Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Oil Production
March 2012
Table of Contents
Definition of Artificial Lift
Summary
Selection of Artificial Lift Method
References
Artificial Lift
There are approximately 2 Million oil
wells in operation in the world
Over 1 Million wells utilize some type of
artificial lift
Close to 900,000 Rod, ESP and PCP
pumps
Source: ABB
Sucker-Rod
Lift System
Rod Pumping
Sucker Rod Pumps (Donkey pumps or beam pumps) are the most
common artificial-lift system used in land-based operations
A motor drives a
reciprocating beam,
connected to a polished
rod passing into the
tubing via a stuffing
box
The rod string continues
down to the oil level and is
connected to a plunger
with a valve (pump) that is
inserted or set in the tubing
near the bottom of the well.
Type of Pumps
Rod Pumps:
Also called insert pumps because they are
run (inserted) in the producing tubing.
No need to pull out the tubing string, which
reduce maintenance time and downtime.
Tubing Pumps:
The working barrel of this pump is coupled
with the production-tubing string.
Rod Pumping
Sucker rods:
From to 1 inches in diameter.
25 or 30-ft lengths
PD = 0.1166 S N d
LEAKAGE LOSSES
Efficiency
Overall Efficiency 45 - 60%
Depending on design, higher
energy losses can be on the
subsurface equipment
Motors for pumping units
between 1 and 125 HP
ESP Facility
ESPs
The downhole components are suspended from the
production tubing above the wells' perforations.
Above the motor is the seal section, the Intake or gas
separator, and the pump.
The power cable is banded to the tubing and plugs
into the top of the motor.
As the fluid comes into the well it must pass by the
motor and into the pump.
This fluid flow past the motor aids in the cooling of
the motor. The fluid then enters the intake and is
taken into the pump.
Each stage (impeller/diffuser combination) adds
pressure or head to the fluid at a given rate.
The Pros
High Volume and Depth Capability.
High Efficiency Over 500-1000 bpd.
Low Maintenance (w/o sand, etc).
Good in Deviated Wells.
Minor surface equipment requirements
Possible in 4 Casing and Larger.
ESP applicable at any time of the
ESP
reservoir life.
The Cons
Requires Electric Power Source.
ESP
ESP Market
90,000 units in the world
60,000 units in Russia
A few thousand units in the US
Fluid will flow up the tubing only if the pressure at the tubing intake
(bottom of the tubing) is greater than the hydrostatic weight of the
fluid, plus the friction pressure losses in the tubing, plus the
wellhead discharge backpressure.
Will it Flow?
Will it Flow?
The curves do not intersect. This well would not flow at any rate. A
pump must supplement the energy supplied by the reservoir in order
to produce fluid at the surface. The precise amount of energy needed
is represented by the vertical separation between the two curves.
The intersection of the two curves on this plot represents the point at
which the well would be expected to produce under stable conditions
.
Q
850
=
= 1.42 BPD / psi
( Pr Pwf ) 3200 2600
PIP = Pwf Ph
Ph = ( Head , ft SGL ) /(2.31 ft / psi)
10
Rs = SGg (Pb / 18) ( 0.00091Tf
10
0.0125 API
10
Rs = 0.7 (1000 / 18) ( 0.00091160 )
10
0.012532
1.2048
1.2048
= 180scf / STB
The total flow Vt of oil, gas and water at the pump intake is:
Vt = Vo + VIG + Vw in BFPD
Vo = Qd Xo Bo
Where Bo is the formation volume factor and is calculated by
TMPF = 839064lbm / D
And:
For 5500 ft
Ft = 270 ft
Finally
PCPs ADVANTAGES
PCPs ADVANTAGES
PCPs DISADVANTAGES
PCP market
Over 60,000 units in the world
Main markets are Canada and
Venezuela
Fastest Growing market
Source: ABB
Jet Lift
No moving parts
High volume capability
"Free" pump
Multiwell production from a single package
Low pump maintenance
Piston Lift
"Free" or wireline retrievable
Positive displacement-strong drawdown
Double-acting high-volumetric efficiency
Good depth/volume capability (+15,000 ft.)
Complex to operate
Only economical where there are a number of well
together on a pad.
If there is a problem with the surface system or prime
mover, all wells are off production.
Gas Lift
Compressed gas is injected
through gas lift mandrels and
valves into the production
string.
Gas Lift
The Pros
Valves are wireline
retrievable
Sand travels in tubing, not in
valve.
No restriction to flow
Wellhead small but
compressor large
Many wellsone
compressor
Flexible to changing
conditions.
The Cons
Needs High-Pressure
Gas well or Compressor.
High initial capital
purchase cost.
One well may be
uneconomical.
Viscosity causes
problems.
Gas Lift
Gas
Lift
Minimise wellhead
back pressure, avoid:
No wellhead chokes.
Small flowlines.
Undersized gathering
manifolds.
High compressor suction
pressure.
Optimum compression
pressure around 2000 psig.
Reciprocating compressors
are used more often than
centrifugal compressors in
gas lift operations because
of their flexibility under
changing conditions and
applicability to small
flowrates.
Compressor Design
Gas dehydration
Gas is water-saturated at producing conditions
Water vapour should be removed to avoid:
Formation of liquids (slugs)
Hydration formation and blocking of lines/valves, etc
Gas dehydration:
Absorption (Triethylene glycol, TEG): 7 lb/MMSCF
Adsorption (desiccants solids)
Rod Pumping
PCP
Hydraulic
Piston
100 to 11000
2000 to 4500
7500 to 10000
Maximum Operating
Depth (TVD), ft
16000
6000
17000
15000
15000
5 to 1500
5 to 2200
50 - 500
100 to 30000
100 - 10000
Maximum Operating
Flow , BFPD
Typical Operating
Temperature
Maximum Operating
temperature
6000
4500
4000
100 - 350 F
[40-177 C]
75 - 150 F
[24-65 C]
100 - 250 F
[40-120 C]
550 F
[288 C]
250 F
[120 C]
500 F
[260 C]
ESP
Gas lift
5000 to 10000
40000
30000
100 - 250 F
[40-120 C]
400 F
[205 C]
400 F
[205 C]
Corrosion handling
Rod Pumping
PCP
Hydraulic Piston
ESP
Gas lift
Good to
Excellent
Fair
Good
Good
Good to
excellent
Fair to good
Good
Fair
Fair
Excellent
Fair to good
Excellent
Poor
Fair
Good
Fluid gravity
> 8 API
< 35 API
> 8 API
> 10 API
> 15 API
Offshore applications
Limited
Good
Good
Excellent
Excellent
45% - 60%
40% - 70%
Gas handling
Solids handling
System efficiency
45% - 55%
35% - 60%
10% - 30%
Well #
S-1
S-2
S-3
S-4
Num. of valves
3554.8
(1490)
2714.4
(1470)
3223.7
(1490)
3069.6
(1480)
6389.5
(1535)
4548.1
(1460)
5604.4
(1525)
5140.7
(1510)
7678.6
5934.8
(1545)
7432.2
6595.5
(1625)
6928.9
(1645)
7525.2
7612.1
Comparison
Well-S2
Well-S3
Well-S4
ESP depth
ft
5872
7200
6500
7750
Target Production
STBD
4200
4100
5377
4287
REDA SN 3600, 5.38in
Pump type
REDA SN 3600,
5.38in
No. of stages
132
97
137
137
ESP_Inc 540_70
240 Hp, 2590 V, 59A
Motor type
Pump efficiency %
66
70
65
61
Motor efficiency %
85
82
85
83
4415
3932
3419
3803
2799
2493
1911
2240
%95 - %44
%90 - %36.6
%90 - %41
%90 - %41
GOR Limitations
( 730 - 658)SCF/STB
(650 - 477)SCF/STB
(870 - 564)SCF/STB
(700 - 373)SCF/STB
0.3 - 0.1
0.3 - 0.1
0.3 - 0.1
0.3 - 0.1
Water cut
limitations
S1
S2
S3
S4
2500
1657
1147
1218
3928
3262
2209
3110
1.5
2.5
1.5
%of increase
57.2
96.8
92.6
155.3
S1
S2
S3
S4
1401
1052
643
718
2200
2068
1303
1831.8
%of increase
57.2
96.8
92.6
155.3
Well-S2
Well-S3
Well-S4
Natural flow
2502
1660
1148
1218
ESP
4091
3932
3419
3803
Increase of production %
%63.51
%136.87
%197.82
%212.23
Well-S2
Well-S3
Well-S4
Natural flow
1401
1052
643
718
ESP
2594
2493
1911
2240
Increase of production %
%85.15
%136.98
%197.20
%211.98
Well-S1
Well-S2
Well-S3
Well-S4
$119,300
$144,100
$126,800
$152,200
$21,474,000
$25,938,000
$22,824,000
$27,396,000
Total Costs
835,000
835,000
835,000
835,000
ESP Profit
$20,639,000
$25,103,000
$21,989,000
$26,561,000
$79,900
$101,600
$66,000
$51,900
$14,382,000
$18,288,000
$11,880,000
$9,342,000
Total Costs
274,250
289,250
274,250
281,750
$14,107,750
$17,998,750
$11,605,750
$9,060,250
Comparison
$400,000.00
ESP Cost
$600,000.00
$200,000.00
$0.00
Well-S1
Well-S2
Well-S3
Well-S4
$15,000,000.00
$10,000,000.00
$5,000,000.00
$0.00
Well-S1 Well-S2 Well-S3 Well-S4
References
Petroleum Engineering Handbook, Volume IV Production
Operations Engineering Joe Dunn Clegg, Editor
Artificial Lift R & D Council (ALRDC), http://www.alrdc.com
Gabor Takacs, Sucker-Rod Pumping Manual, 2003.
Centrilift Submersible Pump Handbook, Sixth Edition
Gabor Takacs, Gas Lift Manual 2005
References
Basic Artificial Lift, Canadian Oilwell Systems Company Ltd.
Oil and Gas Production Handbook, ABB 2006
Artificial Lift Design For Oil Wells, United Arab Emirates
University
http://www.slb.com/content/services/artificial/index.asp
Gabor Takacs, Electrical Submersible Pumps Manual 2009
Recommended Practice for Sizing and Selection of ESP
Installations, API RP 11S4, 2002.
Weatherford International Ltd., 2005