SPE-177272-MS

Replacement of ESP with Long Stroke Pumping Units in Heavy and High
Viscous Oil in Maranta Block Wells
D. B. Sarmiento, and J. W. Prada, Weatherford; H. M. Quiros, J. Mora, and D. Sun, Emerald Energy

Copyright 2015, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference held in Quito, Ecuador, 18 –20 November
2015.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
Contribution of heavy oil in total oil production in Colombia has shown an increase year after year,
currently representing around 50% of the market. The challenge for Artificial Lift is to offer an efficient
design to obtaining an economical solution for wells of heavy oil with high pumping costs and failure rate.
Use of Long Stroke Pumping Units extends the operating range for reciprocation rod lift and represents
a cost-efficient alternative instead of electrical submersible pumps (ESP) to produce oil wells with low to
medium productions (up to a production rate of 1,500 STB/D) where operational and energetic optimi-
zation is needed. In wells with a high frequency of failures, long stroke pumping units can reduce rod
failure, prevents pump problems, increases run lifes, and reduce workover costs.
Since March 2014, four artificial lift conversions to Beam Pumping were implemented in Maranta
Block achieving significant reductions in operation and intervention costs compared to artificial lift
system previously installed in each well (Electric Submersible Pumps - ESP). These savings are mainly
represented by reducing of electric consumption around 79% and increasing run life 2.8 times that result
in less production losses and workover costs considering fewer corrective interventions.

Introduction
Maranta block is located in the southwest of Colombia in Putumayo department, all wells are exploratory
wells and had been completed and tested with ESP (Electric Submersible Pumps) in N-Villeta and
U-Villeta formations over 10,000 ft of depth. Oil properties from N-Villeta indicate heavy oil with API
gravity of 15°, high viscosity and high asphaltene precipitation tendency, also inorganic solids has been
detected in production fluids. U-Villeta formation has a light oil of 33° API gravity, with high water cut
(over 80%), high salt content (over 100,000 mg/l) and high scale formation tendency.
The wells objects of these tets were Agapanto 1, Agapanto 2, Mirto 1 and Mirto 4 tested in N-Villeta
formation. Fluid properties are shown in Table 1.

ESP Application
Initially, ESP system was used as artificial lift for production in the long term test; the ESP performance
was poor in the majority of the wells of Maranta Block, with low run life, early failures; high cost by well
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Table 1—Fluid Properties of Wells (N-Villeta Formation)

Property Mirto 1 Mirto 4 Agapanto 1 Agapanto 2

°API @60°F 15,2 16 18 18

% BSW 0,2% 0,4% 0,53% 0,1%
Viscosity @78°F (cp) 161.000 105.232 7.105 7.105

services and production losses. In Figures 1 and 2 are showns interventions made in Agapanto and Mirto
fields, average runlife achieved for each well were 56 days for Agapanto 1, 149 days for Agapanto 2, 114
days for Mirto 1 and 36 days for Mirto 4.

Figure 1—Interventions in wells of Agapanto Field

Figure 2—Interventions in wells of Mirto Field

The causes of failures in ESP were associated with:

1. Handle of heavy oil in combination with asphaltenes and inorganic precipitates (Figure 3 to 6
shows organic and inorganic compounds found in ESP system)
SPE-177272-MS 3

Figure 3—Organic compounds in ESP system

Figure 4 —Organic and inorganic compounds in check valve, ESP system

Figure 5—Organic precipitates inside bag chamber

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Figure 6 —Inorganic precipitates on Pump stages

2. High loads on ESP motor

3. High pump seating depth
4. Pump size limited by casing diameter
5. Low productivity index (PI), and
6. Electrical shut downs
At flow rates below 1,000 STB/D, ESP exhibit low efficiencies (less than 50% at the best efficiency
point). Low efficiencies imply high power consumption and higher heat generation, which lead to higher
costs and lower run life. Due to changing well conditions, the ESP’s operating point can deviate from the
recommended operating range and settle within a very low efficiency zone, reducing run lifes.
Based on low reliability of ESP systems in Maranta wells conditions, a technical analysis was
performed in order to evaluate the applicability of all artificial lift systems options in wells of Maranta
block; the results of this analysis indicated:
1. ESP shows like one of advisable options with the limitation of solids handling and low flow rates.
Moreover, ESP system has the disadvantage that requires high energy consumption.
2. Jet pump was other of advisable options, but it needs additional surface facilities for power fluid
handling (water), and higher surface horsepower requirements that ESP and higher equipment
cost. On the other hand, asphaltene and scale precipitation could be a problem plugging up the
pump intake.
3. Beam pump evaluation has the uncertainty of viscosity curve simulation and the limitation of
potential tubing/rod wear by friction; load capacity of surface pumping unit and rod string are
limited by depth and production rate. However, beam pump has the advantage that requires the
lowest energy consumption.
4. Application of PCP (Progressive Cavity Pumps) shows the limitation of potential tubing/rod wear
by friction, in addition PCP has the disadvantage that pump discharge operating pressure is close
to the maximum admissible; whence a low run life is expected for this system
5. Gas Lift system was dismissed because there is no gas available in the field.
6. ESPCP system was dismissed by the high loads on downhole components (the gearbox, thrust
bearing and pump), additional issues on seal protectors by asphaltene precipitation.
According to this analysis the operator company takes the decision to test beam pump with long stroke
pumping units on Maranta block wells.
SPE-177272-MS 5

Beam Pump Application

The use of reciprocating rod lift systems had the objective to evaluate an artificial lift system that could
be able to offer more reliability and fewer failures than ESP, reducing the cost by correctives jobs and
production losses.
The main concern about beam pumping test was associated to fluid characteristics, because of heavy
oil with high viscosity and high asphaltene precipitation tendency. In Figures 7 and 8 are shown the oil
viscosity curves of Agapanto and Mirto wells.

Figure 7—Viscosity curve Agapanto wells

Figure 8 —Viscosity curve Mirto wells

The surface pumping units selected were Long Stroke Pumping Units with 125 Hp Nema B electric
motors and 150 Hp variable frecuency drivers. The design and technology of Rotaflex units offer a longer
stroke length than a conventional pumpjack (288 to 366 inches vs. 240 inches) allowing the same gross
displacement as a conventional unit, but at lower pumping speed, which is especially effective for heavy
oil applications.
Long stroke pumping units offer an alternative lift option that promises higher efficiencies and better
cost-effectiveness compared to ESP for low-to medium-volume wells. Unlike an ESP, the Rotaflex motor
is at the surface and does not need to be pulled, which makes repairs easier and less expensive. In wells
6 SPE-177272-MS

producing 4.000 bpd or less (depending on depth, figure 9), the Rotaflex unit often makes using sucker
rod pumps more efficient than using ESP.

Figure 9 —Production Capabilities of Long Stroke Pumping units

The long stroke lenght and the ability to work at very low cycles per minute allow complete filling of
the pump and lower dynamic loads, this result on higher pumping efficiencies. The constant speed and
lower number of pumping cycles results in fewer acceleration-deceleration cycles, less stress on the
equipment, minor tubing wearing, reduces the structural load on the equipment and extends the run life
of the pump unit, the downhole pump and rod string.
In these equipments the motor drives a gearbox wich in turn transmits the rotational movement to the
lower sprocket that drives a chain at a relatively constant speed. This chain travels around the lower and
upper sprockets (Figure 10). The counterweight consists in a box attached to one of the links of the chain
by the mechanical reversing mechanism, and this moves with chain in upstroke and downstroke. The
weigh box is also connected to a heavy-duty load belt wich in turn is attached to polished rod carrier bar.
This belt runs around a roller at the top of the high mast of unit. In this way, in upstroke the counterweight
goes down while in downstroke counterweight goes up.
The mechanical design of long stroke pumping unit eliminates the beam and cranks; the short torque
arm, (which is the radius of the driving sprocket ⬙18 in⬙), reduces the torque demand significantly and
allows the use of a smaller prime mover and gear reducer than a conventional unit, for a given application.
High strength 108 rod string manufactured with 4138M chrome-moly steel was used to provide an
ultrahigh load rating required to lift the volume of heavy fluid from pump intake depth. The special alloy
steel provides resistance to sulfide–stress cracking. The rod strig was oversized because of:
1. Uncertainty in friction losses by viscosity that could increase pressure in tubing and loads in sucker
rods
2. Flow restriction by viscosity of fluids
3. Compression strengths that cause rod strig flotation
4. Damping factors were selected contrasting with others heavy oil applications in the Country, but
remained the uncertainty that viscosity curve could not be simulate in design software.
SPE-177272-MS 7

Figure 10 —Schematic of Long Stroke Pumping Unit

All wells are deviated with approximately 10,400 to 11,200 ft perforations depth and were completed
with 7 in production casing and 4-1/2 in production tubing. Figures 11 and 12 shows well geometry of
Agapanto 1 and Mirto 4, could being observed the grade of well deviation, the resulting contact loads are
shown in Figures 13 and 14, according to this was designed sucker rod centralization.
8 SPE-177272-MS

Figure 11—Well geometry Agapanto-01

Figure 12—Well geometry Mirto-04

Figure 13—Side Loads and dogled severity Agapanto-01

SPE-177272-MS 9

Figure 14 —Side Loads and dogled severity Mirto-04

Insert pump was preferred over the tubing pump owing to the feasibility for downhole intervention,
insert pump could be runned and pulled with the sucker rod string without the requierement of tubing
service; (workover or well services rig); the pump was assembled with full flow cages that maximize the
flow area throughout the pump for optimal fluid recovery and low friction losses through the pump, Table
2 detail equipment installed in each well.

Table 2—Beam pump equipment Installed.

Field Test Results

All wells had positive results in rate production, because the systems could maintain the production
achieved with previous artificial lift system.
The long stroke pumping unit provides greater operational efficiency than ESPs at similar depths,
requiring less power input and demonstrating greater tolerance to cyclic operations caused by changing
reservoir conditions. ESPs presented premature failures in cyclic operational conditions for the following
reasons:
1. Premature ESP Protector Failure: Cyclic operation causes thermal cycles and flexure cycles on
bag-type ESP protectors. Thermal and pressure cycles cause fluid movement within labyrinth type
10 SPE-177272-MS

protectors, which accelerates contamination of the motor oil, causing imminent protector thrust
bearing and motor failure.
2. ESP Motor Overheating: Motor cooling is highly dependent on the velocity of the fluid passing the
downhole motor. In cyclic operations ESP motors are more susceptible to failure by overheating
due to increased peak power requirements coupled with intermittent lower flow rates.
Additional benefits were got because of the improved geometry of Long Strokes Pumping Units like
reduction of wearing effect on sucker rod strings and rod pumps components. Compressive efforts
(buckling) and rod floating were reduced too because of lower pumping velocities handled.
With a cost of energy generation of 0.2 USD per KWH/day, the saving by daily electric use in the four
wells is around $1,885.60 USD/day, which represents $526,082.40 USD of saving at the time the project.
In addition considering the reduction in interventions services in ESP by run life increments in all wells.

Agapanto 1
The installation date was March 31 of 2014, pump intake was located to 7043.37 ft, and the system was
operating to 2.7 strokes per minute to produce 306 BFPD.
In Figure 15 is shown the most recent surface and downhole dynamometer cards, we can observe gas
in compression pump chamber that cause an important reduction in effective plunger stroke; The peak
polished rod load – PPRL, beam loading and rod string loading are within normal operating parameters.

Figure 15—Dynamometer Card of Agapanto-01

In Figure 16 is shown fluid level over pump and production behavior, pump submergence shows
decrease tendency along all production period. Was necessary to reduce strokes per minute to adjust the
extraction capacity to the actual well productivity.
SPE-177272-MS 11

Figure 16 —Agapanto-01 Production and fluid above pump.

To April 1 of 2015, the run time for Agapanto 1 was 343 days, of wich 23 days the operation was
stopped because of limitations in the storage capacity by Colombian farmers strike. As can be shown in
intervention history (Figure 1) the average run lifes with ESP system for Agapanto 1 was 56 days, which
result in an increase in run life of six times. It is important to note that there were no problems restarting
the operation after the stop period or was not necessary to circulate diluent neither.
In Table 3 could be noted that average energy savings in Agapanto 1 are around 1500 KWH/day, these
represent 70% of savings in energy comsumtion for this well. This arises as results in part of smaller motor
required due to the constant torque arm and velocities in upstroke and downstroke; but also by the higher
efficiency that can be achieved with long stroke pumping units.

Table 3—Energy consumption

Mirto 1 Mirto 4 Agapanto 1 Agapanto 2

Production rate (bfpd): 180 345 246 271

FLAP (ft): 357 316 292 391
Daily electr.use (KWH/day): 530 659 641 585
Daily electr.use ESP (KWH/day): 3500 3808 2120 NA
Save in Daily electr.use (KWH/day): 2970 3149 1479 NA
Save in Daily electr.use (%): 85% 83% 70% NA

Agapanto 2
The installation date was May 17 of 2014, pump intake was located to 7,731.85 ft, and the system was
operating to 2.7 strokes per minute to produce 313 BFPD.
In Figure 17 is shown the most recent surface and dounhole dynamometer cards, we can observe a good
condition in pump; The peak polished rod load – PPRL, beam loading and rod string loading are within
normal operating parameters.
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Figure 17—Dynamometer Card of Agapanto-02

In Figure 18 is shown fluid level over pump and production behavior, pump submergence shows
decrease tendency along all production period. Was necessary to reduce strokes per minute to adjust the
extraction capacity to the actual well productivity.

Figure 18 —Agapanto-02 Production and fluid above pump.

To April 1 of 2015, the run time for Agapanto 2 was 321 days (Figure 1), compared to 149 days with
ESP system, this represents an increase in run life of 215%.
There are no measures of energy consumption for Agapanto 2 with ESP system in villeta N formation.
SPE-177272-MS 13

Mirto 1
The installation date was May 18 of 2014, pump intake was located to 7,938.7 ft, and the system was
operating to 2.3 strokes per minute to produce 308 BFPD.
In Figure 19 is shown the most recent surface and dounhole dynamometer cards, we can observe fluid
pound; The peak polished rod load – PPRL, beam loading and rod string loading are within normal
operating parameters.

Figure 19 —Dynamometer Card of Mirto-01

In Figure 20 is shown fluid level over pump and production behavior, pump submergence shows
decrease tendency along all production period. Was necessary to reduce strokes per minute to adjust the
extraction capacity to the actual well productivity.

Figure 20 —Mirto-01 Production and fluid above pump

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To April 1 of 2015, the run time for Mirto 1 was 275 days; As can be shown in intervention history
(Figure 2) the average run lifes with ESP system was 125 days, so that the run life achieved with beam
pumping results in an increase of 220%.
In Table 3 could be noted that average energy savings in Mirto 1 are around 2970 KWH/day, these
represent 85% of savings in energy comsumtion for this well.

Mirto 4
The installation date was April 4 of 2014, pump intake was located to 7138.4 ft, and the system was
operating to 2.3 strokes per minute to produce 327 BFPD.
In Figure 21 is shown the most recent surface and dounhole dynamometer cards of Mirto 4, we can
observe gas in compression pump chamber, but a good pump fillage. The peak polished rod load – PPRL,
beam loading and rod string loading are within normal operating parameters.

Figure 21—Dynamometer Card of Mirto-04

In Figure 22 is shown fluid level over pump and production behavior, pump submergence shows
decrease tendency along all production period. Was necessary to reduce strokes per minute to adjust the
extraction capacity to the actual well productivity.
SPE-177272-MS 15

Figure 22—Mirto-04 Production and fluid above pump.

To April 1 of 2015, the run time for Mirto 04 was 337 days, of wich 23 days the operation was stopped
because of limitations in the storage capacity by Colombian farmers strike. Average run life with ESP
system was 36 days, so that the run life achieved with beam pumping results in 9.3 times the one for ESP.
(Figure 2). As the same way that in Agapanto 1 and Mirto 01 wells, there were no problems restarting the
operation after the stop period or was not necessary to circulate diluent neither.
In Table 3 could be noted that average energy savings in Mirto 4 are around 3150 KWH/day, these
represent 83% of savings in energy comsumtion for this well.

Conclusion
Project data shows that for artificial lift optimization in Maranta block for wells selected, beam pumping
was able to maintain the same or even overcome the flow rate achieved with ESP with less than half of
power consumption.
The average run life in the four wells object of this test is 254 days, compared with 91 days of average
run life for ESP System; this increment leads to saving in well service and avoiding production losses.
Reductions in operational cost around USD were obtained with Long Stroke Pumping Units imple-
mentation, the savings are represented by:
1. Decrease of 79% of energetic requirement.
2. Increase in average run life in 2.8 times
3. Savings in maintenance cost.
4. Importan Reduction in downtime
This application represents an important advance in use of beam pumping in wells of heavy oils and
highly viscous fluid.

References
1. Antoniolli, M., Stocco, A.; ⬙Long Stroke Pumping System Improves the Energy Efficiency of the
Production⬙, The Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Buenos
Aires, Argentina, 15-18 April, 2007.
2. Zatka, Mirko J.; ⬙Long-Stroke Pumping System at Shell Canada’s Peace River Multilateral
Thermal Wells⬙. SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium held in
Bakersfield, California, 17–19 March 1999
16 SPE-177272-MS

3. Sarmiento D.B., Herrera J.F., Caicedo M.R.; ⬙Operational Cost Saving through Artificial Lift
Optimization with Long Stroke Pumping Units in Fields of Cravo Viejo Block⬙; SPE Artificial
Lift Conference-Americas held in Cartagena, Colombia 21-22 May 2013
4. Molotkov, Roman; Electric Submersible Pumping Systems vs. Long-Stroke Pumping Units: an
Economical Comparison in Lower-Volume Wells
5. Nercesian F., Fernandez Castro H., Grande R., Saiz J.; Uso de Unidades de Bombeo de Carrera
Larga en Cerro Dragón
6. RODSTAR-D 3.5.0 Software.