Paper: Energy Efficiency In The Oilfield

Many stripper wells under beam pump operations are operating at or near the economic limit and, without application of available technologies for improved operation to reduce lifting costs, these wells are candidates for abandonment. This possible abandonment creates significant opportunities and challenges for domestic oil operators. A major operating expense is energy cost which requires the operator to maximize energy efficiency. This requires the technical expertise in identifying methods to optimize operations and technologies to increase energy efficiency in field operations. The objective of this paper is to describe 1) typical operating expenses in domestic oil fields, and 2) a procedure to identify areas where energy usage could be reduced in an oil field or well. The procedure is broken down into non-field and field activities. It describes a screening procedure to determine if operators have candidate wells and oilfield systems where electrical efficiency can be improved. Topics addressed are 1) power tariffs and marginal well service riders, 2) power factor, 3) rate and demand reduction, and 4) improved efficiency through proper motor sizing.