Artificial Lift

There is a need in the industry for a predictive program that can mimic the vast combinations of downhole pump conditions that are found in sucker rod pumped wells. In this paper, we introduce a software that is capable of showing the all of the basic downhole pump conditions, as well as combinations of these conditions in both vertical and deviated wells. The software can show the ideal downhole card as well as what would be expected to be observed in an on-site rod pump controller. The utility of the software is at least multifold.

Black Mamba Rod Lift debuted in 2019, shipping its first Complete Rod Control sucker rods in Fall of 2020. Its use has expanded across the globe in a variety of wells and drill styles, meeting various needs of operators. In 2022, Chevron began piloting Black Mamba’s Complete Rod Control designs and product in complex, problematic wells. Alternate solutions were also deployed simultaneously in similar well-bore trajectories.

When operating rod pumps, it is important to match the volume displaced by the pump to the inflow from the reservoir. By doing so, downhole pressure is minimized, thus maximizing production, while keeping mechanical damage and power consumption to a minimum. Various devices such as time clocks, pump-off controllers or variable frequency drives have been adopted in the industry to achieve this goal.

Production engineers rely upon a variety of data streams from the field to optimize production and maintain safe, environmentally responsible operations; without the reliable collection of this information, we cannot do our jobs. Given the challenges of operating assets spread over vast areas and the inadequacies of workflows relying upon manual measurements and communication, automated data gathering and telemetry have long been key focuses in the industry. Today, SCADA systems are the established standard to address those issues.

This paper presents new research methods, designs, and field testing of a new type of mechanical gas separator for electric submersible pumping (ESP) systems that increases the operating flow range and separation efficiency performance, while decreasing erosion problems and improving reliability. 

The objective of this paper is to present oil and gas industry the advancement and improvement of the Baker Hughes ESP phase system on wells with relatively high GLR, moderate water cut, and suggest considering the presented design system in comparable wells for an extended run-life. Paper presents run-life analysis and comparison of a conventional design versus the phase system in terms of power consumption, cost savings, and reductions of the emissions due to differences in surface power consumption between two different ESP systems.

Continuous sucker rod had been used for many years in sucker rod pump applications. However, several challenges have limited its acceptance in the past. The availability of service equipment, welding methodology, and selection of metallurgy all contributed to premature failures and operator frustration with the timeliness of installation and repairs.

This session will explore and introduce a hydraulic drive and transmission system harnessing natural gas engines, to achieve variable speed control, regardless of the power infrastructure available at the well site. 

When paired with an automatic Pump-Off Control system and a De-Gas Compressor, which is available with a dual drive transmission option, the patented hydraulic drive system eliminates the need/ cost of electricity at the well site, achieves lower operating costs, and optimizes production by as much as 40%.

Surface coatings are often needed for sucker rod pump components to protect them from the harsh downhole environments of corrosives, formation solids, and even treatment chemicals. Most coatings have both positive and negative characteristics in protecting from each of the downhole aggressors, therefore further precautions must be taken to ensure the survival rate of components, given the economics of wellbore interventions. 

Extending the run life of wells with Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) becomes a crucial need since it is one of the most economically expensive types of ALS. Following the need, a sand regulator has been designed to protect the pump during shutdowns, and it has been incorporated into traditional sand control configurations to offer extensive protection above and below the pump. This paper will explain the mechanism of the sand regulator as well as the benefit of installing this system alone above the pump or complemented with a sand control system below the pump.