Start-up of production. Before the well begins actual production, pres- 

 sure tests are made of the facilities, especially of connections, valves, and 

 pipes. If the well was recently completed, it is likely that all logging, 

 perforation, and treatment has been done. However, if the well has been 

 recently worked over or has been capped for a long period, some of these 

 operations may be repeated before production commences. 



The well then begins production, sending gas and oil to the production 

 equipment. The well is closely monitored during the first few weeks. Of 

 special interest is the flow rate and various pressures generated by the 

 petroleum-producing strata. Numerous tests are made on the well to ascertain 

 the reservoir pressure, potential flow rate, fluid levels, and characteristics 

 of the reservoir. These tests are important in determining how to manage 

 single-well and field production so that the maximum amount of petroleum may 

 be extracted from the reservoir. They are also important in defining flow 

 maxima so that well site equipment will not be damaged. These tests require 

 little more than vehicle or vessel entry to the area to allow frequent readings 

 to be made. 



At the centralized production facility, start-up of production is a 

 process of balancing flows and treatments. The flow from wells is directed to 

 numerous treatment facilities and must be adjusted until all systems are 

 operating smoothly. Wells that produce gas have only dehydrators and flow- 

 meters at the wellsite. The flowlines may run directly to natural gas gather- 

 ing lines and then to gas pipelines. 



Wells that produce a mixture of oil, gas, and brine require treatment. 

 The mixture flows to the production equipment and may be initially treated 

 with chemicals, particularly if hydrates are a problem. The mixture enters a 

 separator or series of separators where the gas is separated. The gas is 

 metered and then sent on to the natural gas gathering lines. Part of the 

 crude is drawn off from the separator and sent to the stock tanks. The remain- 

 der is a mixture of oil and water that must be separated. A flow treater, 

 freewater knockout tank, and emulsion treater may do most of this separating. 

 The oil is sent to the stock tanks for storage; the brine is held in brine 

 tanks for disposal . 



Continuous operating procedures. Continuous operation of production 

 facilities entails monitoring and maintaining production equipment, gauging 

 and switching petroleum products, disposing of brine, occasional spill and 

 leak cleanup, well workover, and termination of production. The common link 

 omong all these activities is the frequent access to the area for checking, 

 gauge reading, etc. For producing leases located on upland sites, lease 

 operators check the centralized production facilities eyery day. Well sites 

 that are easily reached are checked almost eyery day, and newly producing 

 wells are checked more frequently. Even sites that are more difficult to 

 reach, such as those in the dredged locations, are checked several times a 

 week. 



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