Hydraulic Pumps

Coiled Tubing
D. R. Davies D. R. Davies
With thanks to BJ Services Company

Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Lecture Objectives

At the end of the lecture, you should be able to:

• Describe the concept, implications for the well
completion and advantages of using high pressure
fluid as a power source.
• Explain the mode of operation of the:
– Jet pump;
– Weir Multiphase pump;
– Hydraulic Piston pump.
• Identify their advantages and disadvantages.
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
 Operational Principles (1)

• Clean power fluid from surface

drives downhole Engine
• Requires surface pump
– reciprocating plunger (triplex) or
multistage centrifugal pump
– surface pressures 1,500-4,000 psi
– hydrocyclone desander & filter
removes solids from fluid
• Power fluid is oil or water
• Similar volume power fluid required
as produced fluid volume

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Hydraulic Pumps - Advantages

• Flexible speed control, easy to adjust to well

deliverability
– Power fluid pump rate
• Power fluid usually water
– can convey Corrosion or other Inhibitors
• Unobtrusive in urban locations
– Small surface footprint (urban locations or
offshore)
– Power source can be remotely located

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

 Hydraulic Pumps - Disadvantages
• Extra flowlines to each well required
• High surface injection pressures required
• Need to regularly monitor pump speed & filter
operation
– Solids in power fluid damage pump moving parts
• Large power fluid inventory required
– Power : Produced fluid volume = 1:1
– Oil is a potential fire hazard
– Accurate oil accounting is difficult for high water
cut production
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Hydraulic Venturi Pump

The Jet or Venturi Pump illustrates
the Law of Conservation of Energy
• High velocity Power fluid flow
through orifice (venturi) creates a
low pressure
– provides suction at perforations
• Expansion of Power fluid in cone
reduces velocity & increases
pressure
– lifts produced fluid to surface
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
 Power fluid

Hydraulic Jet Pump Tubing

Casing
• No moving parts
Nozzle
• Nozzle accelerates the
power fluid, lowering the
pressure creating a well Throat
drawdown on the
formation Diffuser

• Power & produced fluid

combined in the Throat
• The combined fluid
decreases in velocity in the Combined
diffuser fluid return
• Deceleration increases the
pressure allowing
combined fluid to be Well production
produced to surface
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Hydraulic Jet Pump

• Venturi (jet) pump has no moving
parts
• Wireline retrieval of pump
• Tubing pulling not required
• Can handle solids (Sand) production
• Require 500 – 1500 psi FBHP
• BP installed Jet pumps in 2002 at
Schrader Bluff (Alaska) to lift viscous
oil from horizontal well with no sand
control
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
Operational Principles -
Hydraulic Piston Pumps

• Conceptually similar to
rod pumping except
• Pump powered by
hydraulic power fluid
instead of being
mechanically driven by
sucker rods
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Operational Principles -
Hydraulic Piston Pump

• Exhaust power fluid

returns to surface
– commingled with
production
(open system) or
– separate tubing
(closed system)
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
 Hydraulic Piston Pump - Advantages
• Can work at great depth
• Can handle viscous oils
– (heated) power fluid acts as a diluent
• Can deplete reservoir to low pressure in absence of gas
– intake pressure as low as 50 psia
• Downhole pump can be circulated out in a free system

Hydraulic Piston Pump – Disadvantages

• High solids production is troublesome
• Gassy wells present compression problems
• Pump repair requires specialist technicians
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

Hydraulic Free Pump

• Easy recovery of pump

for repair
– No rig or hoist
required
• Attractive for offshore,
remote or urban areas
• Suitable for crooked &
deviated wells
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
 New Technology - The Weir Pump
A Hydraulic Turbine driven engine driving a centrifugal pump
with good gas handling ability

• Installed in
Captan field,
North Sea
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

The Weir Pump

• Hydraulic driven Centrifugal Pump

• Power fluid circuit (water) drives turbine engine
• Power fluid commingled with production (open system)
ADVANTAGES
– Power fluid cools pump unit,
• Can operate at higher bottomhole temperature than
ESP
– Mechanical Seal / Protector section of ESP
eliminated
– Better solids handling than ESP as clean power fluid
lubricates bearings
Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies
 The Weir Pump
ADVANTAGES - 2
• Power fluid rate controls pump speed
• Wide operating envelope (10% to 130% design)
• Short (3 - 4 m) pump length
– Operates at twice speed of ESP
– Number of pump stages proportional to 1/speed2
– Short length = wireline retrieval (typically < 500 kg)
• Installation at upto 80o by Coiled Tubing
• (Multiple) Subsea installation possible

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

The Weir Pump

ADVANTAGES - 3
• Axial flow impeller increases stable gas handling
capacity to 90% vol.
• Impeller design compromise between:
– developing sufficient hydraulic head per stage &
– preventing centrifugal fluid separation leading to gas
locking
• Gas slugs handled without mechanical damage
– constant power turbine rapidly alters speed when
load changed due to varying fluid mixture densities

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies

 Lecture Summary
During this lecture we have:
• Described the concept, implications for the well
completion and advantages of using high pressure fluid
as a power source.
• Explained the mode of operation of the:
– Jet pump;
– Weir Multiphase pump;
– Hydraulic Piston pump.
• Identified their advantages and disadvantages.

Revised 2010 HWU MSc. PT - David Davies