Gas lift compressor system and method for supplying compressed gas to multiple wells

A method for supplying compressed gas to a plurality of wellbores, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of wellbores each having a tubing string positioned within the wellbore,
• providing a gas compressor system,
• associating the gas compressor system with the plurality of wellbores,
• wherein the gas compressor system comprises:
• a compressor comprising a plurality of compressor cylinders and a compressor engine operably coupled to each of the compressor cylinders and configured to simultaneously drive all of the compressor cylinders in the plurality of compressor cylinders, wherein each compressor cylinder has a gas inlet line and a gas outlet line, wherein each gas outlet line is configured to inject compressed gas from one respective compressor cylinder into an interior of one respective tubing string at a subsurface location, and
• a plurality of control valves each corresponding to a respective compressor cylinder, wherein each respective control valve is positioned on one respective gas inlet line upstream of one respective compressor cylinder,
• wherein each control valve is configured to independently control the suction pressure to each respective compressor cylinder and thereby to independently control a gas flow rate through each respective gas outlet line into each respective tubing string without varying the speed of the compressor engine,
• using the compressor to inject compressed gas into the tubing string of each of the plurality of wellbores, and
• independently controlling the gas flow rate into each respective tubing string by independently controlling each of the control valves upstream of each respective compressor cylinder.