Paper: Wireless Communications Based Gauge System For Artificial Lift System Optimization

The complexity and cost of exploring for oil and gas has increased significantly in the past few years due to Intelligent Wells, Multilaterals and Heavy Oil field developments. New challenges for drilling, completing, producing, intervening in a well, environmental regulations, and wide swings in the price of oil have changed the role of technology in the oil fields. The industry is relying on technology to affect the costs of exploring for hydrocarbons in the following ways: - Reduce operating expenses (OPEX) by automating the processes used to explore and produce hydro - lncrease net present value (NPV) by providing systems that enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons f carbons, reducing the frequency of unplanned intervention, and improving information and knowledge management to decrease operating inefficiencies. From reservoirs. The new technologies improve production techniques to delay and/or reduce the production of water from downhole drilled and that will reduce the number of surface facilities required. The surface equipment requirements to handle increasingly larger quantities of hydrocarbons at these facilities should also decrease with the implementation of new technologies. - Reduce capital expenditures (CAPEX) by creating processes that will decrease the number of wells New processes for drilling, completion, production, artificial lift, and reservoir management have been created by advancements in technology in fields such as high temperature sensory, downhole navigation systems, composite materials, computer processing speed and power, software management, knowledge gathering and processing, communications and power management. Horizontal drilling and new fracture techniques have allowed operators to produce hydrocarbons profitably from areas that were uneconomical just a few years ago. Sensor technology in conjunction with data communications techniques provide on-demand access to the information necessary to optimize hydrocarbon production levels and achieve costs goals. Surface and downhole sensors are changing the way hydrocarbons are produced by optimizing production from downhole, supporting extend the life of artificial lift systems and providing information used to update reservoir and production models. A new technology that combines sensors with wireless telemetry provide the operators with new versatility and capability to place sensors in areas of the wellbore that were prohibitive due to technical difficulties and/or economic justification. The ability to communicate in and out of the wellbore using wireless systems can increase the reliability of the production system and decrease the amount of time required for the installation of the completion hardware in the wellbore. The elimination of cables, clamps, external pressure and temperature sensors, as well as splices on the cable that can fail inside the wellbore provides a significant advantage when attempting to place sensors in wellbores to monitor production or to optimize the pumps used in Artificial Lift applications.