Artificial Lift

Systems

B
y
Matthew
Amao
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
1
 Lecture
Outline
Artificial Lift Systems
Sucker Rod/Beam Pumping
Plunger Lift
Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP)
Hydraulic Pump
Electric Submersible Pump (ESP)
Gas Lift
Foam Lift
Design and Selection Considerations
The Reservoir and Well Deliverability
The Piping and Artificial Lift System
Environmental Constraints
Operational Constraints
Economics
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
2
 Introduct
ion
AL systems are the technologies used to
augment fluid production from the reservoir.
These fall into several categories depending on
the operating principle, design and energy
source. Production rate from wells may need to
be augmented principally for two reasons;
Inadequate reservoir drive and energy to produce
fluid from the
reservoir
Non-economic production rate from reservoirs natural
energy
drive

Aim of Artificial Lift Systems

Reduce the weight of the hydrostatic column on the
reservoir, by reducing the density of the fluid column,
thereby reducing the
 drawdown on the reservoir ( - ), so the formation
can give up
the desired reservoir fluid
Add energy to the reservoir fluid for lifting, this also
achieves the aim above.
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
3
 When Do we Need Artificial Lift?
Low Reservoir Pressure/ Liquid Loading
Production Rate When the
When reservoir hydrostatic
pressure drops and gradient of the
cannot support the liquid column
weight of column prevents gas
and losses in the from coming into
line the well in low
Preservoir < Pline+ Phydrostatic rate gas and
condensate
reservoirs.

When economic Preservoir < Phydrostatic

production rates
cannot be achieved
by natural drive
and energy of the
reservoir.
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
Monday, September 30, 2013
4
 Percentage of Wells on Artificial
Lifts

Most wells will Need Artificial Lift Sometimes in their Productive Life
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
Monday, September 30, 2013
5
 Operational Classification of
Pumps
Dynamic Examples
Pumps include;
These pumps operate by Submersible
developing a high pump Vertical
liquid velocity and converting the multistage pump
velocity to Horizontal multistage pump
pressure in a diffusing flow
passage. They
continuously impart kinetic energy
to the
pumped fluid by means of a
rotating
impeller, propeller or rotor.

A centrifugal pump consists of an

impeller with an intake at its center.
Centrifugal pump include radial,
axial and mixed flow units.
 Positive Displacement displacement pump delivers a
Pumps constant
The positive displacement pump volume of liquid for each cycle
operates by trapping a fixed amount against a
of varying discharge pressure or
fluid and forcing the trapped volume head.
into the pumps discharge, it
alternately Examples;
fills a cavity and then displacing the Reciprocating pumps- piston,
trapped volume of liquid. The positive plunger
Rotary pumps Progressive cavity
pumps (PCP)

Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
6
 Operational Classification of
Pumps

Other Jet or Venturi Pump

Pumps

Dynamic Electric
Centrifu Submersi
Rotodyna gal ble Pump
mic

Axial

Rota Progressive
ry Cavity
Positive
Pump
Displacem
(PCP)
ent
Reciproca
ting
Sucker Rod/Beam Pump
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
7
 Sucker Rod or
Beam Pump
(Reciprocating Positive
Displacement Pump)

In this pump, a down-hole plunger is

moved up and down by a string of rods
(sucker rods) connected to an engine at
the surface. The plungers movement
displaces produced fluid into the tubing
via a pump consisting of a combination
 of travelling and standing valves located
in the pump barrel.
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
8
 Plunger
Lift
(Reciprocating Progressive
Cavity Pump)

LUBRI CATOR ELE CTRONIC

CONTROLLE R
FLOW TEE
W/O-RI NG
MOTORIZED
BYP AS VALVE
BLEED S VALVE
VALVE

A Typical
CATCHE R EX
W/ARRIV AL TERNAL
SE NSOR CABLE
Plunger Cycle MASTER
VALVE

Plunger Lift is a method of artificial surface. The plunger

lift that creates a seal with the
uses the wells own energy, either tubing wall to reduce
pressure the amount of
or gas rate, to effectively lift fluids gas/liquid slippage and
to the lift the fluid to
 surface as completely as possible
PLUNGER

BUMP ER SP

RING TUBING

STOP

Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
9
 Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP)
(Rotary Positive Displacement Pump)

Helical metal Rotor

Stationary elastomer

Shape of cavity
between stator
and rotor for
moving fluid

PCP-This pump employs a helical metal rotor

rotating inside an elastomeric, double helical
stator. The rotating motion is supplied by
either a downhole electric motor or by
rotating rods from an engine at the surface.
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
10
 Hydraulic
Pump
(Dynamic
Pump)

Hydraulic pumping are in two Jet Pump: This uses high pressure flow
categories; through a venturi or jet, creating a low
Hydraulic Piston Pump: This pressure which produces an increased
uses high drawdown and inflow from the
pressure power fluid to drive a reservoir
downhole turbine pump.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
11
 Electric Submersible
Pump (ESP)
(A Dynamic
Centrifugal Pump)

ESP employs a downhole

centrifugal pump driven by a three
phase electric motor. The electric
motor is powered via an electric
cable that runs from the surface,
on the outside of the tubing.

Monday, September 30, 2013

 12

Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482

 Gas Lift
Sy st e ms
Gas lifts falls in two categories, Continuous and
Intermittent
Gas Lift
Systems
In gas lift, high pressured gas
is supplied to the
casing/tubing annulus and
the gas is injected into the
tubing string through
specially designed gas
valves, positioned in the
mandrels on the tubing. The
injected gas lessens the
density of the hydrostatic
fluid column.
13
Lift Technology By Energy Source
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
14
Lift Technology By Lift Capacity
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
15
 Artificial Lift Market Share by Type Based on
Dollars Spent

ESP- Electrical Submersible Pump GL= Gas

Lift
 RRP= Sucker Rod Pump PL =
Plunger Lift
PCP= Progressive Cavity Pump HL =
Hydraulic Lift
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
16
 Design and Selection
Considerations

Reservoir and
Well
Deliverabil
ity
Surface Piping
and
Treatment
Design Facility
and
Selecti Environmen
on tal
Constrain
ts
 Operational
Constraints

Economics
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
17
 Reservoir and Well
Deliverability
Reservoir Characteristics Like;
Deliverability of the reservoir-This is the wells inflow
performance
(IPR) which represents the ability of the well to produce fluid.
Properties and nature of produced fluids
Liquid Productive Capacity of the Well
Gas Production Expected from the Well
Long term recovery plan

Well Characteristics Like;

Well Inflow characteristics
Formation depth and dogleg limitations and Effective Lift
Production Casing size
Annular and tubing safety system
Hole Characteristics
 Completion Type
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
18
 Location and Environmental
Constraints
Offshore or Onshore locations- This will
determine the space constraints and what
is possible on location, for example Sucker
rod pumps would not be feasible offshore.

Urban Center or remote locations

Climatic and Weather Extremes

Distance from wellhead to processing

facilities: This is determine the design well
head pressure.
 Power source: What power source is
available? Diesel, Natural gas, solar etc. to
power the ALS.
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
19
 Surface Piping and Treatment
Facility

The surface treatment facility in

place would
affect the type of ALS to be selected.
This
consideration on the following;
flow-line,
flow-line restrictions such as chokes,
safety valves
separator,
artificial lift mechanism
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
Monday, September 30, 2013
20
 Operational Constraints
Operating Problems such as solids, formation fines. Some ALS are more
tolerant of solids than others.

Choice of ALS material will depend on the operating conditions of;

Bottom hole temperature,
Corrosive fluids
Extent of solid production
Production rate

Automation: Will the system be automated once installed e.g.

Intelligent Wells and Smart fields

Operating Personnel: Is there capable manpower to run and operate the ALS

Service Availability- Availability of ALS maintenance service provider in area.

Available Power Source: This will limit the type of engine that the ALS system
can have.
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
21
 Econom
ics
CAPEX (Capital Expense)- This is the initial
acquisition and installation cost of the ALS.
Centralized or standalone system.

OPEX (Operating Expense) This is the cost that

would be incurred in the daily running of the ALS.
Costs here include, fuel, servicing, replacements
parts etc. Its best to choose a system with low OPEX.

Personnel Training Costs

Repair and Replacement Costs

Economy of scale: Number of wells in the field with

same system may give better project economics..

Reliability
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
Monday, September 30, 2013
22
 Long Term Reservoir
Performance and
Facility
Constraints

Production engineers are sometimes faced

with the
question; how big a ALS should I design for?
Should I
design for immediate production or design for
future
production rates. An ALS can be under-
designed or
overdesigned for fluid and well conditions.
 Hence a good projection of future
production profile must be taken into
considerations when carrying out a ALS
design.

Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
23
A Comparison Table Showing
the Relative
Strength of Artificial
Lift Systems
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
24
A Comparison Table Showing
the Relative
Strength of Artificial
Lift Systems
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
Monday, September 30, 2013
25
 Artificial Lift Methods and
Monday, September 30, 2013
Surface
26
Operations PGE
 Artificial Lift Methods and
Monday, September 30, 2013
Surface
27
Operations PGE
 Referen
ces
James F. Lea and Henry V. Nicken, Selection of
Artificial Lift,
SPE 52157
Heriot Watt University, Production Technology Course
Notes
Wikepeadia, www.wikipedia.org
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
28
Artificial Lift Systems

B
y
Matthew
Amao
Monday, September 30, 2013 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
29