Artificial Lift

This paper explores the application of boron-carbide (B4C) treated rod pump parts in sucker rod pump (SRP) wells, as a solution to the challenges posed by modern-day drilling and completions practices. These practices often result in sandy, corrosive, and highly deviated wellbores, leading to increased wear, frequent interventions, and downtime in rod lift systems. The paper highlights the improved run times a large producer in the Permian Basin was able to achieve by utilizing boron-carbide treated components in their sucker rod pumped wells.

This paper discusses and provides a number of routines codified in practical spreadsheets that production engineers and operating personnel will be able to use to do calculations helpful for visualizing, analyzing and evaluating common production problems/scenarios.  Using these spreadsheets will save time and increase the user’s effectiveness in handling various production challenges and Artificial Lift situations.   Spreadsheets that will be included are as follow:
•    Gas lift Performance for Oil Wells
•    IPRs for Oil Wells: PI/Vogel & Back Pressure

The contemporary rod pumping strategy for horizontal wells typically involves placing the pump at or above the Kickoff Point (KOP) to ensure the rod string and downhole pump operate in relatively low dogleg severity conditions. However, in certain types of reservoirs and well conditions, it may be beneficial to place the pump below the KOP. This paper presents a case study from Devon Energy’s Powder River Basin and Delaware Basin Assets, where over the past decade, more than 1200 pumps have been operated below the KOP in over 400 unique wells.

This case study examines a selection of 2024 Eagle Ford Refrac(s) that necessitated the removal of cemented slim hole casing before the installation of artificial lift. The operational overview includes discussions on logging considerations, tight tolerance cutting options, well control measures, artificial lift selection, and production outcomes.

During intermittent gas lift, a low-density fluid (gas) is used to lift a high-density fluid (oil) from the bottom of the well to the surface. As a result of the oil having a higher density than the gas, some amount of the oil falls back in the form of droplets or in a film along the wall of the tubing to join the next slug of oil. However, there is still no method to accurately estimate the fallback factor in the presence of several variables in the process.

With heightened technological advances in the area of late well life development and further production possibilities, there has been an increase in attention to plunger lift and the decision-making process that backs the selection of plungers in these plunger lift wells. It has been noted by companies, like ConocoPhillips, that ‘with more than 200 plunger lift systems in the San Juan basin, the plunger operator is the single most important factor in keeping a plunger lift system operating efficiently.

The goal of a sucker rod is to convey the motion from the downhole pumping unit to lift fluid to the surface. When sucker rod lift is to be used on a well, it is necessary to choose the type of sucker rod that is optimal for the downhole conditions of the given well. Each sucker rod is designed to work in a specific environment, such as a corrosive or non-corrosive environment, and the loads encountered. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings on how to choose the optimal sucker rod for an application, based on a literature review.

The discovery of shale formations laden with hydrocarbons marked a significant turning point in the energy industry, especially because these formations exhibited minimal to no permeability. This inherent characteristic posed a substantial challenge for traditional extraction methods, leading to the advent of what is known as the unconventional play.

We are excited about the opportunity to present an in-depth overview of Oura™ (Optimization using real-time automation), an intelligent downhole electric valve designed for artificial lift and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Oura™ brings cutting-edge capabilities to the forefront of the industry. Oura is also proving invaluable in various EOR methods such as Water, Polymer, CO2 Floods, and Injections.

Key Features of Oura™:

Objectives/Scope: 
A new methodology for automatic iteration on viscous damping enhanced with state-of-the-art pump fillage, fluid load lines and valve openings and closing calculation is presented. Field results showing the impact of the methodology in diagnosing downhole conditions, improving inferred production, fluid level, pump intake and horsepower calculations are shown.