UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI

MARA
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN
KIMIA

CGE659: PETROLEUM PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Title: Artificial Lifts

NAME NO MATRIX

ABDULLAH HAZIQ BIN MOHD JAMAL 2017466148

MOHD RAFIQ BIN MOHD ZUBIR 2017466188

MUHAMMAD AIMAN FAISAL BIN MOHD ZAILANI 2017466168

KHAIRUL HADI BIN HASHIM 2017466142

Date of Submission : 30th April 2019

Submit to : Dr. Rozana Azrina Binti Sazali
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Artificial lift is a process applied to production wells to increase the pressure within the
reservoir. It is called artificial because of the use of artificial means to provide better flow
rate of the producing fluids. Pressure difference between the reservoir and the wellhead is the
vital key to the production flow rate. During the production, the pressure undergoes
significant pressure drop and sometimes it runs out of required energy to go up to the surface.
This is when the artificial lift is used to encourage the flow of the fluid and thus will recover
more production. However, the implementation of any particular lifting method needs to
consider the operating costs. There are several factors that will affect the selection of artificial
lift method and will be discussed along with its advantages and disadvantages.

2.0 ARTIFICIAL LIFT SELECTION CRITERIA

Artificial lift is indeed a very profitable method to increase production rate by increasing
the pressure of the reservoir, however, selecting the appropriate method to do so will be much
more efficient and more profitable considering the cost it takes to implement the method. It
requires the evaluation of many factors to take into consideration.

The well and reservoir characteristics are vital as they provide information on expected
production rates. One of the ways to determine which particular lift types can function is the
use of charts that show the range of depth and rate. By doing this, it eliminates most of the
hassles in determining which method needs to be used for the well as the chart shows the
possible productivity of all equipment. Particular well conditions, such as high viscosity or
sand production, may lead to the selection of a lift method that is not initially indicated by the
charts. Specific designs are recommended for specific well conditions to more accurately
determine the rates possible from given depths.

When facing a very deep reservoir, hydraulic systems is able to pump due to having the
U-tube balancing of produced fluid pressures with the hydraulic pressure. Gas lift technique
is limited to certain depth because of the great amount of pressure required despite having a
wide range of production capacity. Beam pump or sucker rod pump can produce more from
shallow depth which means it does not work as good when facing a very deep reservoir. This
is because of the weight of the rod will increase as it has to stretch deeper. Electric
submersible pump (ESP) also has certain limitation of depth because of the limited allowable
burst on the housings and it has to consider energy consumptions if long cables are required.
However, it can produce with large production rate.

Next, the location of the field also plays an important role in determining the suitable
method to be used. Off-shore platforms are built with certain limitations which are space it
has to fit all of the equipment and the weight of the equipment it has to carry. Equipment
which are lighter and smaller in weight and size respectively are more selective in this case.
On-shore platforms also has its setbacks. Support infrastructures nearby the platform that are
required to help run the process are limited in remote locations, and urban location requires
the minimum of visual and acoustic impact. Distance from the wellhead to the other
processing facilities is also important to determine which method is more preferred due to the
availability of power source to run this equipment such as electricity.

Other than the location of the field, the problems that could be faced during the operation
by the equipment also need to be taken into consideration. Types of producing fluid can
affect the process of lifting, for instance, gas lift is known to be more tolerant to solids
production (sand) than the other equipment such as centrifugal pump. Other operational
problem is the unwanted formation of massive organic and inorganic deposit which can
hinder the production rate. This needs to be prevented and treatment will have to be carried
out which means suitable inhibitor and any other required equipment will have to be
installed. This will also affect the selectivity of appropriate artificial lift method.

In term of economics, many important factors need to be considered in order to meet the
most economical way of applying necessary technique to improve the production rate. This
includes maintenance costs, fuel costs, inflation rates, failure rates of the system components,
anticipated revenue from produced oil and gas and other factors that may vary from system to
system. The user of any particular equipment will have to consider and anticipate the possible
costs they have to pay and compare it with the production they will get in return.
Maintenance costs are affected by other factors such as the location of the field and the
availability of service infrastructures. Another method that will help choosing the best
equipment to be used is by screening all available technologies according to their advantages
and disadvantages.
3.0 OPERATING PRINCIPLE

Early in its production life, the reservoir pressure may be sufficient to sustain natural
flow. After certain time of production, natural drive energy of the reservoir will become not
strong enough to push the oil to the surface. A process called artificial lift is used on oil wells
to increase pressure within the reservoir and push oil to the surface. It also can recover more
production. Even those wells that initially posse natural flow to the surface, that pressure
depletes over time, and artificial lift is then required. There are two methods of artificial lift
include pumping system and gas lift.

First method of artificial lift is pumping system and these are the examples:
1. Beam Pumping/ Sucker Rod Pump
This the most common applied artificial lift pump system to increase pressure and push oil to
the surface. It consists of a sucker rod string and sucker rod pump. At the surface, the beam
pumping system rocks back and forth. This is connected to a string of rods called the sucker
rods, which push down into the wellbore. The sucker rods are connected to the sucker rod
pump, which is installed as a part of the tubing string near the bottom of the well. This
method works similarly to pistons inside a cylinder. The sucker rod pump lifts the oil from
the reservoir through the well to the surface. This pumping units are operated electronically
or by gas engine.

Figure shows the beam pumping system.

2. Electric Submersible Pump
ESP system used a centrifugal pump below the level of the reservoir fluids and connected to a
long electric motor. The pump is composed of impellers, or blades, that move the fluids
within the well. The system is installed at the bottom of the tubing string. An electric cable
runs the length of the well, connecting the pump to a surface source of electricity. The
electric submersible pump applies artificial lift by spinning the impellers on the pump shaft,
putting pressure on the surrounding fluids and forcing them to the surface.

3. Hydraulic Pump
This equipment applies a downhole hydraulic pump to lift oil to the surface. It composed of
two pistons which connected by a rod that moved up and down within the pump. A surface
hydraulic pump pressurizes crude oil called power oil, which drives the bottom pump. The
production is forced against the pistons, causing pressure and the pistons to lift the fluids to
the surface. Both the surface hydraulic pumps and subsurface hydraulic pumps are powered
by power oil, which is the clean oil that has been previously lifted from the well. The surface
pump sends the power oil through the tubing string to the subsurface hydraulic pump
installed at the bottom of the tubing string, the reservoir fluids are then sent up a second
parallel tubing string to the surface.
4. Processing cavity pump
It is a screw type pump that provides a force for fluids to travel through the pump. It
composed of rotor, stator, sucker rod string and surface drive control. The stator sits on the
bottom of the production string while the rotor is connected to the sucker rod. The rotation of
the rods by means of an electric motor at surface causes the fluid contained in a cavity to flow
upward. The sucker rod string is driven by a surface drive system, consisting of an electric
motor, transmission and a belt system. PCP pumps are limited to production of less than
5,000 barrel/day and widely used in producing heavy oil and high sand content crude.

Figure above illustrates the components of processing cavity pump

Second method of artificial lift is gas lift system:

5. Gas lift
This method is done by injecting compressed gas into the well to re-established pressure so
that oil can move up to the surface. The injected gas will reduce the pressure at bottom hole
of the well by decreasing the viscosity of the oil. This encourages oil to flow easily to
surface. Occurring down hole, the compressed gas is injected down the casing tubing
annulus, entering the well at numerous entry points called gas-lift valves. As the gas enters
the tubing at these different stages, it forms bubbles, lightens the fluids and lowers the
pressure.
 Figure above shows the process of gas lift

4.0 COMPARE AND CONTRAST ALL 5 ARTIFICIAL LIFT TYPES

1. Processing cavity pump

Application
This pumping system consists of two parts which are rotor and stator. The
stator is run into the well on the bottom of the production tubing, while the rotor is
connected to the bottom of the sucker rod string. Rotation of the rod string by means
of a surface drive system causes the rotor to spin within the fixed stator, creating the
pumping action necessary to produce fluids to surface. The applications of this
pumping system are used for situation such as high viscosity oil, low productivity oil,
directional well and high sand cut well.
Advantages
 Moderate cost
 Low profile
 Can use downhole electric motors that handle sand and viscous fluid well
 High electrical efficiency

Disadvantages
 Elastomers in stator swell in some well fluids
 Pump off control is difficult. Lose efficiency with depth
 Rotating rods wear tubing
 Rod windup and after spin of rods increase with depth
 Sand and solids quickly wear chrome off of rotor
2. Gas lift
Application
This method uses an external source of high pressure gas for supplementing
formation gas to lift the well fluids. The principle of gas lift to reduce the density of
fluid in tubing by injecting the compressed gas and also lower the flowing bottomhole
pressure (BHP) at the bottom of the tubing. This method is applicable for lifting fluids
in well that have a notable amount of gas produced with crude oil and highly deviated
wells that produce sand.

Advantages
 Easy to obtain downhole pressures and gradients
 Lifting gassy wells is no problem
 Sometimes serviceable with wireline unit
 No problem for crooked holes present
 The individual-well downhole equipment is relatively inexpensive
 High overall reliability and lower operating costs

Disadvantages
 Difficult to lift emulsions and viscous crudes
 Gas freezing and hydrate problems
 Requires makeup gas in rotative system
 Casing must withstand lift pressure
 Safety problem with high pressure gas
 Wide well spacing and lack of space for compressors on offshore platforms

3. Sucker Rod Pumping

Application
Sucker rod pump uses a surface power source to drive a downhole pump assembly.
A beam and crank assembly creates reciprocating motion in a sucker-rod string that
connects to the downhole pump assembly. The pump contains a plunger and valve
assembly to convert the reciprocating motion to vertical fluid movement. It is suitable
for well of small holes and multiple completions.
 Advantages
 Relatively simple system design.
 Units easily changed to other wells with minimum cost.
 Applicable to slim holes and multiple completions.
 Can lift high-temperature and viscous oils.
 Can use gas or electricity as power source.
Disadvantages
 Sucker rod pumping systems and crooked holes are often incompatible.
 The ability of sucker rod pumping systems to lift sand is limited.
 Gas wells usually lower volumetric efficiency.
 Limitation of downhole pump design in small diameter casing.
 High solids production is troublesome.

4. Electric Submersible Pumping

Application
ESP is an efficient and reliable artificial-lift method for lifting moderate to high
volumes of fluids from wellbores. These volumes range from a low of 150 bbl/d to as
much as 150,000 bbl/d. The ESP’s main components include multistage centrifugal
pump, three-phased induction motor, seal-chamber section, power cable and surface
controls. ESP has been the primary method of lifting fluids from the approximately
1,100 deviated wells.
Advantages
 Unobstructed in urban locations.
 Simple to operate.
 Crooked holes present no problem.
 Availability of different sizes.
 Lifting cost for high volumes generally very low.
Disadvantages
 Not applicable to multiple completions.
 Only applicable with electric power.
 Cables deteriorate in high temperatures.
 Gas and solids production are troublesome.
 Casing size limitation.
 5. Hydraulic Pumping
Application
Hydraulic pumping systems transmit power downhole by means of
pressurized power fluid that flows in wellbore tubulars. Hydraulic transmission of
power downhole can be accomplished with reasonably good efficiency using a
reciprocating piston pump. The downhole pump acts a transformer to convert the
energy into pressure in the produced fluids. A generic form of a hydraulic downhole
pump consists of a set of coupled reciprocating pistons, one driven by the power fluid
and the other pumping the well fluids. Another form of a hydraulic downhole pump is
the jet pump, which converts the pressurized power fluid to a high-velocity jet that
mixes directly with the well fluids.
Advantages
 Pumps are capable of pumping depths to 17,000 ft and deeper.
 Positive-displacement pumps can handle viscous oils very well.
 Corrosion inhibitors can be injected into the power fluid for corrosion control.
 Can use diesel, natural gas or electricity as power source.
 No record of plugging due to producing sand.
Disadvantages
 Positive-displacement pumps have a shorter time between repairs than jet,
sucker rod, and ESPs
 Jet pumps typically have lower efficiency and higher energy costs.
 Requires more maintenance than other types of artificial lift because pump
speed must be monitored daily and not allowed to become excessive.
 Power-fluid-cleaning systems require frequent checking to keep them
operating at their optimum effectiveness

5.0 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, every artificial lift method has its upper hand and the conditions that
it can handle. The person in charge in choosing the best method for artificial lift needs to
apply the selection techniques and consider all the factors so that the process will be safe and
efficient.
6.0 REFERENCE

1) Relative advantages and disadvantages of artificial lift systems. Retrieved from

https://petrowiki.org/Relative_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_artificial_lift_systems

2) Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP). DALEEL Oil and Gas Supply Chain Portal. Retrieved
from https://www.scmdaleel.com/category/progressive-cavity-pump-pcp/162

3) How Does Artificial Lift Work? RIGZONE. Retrieved from

https://www.rigzone.com/training/insight.asp?insight_id=315&c_id=

4) Neely, B., Gipson, F., Clegg, J. et al. (1981). Selection of Artificial Lift Method. Presented
at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, 4-7 October
1981. SPE-10337-MS. doi: 10.2118
ARTIFICIAL
LIFT NAME NO MATRIX

ABDULLAH HAZIQ BIN MOHD JAMAL 2017466148

MOHD RAFIQ BIN MOHD ZUBIR 2017466188

MUHAMMAD AIMAN FAISAL BIN MOHD ZAILANI 2017466168

KHAIRUL HADI BIN HASHIM 2017466142

INTRODUCTION
• Artificial lift is used on oil wells to increase pressure within the reservoir and push oil to the
surface
• It is meant to increase the flow of liquids, such as crude oil or water, from a production well.
• Main Purposes:
- To maintain a reduced bottom hole pressure (Pwf) to enable the
desired reservoir fluids to be produced at an acceptable rate
- To provide the fluid with the necessary energy to reach the surface
and continue flowing to the surface.
- If the appropriate drawdown can be maintained the future
management of the reservoir and completion can be conducted
efficiently.
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SELECTION
CRITERIA
1) Well and reservoir characteristic
- Depth of the zone of interest plays an important role because the equipment might need extra
supporting tools to reach deeper formation
- Some artificial lift methods are not meant to be applied at small well where the production
casing is unfit.
- Type of producing fluids will also determine which equipment is suitable to use

2) Field Location
- When producing from an offshore wells, the platform of the well will have certain limitations
- Platforms have limited allowable weight so the equipment chosen has to be light and also does
not require much space to operate.
- Remote locations face less availability of power sources and supporting infrastructures
- Locations with extreme climate also needs to be taken into consideration.
CONT’
3) Operational Problems
- Types of producing fluid can affect the process of lifting.
- Unwanted formation of organic and inorganic deposit can hinder the production rate so it will
require suitable inhibitor and complicated well completion which are the setbacks for some
artificial lift methods.

4) Economics
- Costs of managing the chosen artificial lift need to be considered
- The costs depend on some factors which are the maintenance, fuel, inflation rates, failure rates
and also anticipated revenue. The total operating cost decides which method is suitable to use

5) Techniques of Implementation
- Some artificial lifts are able to reduce the producing sand pressure which is more preferred.
- Unwanted wax or solid formation provide difficulties to certain artificial lifts
OPERATING PRINCIPLE
1. Beam Pumping
- It consists of a sucker rod string and sucker rod pump, it moves back and forth at the surface
- This is connected to a string of rods called the sucker rods, which push down into the wellbore
- The sucker rods are connected to the sucker rod pump, which is installed as a part of the
tubing string near the bottom of the well
- The sucker rod pump lifts the oil from the reservoir through the well to the surface
2. Electrical submersible pump (ESP)
- ESP system used a centrifugal pump below the level of the reservoir fluids and connected to a long
electric motor
- It is composed of impellers, or blades, that move the fluids within the well
- This pump spins the impellers on the pump shaft, putting pressure on the surrounding fluids and forcing
them to the surface.
- The system is installed at the bottom of the tubing string. An electric cable runs the length of the well,
connecting pump to electricity
3. Gas lift
- Compressed gas is injected into the well to re-established pressure so that oil can move up to the
surface
- The injected gas will reduce the pressure at bottom hole of the well by decreasing the viscosity of the
oil, encourages oil to flow easily to surface
- The compressed gas is injected down the casing tubing annulus, entering the well at numerous entry
points called gas-lift valves
- As the gas enters the tubing at these different stages, it forms bubbles, lightens the fluids and lowers the
pressure.
4. Hydraulic pump
- It composed of two pistons which connected by a rod that moved up and down within the
pump. A surface hydraulic pump pressurizes crude oil called power oil, which drives the bottom
pump.
- Both the surface hydraulic pumps and subsurface hydraulic pumps are powered by power oil
- The surface pump sends the power oil through the tubing string to the subsurface hydraulic
pump installed at the bottom of the tubing string, the reservoir fluids are then sent up a second
parallel tubing string to the surface
5. Processing cavity pump (PCP)
- It is a screw type pump that provides a force for fluids to travel through the pump
- It composed of rotor, stator, sucker rod string and surface drive control
- The stator sits on the bottom of the production string while the rotor is connected to the
sucker rod
- The rotation of the rods by means of an electric motor at surface causes the fluid contained in
a cavity to flow upward
ESP PCP HYDRAULIC PUMP GAS LIFT
 Types Application
Wells that have a notable
amount of gas produced with
Gas Lift crude oil and highly deviated
wells that produce sand.
For high viscosity oil, low
Progressing Cavity productivity oil, directional
wells and high sand cut wells.
Pump
Advantages
• Easy to obtain downhole
pressures and gradients
• Lifting gassy wells is no
problem
• High overall reliability and
lower operating costs
• High overall reliability and
lower operating costs
• Moderate cost
• Unobtrusive surface location • Pump off control is difficult.
with downhole motor
• Can use downhole electric
motors that handle sand and
viscous fluid well
• High electrical efficiency
Disadvantages
• Difficult to lift emulsions and
viscous crudes
• Gas freezing and hydrate
problems
• Casing must withstand lift
pressure
• Safety problem with high
pressure gas
• Elastomers in stator swell in
some well fluids
Lose efficiency with depth
• Rotating rods wear tubing
• Rod windup and after spin
of rods increase with depth
• Sand and solids quickly wear
chrome off of rotor
 Types Application Advantages
• Relatively simple system
design.
• Units easily changed to
other wells with minimum
It is suitable for well of small cost.
Sucker Rod Pump holes and multiple • Applicable to slim holes and
completions. multiple completions.
• Can lift high-temperature
and viscous oils.
• Can use gas or electricity as
power source.
• Unobstructed in urban
locations.
• Simple to operate.
ESP has been the primary • Crooked holes present no
method of lifting fluids from problem.
ESP the approximately 1,100
• Availability of different sizes.
deviated wells. • Lifting cost for high volumes
generally very low.
Disadvantages
• Sucker rod pumping systems
and crooked holes are often
incompatible.
• The ability of sucker rod
pumping systems to lift sand is
limited.
• Gas wells usually lower
volumetric efficiency.
• Limitation of downhole
pump design in small diameter
casing.
• High solids production is
troublesome.
• Not applicable to multiple
completions.
• Only applicable with electric
power.
• Cables deteriorate in high
temperatures.
• Gas and solids production
are troublesome.
• Casing size limitation.
 Types Application Advantages
• Pumps are capable of
pumping depths to 17,000 ft
and deeper.
• Positive-displacement pumps
can handle viscous oils very
It is suitable for deep
well.
formation and viscous oil
• Corrosion inhibitors can be
Hydraulic Pump wells. Producing sand also
injected into the power fluid
means no harm to the
for corrosion control.
equipment.
• Can use diesel, natural gas
or electricity as power
source.
• No record of plugging due
to producing sand.
Disadvantages
• Positive-displacement pumps
have a shorter time between
repairs than jet, sucker rod,
and ESPs
• Jet pumps typically have
lower efficiency and higher
energy costs.
• Requires more maintenance
than other types of artificial
lift because pump speed must
be monitored daily and not
allowed to become excessive.
• Power-fluid-cleaning systems
require frequent checking to
keep them operating at their
optimum effectiveness