Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Al-Waleed Abdullah Al-Gouhi

Soloman M Almadi

Obiomalotaoso Leonard Isichei

A production tubing is disposed in a wellbore. Hydrocarbons entrapped in a subterranean zone enter the wellbore. Multiple valves are disposed in the production tubing at respective multiple tubing locations. The multiple valves divide the production tubing into multiple stages. A presence of hydrocarbons in a first stage terminating at a first valve is determined and gas is injected into the first stage causing the hydrocarbons in the first stage to flow uphole through the first valve into a second stage uphole of the first stage. It is determined that the second stage is filled with the hydrocarbons and injection of the gas into the first stage is ceased. Multiple side chambers are disposed in the respective multiple stages. Determining the presence of hydrocarbons in the first stage incudes detecting a fluidic level of the hydrocarbons inside the first side chamber.

Lifting hydrocarbons in stages with side chambers

A production tubing is disposed in a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The production tubing extends from a surface of the wellbore to a downhole location at which hydrocarbons entrapped in the subterranean zone enter the wellbore. Multiple valves are disposed in the production tubing at respective multiple tubing locations. Each valve is configured to permit one-way flow of hydrocarbons in an uphole direction. The multiple valves divide the production tubing into multiple stages. A stage is a portion of the production tubing between two successively disposed valves. Multiple gas injection valves are coupled to the production tubing and are disposed in a respective stage. A controller, coupled to the multiple valves and the multiple gas injection valves, transmits signals to the multiple valves and the multiple gas injection valves to lift hydrocarbons flowed into the wellbore at the downhole location to the surface on a stage-by-stage basis.

Multi-stage hydrocarbon lifting

A method of automated preventive and predictive maintenance for downhole valves in a well system includes receiving, at a plurality of first times, first diagnostics data of the plurality of downhole valves, where each downhole valve is at a respective first valve position at a respective first time, and the diagnostics data represents a valve condition of each downhole valve at a respective valve position and at a respective time. The method also includes receiving, at a plurality of second times, second diagnostics data of the plurality of downhole valves, where each downhole valve has been moved from the respective first valve position at the respective first time to a respective second valve position at a respective second time. The first diagnostics data and the second diagnostics data are compared. Based on results of comparing, a valve maintenance operation is selected for each downhole valve.

Automated preventive and predictive maintenance of downhole valves

Methods and apparatus are provided for conducting multiple successive same-location firings of a number of shaped charges carried by a perforating gun that is lowered into the wellbore and precisely positioned to align its charges with the penetration created by the first fired-charges in order to produce deeper and larger diameter penetrations that result in enhanced hydraulic fracturing of the reservoir and increased gas production from the completed well.

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Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Al-Waleed Abdullah Al-Gouhi