A new continuous paraffin removal plunger gas lift process used in Lunnan and Sangjie Oilfields

In Lunnan and Sangjie Oilfields, wellbore liquid loading occurs in some new wells with the continuous depletion of formation energy after flowing for a while, and paraffin precipitates with the decrease of wellbore temperature in the process of lift in some high pour-point oil wells and blocks flow channels. To solve these problems, a new set of integrated plunger gas lift process of “hollow structure with tie rod inside the plunger + seal structure with paraffin cutter outside the plunger” was innovatively developed on the basis of the original plunger gas lift process by means of laboratory research and field test. This process solves the difficult lift of high pour-point oil wells in the critical state of quit flowing and realizes the continuous production without shutting the well. It has been applied on site 6 well times. Thanks to its application, the gas lift operation of nitrogen producing truck is reduced by 73 times, the mechanical paraffin removing operation is reduced by 122 times, cumulative oil increment is 25 416 t and cumulative gas increment is 1 403×10⁴ m³. The new continuous paraffin removal plunger process presents remarkable field application effect and it has been popularized in the oilfields. And its application realizes the efficient continuous production of the high pour-point oil wells in the critical state of quit flowing.