Gas Lift Apparatus and Method for Producing a Well

A gas lift system for use in producing a well having a perforation interval, the system comprising:

• a sealing mechanism adapted to seal the well at a location above the perforation interval, the sealing mechanism having two ports therein;
• a tubular string adapted to produce the well from the perforation interval via one port in the sealing mechanism;
• and
• an injection tool adapted to deliver gas into the well proximate the perforation interval via the other port in the sealing mechanism, the injection tool having one or more gas lift valves for injecting a gas into the well below at a location above the sealing mechanism.

A method for unloading an accumulated liquid from a well having a perforation interval proximate a gas-bearing formation, wherein hydrostatic pressure of the accumulated liquid exceeds pressure of produced gas, the method comprising:

• sealing the formation in the well at a location above the perforation interval;
• providing a tubing string for establishing communication between surface and a point below the sealing location;
• providing a gas injection tool having a gas lift valve for establishing communication between a point above the sealing location and the perforation interval below the sealing location;
• delivering gas into the well proximate the perforation interval via the gas injection tool to decrease the hydrostatic pressure of the accumulated liquid to a level sufficient to permit gas to be produced from the formation;
• and
• removing the accumulated liquid and gas from the well via the tubing string.

A gas lift system for use in producing a well having perforations proximate a gas-bearing formation, the system comprising:

• a dual-port packer adapted to seal the well at a location above the perforations, the sealing mechanism having two ports therein;
• a tubing string adapted to deliver gas from the perforations proximate the formation via one port in the packer to a surface location;
• and
• an injection tool adapted to deliver gas from a surface location into the well proximate the perforations via the other port in the packer, the injection tool having a gas lift valve for injecting a gas into the well below at a location above the sealing mechanism.