Introduction to Production Engineering

Enhanced Oil Recovery – PTRL 4012

Petroleum Production Systems

Production System
• Reservoir
• Well
• Flowlines
• Treatment Facilities

The goal of production engineering is to achieve

optimum performance of the production system.
• Primarily this involves understanding pressure
and flow rate in each component of the system.
Reservoir: Inflow
• Flow equations have been covered
in Reservoir Engineering A.
• We will Cover Inflow in Week 4

Reservoir
Thickness

Radial Flow Geometry

Well and Flowlines: Outflow

• The outflow system

is covered in detail
in this course

• Outflow is
governed by the
mechanical energy
balance equation
Treatment Facilities

• Surface facilities
include:
separators,
compressor,
valves, choke and
other storage
tanks.

• Treatment
facilities is
mostly covered in
Process
Engineering
Key Aspects: Optimization of Production System
Productivity: Driven by Reservoir Pressure

Productivity depends on:

• Reservoir
• Wellbore
• Piping
• Choke
• Surface Facilities (Separator)
The natural reservoir pressure must provide all the energy necessary to
operate the system.
 Pressure Drop
Reservoir Pressure = D Wellbore + D Piping + D Choke + D Separator

The pressure drop associated with these various components will have a major
influence on the well performance.
Performance
Inflow performance relationship (IPR): defines the pressure drop that occurs
across the reservoir for a given flow rate.

Vertical Lift Performance (VLP) or Tubing Performance Relationship (TRP):

defines the pressure drop that occurs when lifting reservoir fluids to the
surface for a given flow rate.

Pwf = Well Flowing Bottom-Hole Pressure

q = Flow Rate

qp = Production Rate
 System Performance
Total Pressure Drop: Reservoir à Separator % 𝑹 − 𝑷𝒔
∆𝑷𝑻 = 𝑷

Where,
• ∆𝑷𝑻 = 𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒔
% 𝑹 = 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆
• 𝑷
• 𝑷𝒔 = 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆
System Performance
Total pressure drop can be decomposed into the individual pressure drop
across each system component.

∆𝑷𝑻=∆𝑷𝟏 +∆𝑷𝟐 +∆𝑷𝟑 +∆𝑷𝟒

• ∆𝑷𝑻= Total Pressure Loss
• ∆𝑷𝟏 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓
• ∆𝑷𝟐 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
• ∆𝑷𝟑 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈
• ∆𝑷𝟒 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆

∆𝑷𝑻= (𝑷𝑹 − 𝑷𝒘𝒇𝒔 ) + (𝑷𝒘𝒇𝒔 −𝑷𝒘𝒇 ) + (𝑷𝒘𝒇 − 𝑷𝒘𝒉) + (𝑷𝒘𝒉−𝑷𝒔 )

% 𝑹 − 𝑷𝒔
∆𝑷𝑻 = 𝑷
Nodal Analysis: System Performance
Nodal Analysis is a way to analyze performance of a system composed of multiple
interacting components.

Nodal Analysis: Based on the concept of Continuity

Continuity: at any given point in the the production system

there is a given pressure and production rate associated with
that point for a given set of conditions.
Nodal Analysis: Continuity
A common point to select is the bottom hole, which separates inflow and outflow
sections of the system.

% 𝑹 = 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆

𝑷
Inflow Section
∆𝒑𝒖 = 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒖𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆
% 𝑹 − ∆𝒑𝒖 = 𝒑𝒏
𝑷 𝒑𝒏 = 𝑵𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆

Outflow 𝒑𝒔 = 𝑺eparator Pressure

Section ∆𝒑𝒅 =Change in downstream pressure
𝒑𝒔 + ∆𝒑𝒅 = 𝒑𝒏 𝒑𝒏 = 𝑵𝒐𝒅𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆

The total pressure drop in the INFLOW and OUTFLOW section of the system varies as a
function of flow rate. Therefore, a series of flow rates are used to calculate the node
pressure.
Node Pressure is commonly flowing bottom hole pressure (Pwf or Pfbh)
Nodal Analysis: Continuity
INFLOW and OUTFLOW curves are produced. The intersection of the two curves provide the
point of continuity required. This indicates the anticipated production rate and flowing
bottom hole pressure for the system.
Production Optimization
OUTFLOW Pressure Losses
Typical pressure losses:
Outflow System

• Frictional Pressure Loss

• Due to viscous drag as fluids flow
though piping and fittings

• Hydrostatic Head Pressure Loss

• Caused by the density of fluids on the
horizontal section of piping

• Kinetic Energy Loss

• Due to changes in fluid velocity.
Primarily caused by changes in the
cross-sectional area for flow.
Pressure Loss Distribution

% 𝑹 = ∆𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔 + ∆𝑷𝑩𝑯𝑪 + ∆𝑷𝑽𝑳 + ∆𝑷𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 + ∆𝑷𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆 + 𝑷𝒔𝒆𝒑

𝑷

% 𝑹 = 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆

𝑷
∆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆
∆𝑷𝑩𝑯𝑪 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆,
𝒊. 𝒆. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝑨𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.
∆𝑷𝑽𝑳 = 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒆
𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈
∆𝑷𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑿𝑴𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅
𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔
∆𝑷𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆 = 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆
𝑷𝒔𝒆𝒑= 𝑹𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓
Pressure Loss Distribution: Vertical Lift

∆𝑷𝑽𝑳 = ∆𝑷𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 + ∆𝑷𝑯𝑯𝑫 + +∆𝑷𝑲𝑬

∆𝑷𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 = Frictional pressure drop

∆𝑷𝑯𝑯𝑫 = Hydrostatic head pressure drop
∆𝑷𝑲𝑬 = Kinetic energy pressure drop

Each of these pressure losses are quantified by the mechanical

energy balance equation, as discussed in detail next week.
Production System Optimization
𝐸𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑟
𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒
𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝. 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 Production system
optimization.
Total Pressure Drop
% 𝑹 − 𝑷𝒔𝒆𝒑 = ∆𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔 + ∆𝑷𝑩𝑯𝑪 + ∆𝑷𝑽𝑳 + ∆𝑷𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 + ∆𝑷𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆
𝑷

𝑃•‚ƒ

%𝑹
𝑷
 How can pressure loss be minimized?
(i) To reduce the pressure loss due to flow in the reservoir, it is necessary to
reduce the resistance to flow. This can be accompanied either by reducing the
formation rock resistance

(ii) The pressure loss due to the bottom hole assembly completion method has to
be a part of the completion designs.

(iii) Vertical lift pressure loss is a major area for optimization.

(iv) Surface flow line pressure loss can be minimized by selecting a larger sized
diameter pipeline and restricting the severity and number of directional
changes

(v) Little flexibility exists to minimize choke size as it is required to give a specific
pressure drop for a known flowrate to provide flow stability to the separator
 The Choke
• The choke controls the surface pressure
and production rate of the well

• The choke is a tight constriction through

which the produced fluid flows

• This allows for pressure fluctuations in

the line downstream of the choke to have
no effect on the production rate

• Choked flow is a limiting condition where

the mass flow will not increase with
further decrease in the downstream
pressure while upstream pressure is fixed.
 OUTFLOW: Production Life Cycle

Initially there is sufficient natural drive (pressure) to lift fluids to the

surface

Common Drive Mechanisms are:

• Solution Gas Drive
• Gas-Cap Expansion Drive
• Water Drive
• Gravity Drive
• Compaction Drive
• Combination Drive (often the production of fluids is caused by a combination
of different drive mechanism).

Eventually the drive (reservoir pressure) is depleted during production

 Artificial Lift
Artificial lift is required once reservoir pressure is deleted to the extent
that fluids can no longer be lifted to the surface at an economic rate.
Beam Pumps
Common Approaches:
• Reduce the flowing pressure gradient
in the piping
Reducing the hydrostatic head by injecting
gas into the stream of produced fluids.

• Provide additional power by adding a

pump
Numerous pump designs.
Common Production Problems
• Physio-Chemical Changes Scaling Issues
Pressure and temperature changes as fluids are
produced to the surface, which can result in
deposition of asphaltenes and waxes
• Formation damage
Mixing of wellbore and reservoir fluids may result
in scale deposits or formation of emulsion
• Mechanical Collapse Sludge/Waxes
Mechanical damages can results in sands
production
• Fines Migration
Produced clays and siliceous fines can clog the
reservoir and production system
• Corrosion
Some produced fluids are highly corrosive
Questions?
 Example: System Analysis of Reservoir Depletion
The following data are for a well inflow and outflow performance. At what rate will the well produce under these
circumstances? What happens when reservoir pressure declines?

Inflow Data
Flowing bottom hole Production rate @ Pr=2500 Production rate @ Pr=2000
Inflow Performance data
pressure psia psia
Well depth, ft. 7000 psia STB/D STB/D
Tubing size, inch 2.875 2500 0
Test data
2000 241 0
Reservoir Pressure, psia 2500
1500 435 150
1000 582 263
500 682 339
0 735 376

Outflow Data Flowing Bottom Production

Average Reservoir
hole Pressure Rate Pressure Declines
Outflow Performance data
psia STB/D
Well depth, ft. 7000
2025 50
Tubing size, inch 2.875
1850 100
1725 200
1650 400
1575 600
 Plot Inflow & Outflow Data

• When reservoir pressure is 2500 psia

• Inflow and Outflow curves intersected at 380 STB/D and flowing bottom hole
pressure of 1650 psia.
• When reservoir pressure is depleted to 2000 psia
• Inflow and Outflow curve do not intersect
• Well intervention is required for further production.
 Common Units
Parameter Symbol Dimensions CGS system SI system Darcy units Field Units
Length L L cm m cm ft
Mass m M g Kg g lb
Time t T sec sec sec hr
Velocity u L/T cm/sec m/sec cm/sec ft/sec
STB/day Liquid
Rate q L3/T cc/sec m3/sec cc/sec
Mscf/day Gases
Pressure p [ML/T2]/L3 dyne/cm2 N/m2 or Pascal atm psia
Density ƍ M/L3 g/cc Kg/m3 g/cc lb/ft3
Viscosity µ M/LT g/cm-sec or Poise Kg/m-sec cp cp
Permeability k L2 cm2 m2 Darcy mD
Tutorial: System Analysis

Analyze the given inflow and outflow performance curves and

determine which tubing is appropriate for oil production.
Outflow Performance Data
1.90" Tubing 2.375" Tubing 2.875" Tubing
Inflow Performance Data Production Rate
Pwf Pwf Pwf
Flowing Bottomhole pressure Production Rate
mscf/D psia psia psia
psia Mscf/D
1000 1334 1298 1286
4000 0
1500 1400 1320 1294
3500 1999
2000 1487 1351 1305
3000 3094
2500 1592 1390 1319
2500 3902
3000 1712 1435 1336
2000 4512
3500 1843 1487 1356
1500 4963
4000 1984 1545 1378
1000 5275
4500 2132 1609 1403
500 5458
5000 2287 1677 1431
14.65 5519
5500 2446 1749 1461
6000 2609 1824 1493