How can I configure the ALiEn2 Expert to operate a Gas Assisted Plunger Lift (GAPL) well?

While the ALiEn2 was designed as a plunger lift controller, the Expert level model does have additional valves that can be used to open and close gas injection at different portions during the plunger lift cycle.

GAPL SOftware

A special build of software has been created to be used on GAPL wells. The controller firmware as well as a PC based simulator has been posted on the ALiEn2 product page. As this is a non-standard release, the firmware file needs to be downloaded and then manually added to Vision before being available to load on a controller.

You may need to manually remove previously installed versions of the simulator to install this special version.

USing Valve B “GAPL Time”

This mode of operation allows you to open a gas injection valve a set amount of time prior to the end of the Close cycle.

ENabling GAPL Time

To use this mode:

1. Set up the controller and entered with Date/Time, Well Depth, Close, Rise, and Afterflow as you normally would for a standard application.
2. Enable Valve B as GAPL
   • Press Install
   • Scroll down to Outputs and press Select
   • Scroll down until you see Valve B (it will show Disabled by default)
   • Press Select
   • Scroll down until you see GAPL and press Select
3. Set GAPL Time
   • Arrow down until you see GAPL Time and hit Select
   • Enter desired GAPL Time (This is the amount of time you want Valve B to open before the end of Close Time).

Simulating GAPL Time Operation

Perform all of the above steps on the GAPL simulator. Then press the Close button on the keypad.

The simulator has a time control option that you can use to speed up the times when simulating so that you do not have to wait the full time you have put in.  This can be found by clicking on “Tools” and selecting “Time Control”.

Using the time control, you can advance the Close time accordingly to get to a point in the Close cycle just prior to the time where Valve B is set to open based on the GAPL Time you entered.

You will see Valve B open for that time prior to the controller going into the Rise phase.  At this point Sales Valve and Valve B will remain open for the rise Cycle.

Again we can use the time control to get us within a minute or so of the Rise time, and we can simulate an arrival by hitting the Reset button under Plunger Arrival.  At that point, Valve B will close, and the Sales Valve will stay open for the Afterflow period.

Using valve B GAPL Pressure

This mode of operation allows you to open a gas injection valve based on a pressure that has built in the Casing. It will hold the well in Close and will not go to Rise until the desired Casing Pressure value is reached.

Enabling GAPL Pressure

To use this mode:

1. Set up Valve B in the same manner as for GAPL Time, but set the time to 1 sec.
2. Enable Casing Pressure Sensor
   1. Press Install
   2. Scroll down to Inputs and press Select
   3. Scroll down until you see Casing Pressure (it will show Disabled by default)
   4. Press Select
   5. Scroll down until you see Sensor and press Select
3. Set the Casing Pressure Range
   1. Press Select
   2. Enter the upper range of the pressure transducer you are utilizing (default is 500psi, but can be changed).
4. Turn on Pressure Optimization
   1. Press Install
   2. Scroll down to Optimize and press Select
   3. Scroll down until you see Optimize Type (it will show Disabled by default)
   4. Press Select
   5. Scroll down until you see Press/Flow and press Select
5. Enable Open Casing Pressure
   1. Scroll down to Open CP
   2. Press Select
   3. Change to Enabled and press Select
6. Set Open Casing Pressure Trip Point
   1. Scroll down to Open CP Trip (this is the pressure that you want to ensure is on the casing before going into Rise)
   2. Hit select and input desired trip point.

Simulating GAPL Pressure Operation

Now that we are set up, we can hit Close on the controller and we will put our CP Switch in the simulator at 0psi to test.

Use the time control option to speed up the times when simulating so that you do not have to wait the full time you have put in.  This can be found by clicking on “Tools” and selecting “Time Control”.

With our simulated CP at 0 psi, you will see that at the end of close time, Valve B will open.  Close will expire and the controller will not go into Rise until we manually adjust the CP Switch to be above our trip point set by 5 psi for 5 seconds.

At this point the controller goes into Rise and both the Sales valve and Valve B are open until we simulate an arrival.  At that time Valve B will close, and Sales will remain open for set Afterflow time.