Low-cost downhole gas lift system for non-gas lift tubing

1 . A method for gas lifting a fluid in a well, comprising:

determining, via a sensor package including a flow meter, a flow rate within a production tubing, the sensor package in communication with a pump;

creating, via a perforating device, an opening at a first depth in the production tubing nested within a casing or liner in the well;

deploying a gas lift valve proximate the opening;

deploying the pump in the production tubing at a second depth shallower than the first depth;

pumping gas into an annular space between the production tubing and the casing or liner so as to enter the production tubing through the gas lift valve;

operating the pump to adjust the flow rate within the production tubing;

detecting, via a production logging sensor positioned below the sensor package in communication with the pump, a presence of bubbles lifting the fluid within the production tubing;

stopping the pump in response to an increase of the flow rate; and

removing the pump from the production tubing when gas lifting of the fluid in the well is detected.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the presence of bubbles lifting the fluid within the production tubing comprises measuring a property of fluid in the production tubing proximate the pump.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the property comprises at least one of density, acoustic attenuation, or acoustic velocity.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying a gas lift valve comprises moving a gas lift valve straddle proximate the opening, the gas lift valve straddle comprising a mandrel and at least two axially spaced apart annular seals disposed on the mandrel.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises an electric submersible pump.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying the pump comprises attaching the pump to an end of an electrical cable and extending the pump and the electrical cable into the well from within the production tubing.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an annular seal is disposed between the production tubing and the liner or casing at a depth in the well above perforations in the casing or liner, the perforations making hydraulic connection between a fluid producing formation and an interior of the casing or liner, and wherein the opening at the first depth is above the annular seal.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether flow in the production tubing continues after switching off the pump before removing the pump from the well.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether flow continues comprises making measurements with the sensor package and the production logging sensor associated with the pump.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow meter comprises one or more of a spinner flow meter, a hot wire anemometer and a Coriolis effect flow meter.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting gas comprises making measurements of at least one of a rotational speed or electric current draw of the pump.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the production logging sensor includes a flow meter, a density sensor, an acoustic attenuation sensor, an acoustic velocity, a sensor, or a combination thereof configured to detect the presence of gas bubbles in the fluid being moved through the production tubing when the pump is operated and when the gas is injected into the gas lift valve.