall rates on bypass plungers can
be controlled to avoid exceeding
bumper spring limits under worst
case scenarios

Venturi
continuous/bypass considerations

STEP 1 BUILD WELL BORE

Using ProdOp Program Dr. J.F. Lea

Step 2 input expected conditions

Using ProdOp Program Dr. J.F. Lea

Case 1: 250 MCF 1000 PSI 4.7MM

ORIFICE
Using ProdOp Program Dr. J.F. Lea

Case 2: 250 MCF 200 PSI - 8MM

ORIFICE OR SMALLER

Using ProdOp Program Dr. J.F. Lea

Case 3: 250 MCF 75 PSI - CONTINUOUS OR

LARGE ORIFICE VENTURI? Using ProdOp Program Dr. J.F. Lea

Pinedale Anticline High Pressure, low velocity well, switch from Barstock
to 4.7 mm Venturi, 60 Day window, typical result
Casing P drops 100 psi

Gas up 50 mcf/d

Venturi Dropped

Operators report steadier

operation than Barstock,
faster recovery from line
pressure spikes with less
intervention

Flowrate increase from 14 to 18.2 e3m3/d

(494 to 643 mcf/d)

Tubing Pressure increases by 300 kpa (44

psi)

Change from Barstock to 8 mm

Venturi (2-7/8)

Increase flowrate from 4.5 to 14.9 e3m3/d

(159 to 526 mcf/d)

Change from Single Pad to 8

mm Venturi

 The Venturi Plunger is a new and unique concept for plunger design
The Venturi concept produces a traveling gas lift valve effect on
the liquid column
Plunger selection can now be made more easily based on well
readiness
Venturi Plungers can have different orifice sizes to tailor the fall rate
to the well
Gas rise velocity is a very important parameter in selecting an
appropriate plunger
Plunger velocity on both fall and rise is controllable and desirable for
optimization and safety
Plunger mass is an important factor for safety and operation,
particularly in low line pressure wells

Conclusions