Artificial Lift Systems

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 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
Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482 2
 Introduction
• 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 reservoir’s 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 (𝑝 - 𝑝𝑤𝑓), so the formation can give up
the desired reservoir fluid
– Add energy to the reservoir fluid for lifting, this also achieves the
aim above.
Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482 3
 When Do we Need Artificial Lift?

Low Reservoir Pressure/ Production Rate Liquid Loading

• When reservoir pressure When the hydrostatic
drops and cannot gradient of the liquid
support the weight of column prevents gas
column and losses in the from coming into the
line well in low rate gas
Preservoir < Pline+ Phydrostatic and condensate
reservoirs.

Preservoir < Phydrostatic

• When economic
production rates cannot
be achieved by natural
drive and energy of the
reservoir.

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 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 5
 Operational Classification of Pumps

Dynamic Pumps Positive Displacement Pumps

These pumps operate by developing a high The positive displacement pump
liquid velocity and converting the velocity to operates by trapping a fixed amount of
pressure in a diffusing flow passage. They fluid and forcing the trapped volume
continuously impart kinetic energy to the into the pumps discharge, it alternately
pumped fluid by means of a rotating fills a cavity and then displacing the
impeller, propeller or rotor. trapped volume of liquid. The positive
displacement pump delivers a constant
A centrifugal pump consists of an impeller volume of liquid for each cycle against a
with an intake at its center. Centrifugal pump varying discharge pressure or head.
include radial, axial and mixed flow units.
Examples;
Examples include; Reciprocating pumps- piston, plunger
Submersible pump Rotary pumps – Progressive cavity
Vertical multistage pump pumps (PCP)
Horizontal multistage pump

Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482 6

 Operational Classification of Pumps

Other Jet or Venturi Pump

Dynamic
Electric
Centrifugal Submersible
Pumps

Rotodynamic Pump

Axial

Progressive Cavity
Rotary
Positive Pump (PCP)
Displacement

Reciprocating Sucker Rod/Beam Pump

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 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 plunger’s movement
displaces produced fluid into the tubing
via a pump consisting of a combination
of travelling and standing valves located
in the pump barrel.
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Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
 Plunger Lift
(Reciprocating Progressive Cavity Pump)

LUBRICATOR ELECTRONIC
CONTROLLER
FLOW TEE
W/O-RING
MOTORIZED
BYPASS VALVE
BLEED VALVE
VALVE

A Typical Plunger Cycle EXTERNAL

CATCHER CABLE
W/ARRIVAL
MASTER SENSOR
VALVE

Plunger Lift is a method of artificial lift that

uses the well’s own energy, either pressure
or gas rate, to effectively lift fluids to the PLUNGER

surface. The plunger creates a seal with the

BUMPER SPRING
tubing wall to reduce the amount of
gas/liquid slippage and lift the fluid to TUBING STOP

surface as completely as possible

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 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.

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 Hydraulic Pump
(Dynamic Pump)

Hydraulic pumping are in two categories;

• Hydraulic Piston Pump: This uses high
pressure power fluid to drive a
downhole turbine pump.
• Jet Pump: This uses high pressure flow
through a venturi or jet, creating a low
pressure which produces an increased
drawdown and inflow from the
reservoir
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 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.

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Artificial Lift Methods and Surface Operations PGE 482
 Gas Lift Systems
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.

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 Lift Technology By Energy Source

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 Lift Technology By Lift Capacity

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 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
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 Design and Selection Considerations

Reservoir and Well

Deliverability

Surface Piping and

Treatment Facility
Design and Environmental
Selection Constraints

Operational
Constraints

Economics
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 Reservoir and Well Deliverability
• Reservoir Characteristics Like;
– Deliverability of the reservoir-This is the well’s 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

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 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.
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 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

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 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.

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 Economics
• 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

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 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.

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 A Comparison Table Showing the Relative
Strength of Artificial Lift Systems

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 A Comparison Table Showing the Relative
Strength of Artificial Lift Systems

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 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface
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Operations PGE 482
 Artificial Lift Methods and Surface
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Operations PGE 482
 References
• James F. Lea and Henry V. Nicken, “Selection of Artificial Lift”,
SPE 52157
• Heriot Watt University, Production Technology Course Notes
• Wikepeadia, www.wikipedia.org

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 Artificial Lift Systems

By
Matthew Amao

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