SPE 29510 Decision Tree for Selection of Artificial Lift Method Lloyd R. Heinze,* and Herald W. Winkler, * Texas Tech University, and James F. Lea,* AMOCO Production Company * SPE Members oor 106, acy of Poeun Engrs ‘Ti pow was pope rmination Opto Sympathy OM. ULE. 4 At 1808 ABSTRACT Recent changes, upgrades and development in artificial lift equipment have expanded the considerations for selection of pumping method. This paper covers sucker rod pumping, continuous gas-lift, intermittent gas-lift, electric submersible pumping, hydraulic reciprocating pumping, hydraulic jet systems, plunger lift, progressing cavity pumping, and additional miscellaneous pumping methods. Changes {in well conditions and equipment capabilities demand timely reviews of the original lift method decision to determine if itis still the best choice. Often the selection of the lift method is based on operating personnel / decision maker equipment familiarity. Included in the decision tree should be a long term ‘economic analysis. This paper will consider how new advances in individual methods have changed their cost effectiveness and provided solutions to unique problems. There is not a single lift system that is the most References and illustrations at end of paper. economic system for all wells. In order to access the practically and the economics of various methods of artificial lift, the first step is to generate an IPR (Inflow Performance Relationship) curve or a PI (Productivity Index). Then a profile of expected and desired production versus time should be determined. Figures 1 & 2. With the above information, potential artificial lift methods can be introduced, including expected run lives and cost considerations for the most obvious methods. Detailed cost estimates of the well operating cost are then reported and compared to the numbers used in the economic evaluation of the field. The economics of low rate wells and high rate wells need to be adjusted to account for the economics of the project. ‘The economy of scale and simpler logistics of just using one lift system in most fields will probably not weigh up against the savings of using the most economic system on each well. Early in the life of the field the well may produce 100% oil with a moderate GOR. As the field declines and pressure maintenance begins GOR will increase and then rapidly decline2 DECISION TREE FOR SELECTION OF ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHOD while water production will increase. What range of BFPD is project, and what is the desired producing sand face pressure, Pw. ‘Areas of evaluation of lift methods include (1) lifetime cost, (2) operating cost, (3) energy efficiency, (4) initial capital cost. Sucker rod pump systems (SRP) Beam pumps are the most widely used artificial lift method in the United States (85% or 450,000 wells) and the entire world (50+%). They are best for low to moderate production, primarily on land based installations. Figure 3 summarizes the depth-rate limitations for practical beam pumps in vertical wells.’ When larger than 640 units or ‘special long stroke units or newly developed fiberglass rods or ribbon rods are used the above rate/depth curves can be stretched. The long run life with minimum failures resulted from the 1980 data may not be realized with the improvements that stretch the envelope. Progressive Cavity Pumps (PCP) (Moineau Pump Systems) Progressive Cavity (PC) pumps are known for their ability to pump viscous fluids or to handle solids. This is a production application of equipment used originally in drilling as a mud motor for rotating the drill bit. They operate by rotating a steel helically shaped rotor inside a elastomer stator. Cavities are generated between the stator and the rotor and the cavities move upward as the stator is rotated. This auguring action method, while less than 1% of pumping wells, has become a recent player in this scene. They have been known to pump some deep wells but 3-4000 ft is a reasonable depth limit for long term runs. The rubber compounds of the downhole rotor is subject to swelling or hardening under high temperatures or if H,S gasses are present. Capital cost is relatively low and energy efficiency is good. Continual pump submergence is required to SPE 29510 ‘maintain lubrication or else the downhole unit will be destroyed. Design and diagnosis methods are on a steep improvement curve. Most PC pumps are driven by rotating rods by a surface unit, Centrilift and Reda have tested PC pumps driven by downhole ESP type motors (about a dozen units are known to be operating). There are also some of these applications operating in Russia. This hybrid pump may overcome the problems associated with maximum torque that sucker rods can withstand and ultimately extend the depth limitations of this method, however the high starting torque required by PC pumps will require special changes to the conventional low starting torque ESP motors, The top motor is geared to run the downhole pump at 200- 500 rpm. Gaslift Gaslift is a system where injected gas down the annulus enters the tubing through the gaslift valves. ‘The valves sequentially close from top to next to the bottom valve as the well is unloaded. The gas in the tubing lightens the gradient in the tubing, increases the velocity of the fluid in the tubing resulting in a lower bottom hole pressure. Gaslift is used for higher volumes of production. Downtime is very small, as preventive maintenance can be conducted on most of the critical parts. In extreme cold climates, hydrates formation in the surface lines may cause interruptions of gas delivery to the wells. Conventional gaslift cannot achieve low FBHP (flowing bottom hole Pressure). This is the second most widely used method of lif, especially offshore. In total volume of oil lifted it rivals sucker rod pumping. When you discount stripper well production, gaslift accounts for over 0% of artificially lifted wells. Downhole equipment is relatively inexpensive but surface compression equipment can be costly if a central system is not applicable. Design and diagnostic methods areSPE29510 mature and accurate. Produced solids and gas are handled well. Gas injection can be continuous for high volume producers or intermittent for low volume wells. Electrical Submersible Pump Systems (ESP) Electrical Submersible Pump systems have their pump and motor at the end of the tubing string, Power is transmitted to the motor via an electrical three phase cable banded to the outside of the tubing. ‘The motor, situated below the pump, is cooled by the flow of well fluids. Centrifugal pump stages in ESP’s become efficient as they become larger of at rates over 500 BFPD. The lower limit of ESP’s is 100 BFPD, below 200 BFPD rates involve operational problems. A potential solution to the low rate problems might be the use of larger capacity stages which are more efficient due to larger openings and tum them at reduced RPM’s with VSD's or design the motors for significantly slower speeds. (Typically ESP's tun at 3600+- RPMs). The requirement to kill a well prior to pulling the pump may be overcome in the future by use of a permanent production packer with a valve opened by a stinger at the bottom of the ESP motor, the use of coiled tubing run ESP’s trip under pressure would also eliminate the problems associated with killing the well. The depth constraint of ESP’s discussed by Powers is a function of temperature, velocity and heat capacity of the fluid moving past the motor? Hydraulic powered pump systems ‘Hydraulic systems depend on high pressure water or oil (power fluid) supplied from a pump at the surface, The surface pump can be piston or centrifugal, but it ‘must provide enough pressure and rate to deliver sufficient hydraulic horsepower to the down hole pump. The downhole pump may be actuated by pressure driven piston engine on top of the pump. ‘The downhole pump can be a piston pump (HRP) or a jet pump (HIP). The hydraulic piston pump is more L.R. HEINZE, H. W. WINKLER, & J. F. LEA 3 efficient than the jet pump, higher pressure fluid must be supplied to the jet pump. The jet pump, where the power fluid goes through a throat in the jet pump, and creates a low pressure area to which the formation is exposed. The jet pump is more able to pump abrasive sand or scale than the piston pump. A further disadvantage of the jet pump is that the FBHP (Flowing Bottom Hole Pressure) can not lowered as much as can be done (2000 psi) with the piston pump. Hydraulic systems are further divided by the tubing/annulus pathways of the power fluid, the production, and the free gas. Further, the geometry of the tubulars allow the hydraulic pump to be brought to the surface for maintenance by reversing the direction of the power fluid. Decision Tree process The first step in the decision process is to reduce the possibilities based on technical merit. Pumping methods that cannot pump the well(s) without severe technical limitations are excluded from further consideration. Using the constraints of q, volumetric pumping capacity, versus depth combined with desired FBHP, hole deviation, and the well(s) reservoir characteristics - predicted PI or IPR will generally reduces the possible pump methods by at least 50%. Figure 4 is a check list that can be used to prompt the thought and fact gathering process. ‘The second step is to look at secondary technical problems such as temperature limitations, operational personal training, availability of prime mover power source or fluid, surface considerations (space limits, noise, visibility, safety) and additional downhole limitations (high GLR, scale, sand, corrosion). Look for factors that clearly narrow the choices and eliminate methods that are not feasible. For example if the well is offshore, then rod pumping would probably not be a candidate, Equipment weight and bulk would add greatly to the cost of the platform. Meaningful ways to eliminate a method from consideration can diminish the time and effort