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    83 views13 pages

    Overview of Artificial Lift Systems - Kermit E. Brown

    Uploaded by

    theoneandonly1

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 13
    Overview of Artificial Lift Systems Kermit E, Brown, SPE, U.of Tuts. Summary This paper gives guidelines to assist in the selection of antficial lift methods. The most important guideline is determination of the flow rates possible by each method. This requires preparation of pressure/flow rate diagrams combining well-inflow performance relationships with tubing intake curves. The tubing intake curve includes pressure loss in the complete piping system and/or pressure gains by the pumping method. Many other fac- {ors other than rate, such as location, retriovability by wireline, corrosion, paraffin, scale deposition, cost, ‘operating life, and others, influence the final selection of Tift equipment. Introduction ‘This paper provides an overview of artificial lift systems, and gives guidelines indicating when one system is better to use than another. Advantages and disadvantages are ‘given with examples in the selection of lift methods. This list represents the relative standing of lift systems, based on the number of installations throughout the world: (1) sucker rod pumping (beam pumping), (2) gas lift, (@) electric submersible pumping, (4) hydraulic piston pumping, (5) hydraulic jet pumping, (6) plunger (free-piston) lift, and (7) other methods. This differs ac- cording to field, state, and country. New lift systems are being developed and tested con- ‘inually. The lifting of heavy viscous crude oils requires special attention, and methods designed specifically for this purpose are being tested. Wells located offshore and in deep water present specific problems, and surface- space limitations become important. The artificial lift method should be considered before the well is drilled Obviously this cannot be done on wildcat wells, but it ‘must be done on all subsequent development wells. The drilling program must be set out to ensure hole sizes that permit adequate casing and tubing sizes. ap 062 Sato Pau Eien ot ME 2388 One serious limitation to artificial lift installations has been the installation of small casing sizes, which limits the installation to specific tubing sizes to obtain the ob- jective flow rate and, in particular, limits the size of retrievable gas lift equipment and/or pumping equip- ‘ment. The installation of gas-lift mandrels that accept only I-in. (2.5-em) OD gas-lift valves is common in the U.S., and serious limitations on gas passage volumes are imposed on the system with this small valve, Also, the better performance characteristics of the 1'-in 3.81-cm) OD valve are lost. For the pumping systems, the smaller capacity pumps must be used in the smaller casing sizes, and sometimes the advantage of retrievable pumps is lost. Surface-space limitations become an important factor. For example, if large compressors for gas lift or large generators for electrical pumping are anticipated for off- shore platforms, provisions must be made in the original design to allow for both weight and space on the plat- forms. Some engineers are invariably optimistic about natural flow in the planning stage, and in many instances they still maintain that artificial lift will not be required during the life of a field. This leads to very poor plan- ning, especially on offshore facilities. In the design of antificial lift systems for a well, itis recommended that it initially be treated as if it were a flowing well—i.e., a production systems graph should be prepared to sec if the well is capable of flowing and, if itis, at what rate. The artificial lift analysis can be placed fn the same plot. Numerous flowing wells will show in- creased flow rates when placed on artificial lif ‘The purpose of any artificial lift system is to create a predetermined tubing intake pressure such that the reser- voir may respond and produce the objective flow rate The design and analysis of any lifting system can be divided into two main components. The first is the reser- voir component (inflow performance relationship), which represents the well’s ability to produce fluids. The JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY TABLE 1—RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS” Hydrauic —_—Elctne Submersio Fos Pumping ___Pision Pumping __ Pumping Fclatwely simple Not so dapth ited Can i exromoly System design an ft large walumes igh volumes, from great dept, 20,000 8 LUnts easy changed S00.610 (9.40 mie), (19078 m2 in {tervals wih fom 15,000 Sratow wos wih misimum cos (G72 m) Have been large casing. Cuenty Instated io 18.000 8 Wing + 12,000 810 meson, ange ‘ae ea fr Hols eopte 1 operate, (Gaeee m, for sappy wal in Crookes notes present Nile East wi rinimal problems. 600-Np (44-4) units ‘Appcabio to sim 720-9 (59780) hols and mutiple —_Unobtrusive in urban avaiable, 1000 completions. lecatons (eam uncer evelopment ‘Can pump a wot own Power source can be tovery ow pressure remotety locales Uncbtswe in ban (opt and fate locations Sependent) ‘Analyzabe ‘Simple to operate System usualy is analy (te separ foi Tevelsounaage, lexble—can vauaty ‘match displacement ‘ees capnay Easy 1 install ‘Sensor fc tlematenng pressure to surtece va abe. Floxble-can match {splacoment rate to ‘wo capanity as well Can use gas or ‘Sct a power source Ceeoked noes prosant ‘Secles, ro problem, Downhole pumps can ‘Analyze. be cea out in” Applicable ofshore free systems. Cant igh Corrosion and sete Temperature and Can pump awoll___ treatment easy Io vozous ol, flown to fait ow perform preesu. Can use gos oF ‘vali in flecicty 2s power Apaiicable ‘erent se soure ‘utile completions Liting cost for tgh CCotsion and scale Applicable ashore, alums gaeraly Watmont 035710 veryow pedo oso system wit ‘combat soresion. ‘Agpicabe to pune otteonat | Easy to pu in ‘lst, tye bye cock, ‘Avaaity of Adjustable guar box Giterent 208, for Trgiex ars ‘mote fx Hoow sucker ods se ava for in mole completions Sand oat of mneior Ming power uid ith wany 0 Wseous ‘radon can ee Have pumps with outle valing at ‘bump on both pate and Hydraute cas uit devPump Plunger uit Gan and largo Ravievablewihout eviovable witout ‘lume of ss wih puling tubing. puting tubing ‘nor probes. Has no moving parts, Very inexpensive Hands largo volume neato, ‘night was No probioms in (Gonteuous tt (levied or crooked Automatica keeps Soe 80, hate. tubing elena of (8 37 mH, i param, sete Fir Hoxie reeatons Aoplcable fo igh converte am (988 of rato walls ‘continuous 6 Aepleable oishoce. inverter can be weed in chambor or plunger Can use water as a conjunction with teas wet power source Irtermmen gas secines Power Wud does net have tbe #0 lean ‘aor hyractc ston pumping. (Can be used to union Unotrusive in ua ‘i rom ga wot Power source can be remotely lected. Corosion scale sy t obtain ‘289 10 perform. downhole pressures find gtadiens Powor source can be remotely located and ‘can handle nigh ‘elumes 1 30.000 6 (area 2's, iting ons wells is no problem ‘win wteline unt ‘Crooked holes present no problem Contosion i not Usual as adverse, ‘Aplcabe ofthe, “tare ot een a 8, Kit Cop, Ms wh ment by Sonn? second component represents the entire piping and ar- tificial lit system, This includes separator, flowline, flowline restrictions such as chokes, tubing string, tub ing string restrictions such as safety valves, and the ar- tificial lift mechanism itself. Tubing intake pressures then can be determined for varying flow rates, and when this intake curve is placed on the same plot as the IPR curve, the rate for a particular lift method can be deter- mined. ‘These factors should be considered in the selection of | artificial lift equipment: producing characteristics, fluid properties, hole characteristics, long-range recovery OCTOBER 1982 plan, surface facilities, location, available power sources, operating problems, completion type, automa- tion, operating personnel, service availability, and economics. Tables ! and 2' summarize the advantages and the disadvantages of the principal methods that are commonly used. Factors To Consider in Design Liquid Productive Capacity of the Well ‘The desired rate from a particular well is the most significant factor in selecting the lift method, Its impor- oats ‘TABLE 2—RELATIVE DISADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS" Etecric Submersibie Hydraulic dot fod Pumping __ Hydraulic Pumping ‘Pumping Gas uit Pumping Plunger Lit ‘rocked hates prosort” Power ol systoms aro. Not applicable 12 Lit gas & not Folatvely ineficiont May not take well to a fition problem. a fe hazard ‘mutupio completions. alwaye avaiable, It method. eplation; hence, eventually requiring High solids Large oliventory Only applicable with Not efficent in FRoquires atleast 20% anether If method production is requted in power oll electie power ting small lds submergence to {rovblesome, system whieh detracts ‘rene well leases. approach best in Good for low-rate ‘rom proftabity. High voltages efficiency. wells only normaly Gassy wols usually (1.000 V) ae Ditto less than 200 B/D Tower volumetic High sods, ‘ecossary, ‘emulsions and Design of stem is (1.8 mie). otficency production Is viscous crudes. more complex. {roublesome, Imprectioa in Fequires more 's depth tied, hallon,low-velume Not ecient for Pump may caviate engineering primarily due te rod Operating costs are wells. smal folds oF Under conan ‘upenision 1o adjust eapabily ‘somatimes higher. onewelllesses condone. propery. Expensive to change compression CObtrsive in urban Usually suscoptible equipment io maten equipment is Very sonstive Danger exists in teeatons to gas interference—dectring wal required. toany change in plunger aching too Uovaly no vented. eapabity backpressure high a veloaty an Heavy and bulky In Gas freezing anc ‘casing suriace, foffshore operations, Vented installations Cable causes hydrate probloms. The producing of ree damage. are more expensive problems in handling ‘928 through the pump Suseptbie to Because of extra tubulare. Problems wih dity Sausee reduction In Communication parafin problems. tubing required. ‘urtace ines, ‘billy mando —_botwaon tubing Cables deteriorate Tiquis. and casing required ‘Tubing cannot bo Treating for scale in high ‘Some aitcuty {or good operation Intematy coated’ below packer is temperatures. ‘analyzing propery Power oll systems unas used in {or cortion

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