Effect of Fluid Over Pump Intake on the

Rod Pumping System Performance

M. Ghareeb
SPE Artificial Lift and Gas Well Deliquificaton
Technical Section
 Thanks
For
Supporting
SPE Egyptian Section
M Ghareeb 2
Outline

• Introduction
• Well Completion and Pump Intake Depth
• Bottom Hole Production Including Free Gas
• Fluid at Pump Intake
• Case Studies
• Conclusions and Recommendations

M Ghareeb 3
 Introduction
What is the Goal in a Well with Artificial Lift?
Maximize profit
$
• Maximize reservoir recovery
• Maximize production (without damaging the reservoir)
• Managed lifting cost

What are the operator’s challenges to achieved this goal

• Maintain a high producing efficiency in the lifting system operations

• Maximize the Output of Artificial Lift System for the Long-Term Profitability

• Ensure equipment producing optimally

• Minimize equipment downtime
• Minimize intervention frequency
M Ghareeb 4
Typical Reciprocating Rod Pumping System

M Ghareeb 5
 Subsurface Pump Loads and Operation Vs Pressures
• Sucker pump valves open from pressure and close from flow
• TV opens when the pump chamber pressure exceeds the hydrostatic pressure
• SV opens when pump chamber pressure is less than the pump intake pressure

Pwh Plift = Pdis – Pint

Pcs

Pdis Pump
Pint

Pwf M Ghareeb 6
 Fluid Over Pump and System Efficiency

System Efficiency Pt
Pt Pt
Pt

• Reservoir Producing Rate Pc Pc Pc

Pc
Efficiency

• Mechanical Efficiency

• Electrical Efficiency
Gas

What is High Efficiency?

FL
Fluid over
pump
Oil

Pump

M Ghareeb 7
Well Completion and Pump Intake Depth

M Ghareeb 8
Selective Under Packer Pumping Well Completion

M Ghareeb 9
Bottom Hole Production Including Free Gas

1200

1000

Stock tank barrel

800 Reservoir barrel
Pressure, psi

Total reservoir fluid ( Liquid plus gas)

600

400

200

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Flow rate,bpd

M Ghareeb 10
Case Study : Well 4X Western Desert of Egypt
2000.0
PIP Q Rs Bg Bo Vo Vg % FREE 5 % of Free Gas Total Fluid
PSI STB/D SCF/STB RB/MCF RB/STB RB/D RB/D GAS RB/D RB/D
300 243 86.5 10.5 1.09 256 718 73.6 36 292
1800.0
50 260 31.2 65.22 1.076 280 5407 94.8 270 550
1600.0 100

1400.0
80 % Free Gas VS Pressure
PWF; FLOWING PRESSURE (Psi)

60
1200.0
Pwf, Psia Q, BPD
%
40
1800 0
1000.0 500 215.7 20
450 223.6
400 230.8 0 PSI
800.0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500
350 237.3
300 243.7
600.0
250 248.0
200 252.2
400.0 150 255.7 To gain 17 BOPD
100 258.5
pump should displace
200.0 50 260.5
0 261.8 +258 BFPD
0.0
0.0 50.0 100.0 150.0 200.0 250.0 300.0
PRODUCTIOPN RATE (BPD)
M Ghareeb 11
Pump Displacement VS Operating Parameters

Where:
V = Pump displacement, bbl/day ( At pump depth /condition)
Sp = Plunger effective stroke length , in
N = (SPM) Pumping speed, strokes/min
D = Plunger diameter, in
Meff = mechanical efficiency
Veff = Volumetric efficiency

Q = V/Bo
Q = Production rate (STB/Day )
Bo = Oil formation volume bbl/STB

M Ghareeb 12
 Case Study : Well 4X Western Desert of Egypt
Pint, 300 PSI Pint, 50 PSI
Prediction of Rod Pumping System Performance Power Required (hp) 27.51 64.04
by SROD v8.6.0 Pumping Unit C640-305-144
Surface maximum load (lbs) 20571 24162
Water Rate 0 BWPD Surface minimum load (lbs) 9065 6253
Gas Oil Ratio 350 SCF/STB Average Pumping Speed (SPM) 6.61 11.28

Bottomhole Temperature 190 oF Cycle/ Day 9518 16243

Structure Load (% of Rating) 67.4 79.2
Bubble Point 500 PSI
Computed Surface Stroke (in) 145.9
Oil Weight 35 oAPI
In-balance Max Torque (m in-lbs) 490.5 686.1
Gas Specific Gravity 0.8 air =1 In-balance Gearbox Load % 76.6 107.2
Pump Diameter (in) 1.75
Pump Fillage (%) 100
Net Pump Stroke (in) 123.9 135.3
Net bpd at 100% pump efficiency 293 545
Rod Type API D
API rod string Size 86
Max Stress (psi) 26064 30637
Min Stress (psi) 11670 8089
Rod Loading 61 89
Service Factor 1

M Ghareeb 13
Fluid Over Pump – System Performance
Operating Parameters
LOAD
Uniform loading reduces maintenance. Loads
• Structural
• Torque

LIFE

Shorter MTBF Cycles

1 SPM = 1440 cycles/D

LIFE

For + 17 BPD +
6725 Cycles / Day
Power
M Ghareeb 14
Total Fluid at Pump Intake

2250
4500.0

2000
4000.0

1750
3500.0
Pwf: Pressure at Wellhead

1500
3000.0

1250
2500.0
(psi)

1000
2000.0

750
1500.0

500
1000.0

250
500.0
0
0.0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Rate (bpd )
M Ghareeb 15
Fluid Over Pump – System Performance

Situation will be worst for deviated and horizonal wells

M Ghareeb 16
Fluid Over Pump – System Performance

• In the Downstroke , gas inside the pump

must be compressed to create a pressure
higher than the hydrostatic head on top of
the traveling valve before the valve will open.

• This causes back pressure on the rod,

resulting in a rod buckling problems lead to
primarily tubing and rod failure and pump
failure.

M Ghareeb 17
Case Study 2
Maximum Load at Surface as Function of Fluid over Pump

35000

30000
Maximum Load at Surface, Ib

25000

20000

2.25" Pump
15000
2" Pump
1.5" Pump
10000

5000

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Fluid over pump, ft
M Ghareeb 18
Case Study 3

Net Pump Stroke as Function of Fluid over Pump

140

138 2.25" Pump

2" Pump
136 1.5" Pump
Net Pump Stroke (in)

134

132

130

128

126

124

122
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Fluid over pump, ft
M Ghareeb 19
 Conclusions and Recommendations

• The Perception of reducing the fluid level over the pump will result in maximize
well production and system overall efficiency is not always true.

• Predicting the total fluid volume at pump intake condition is very important in
operating the system at the optimum parameters for maximum outputs
(production and operating costs) .

• Maintain a high pump volumetric efficiency for maximum oil recovery required
eliminate the volume of free Gas at Pump intake

M Ghareeb 20
Thanks for Your Time and Deep Appreciation for Attendance

Questions

M Ghareeb 21
Fluid Over Pump – System Performance
Operating Parameters
Upstroke forces* LOAD
+Weight of rod string (WRod) Loads
• Structural
+Weight of fluid column (WFluid)
• Torque
+Flow resistance (Fflow)
LIFE
= Peak Polished Rod Load (PPRL)

Downstrokeforces* Cycles
+Weight of rod string(WRod) Strokes per Minute (SPM)
(1 SPM = 1440 cycles/day)
–Flow resistance(Fflow)
LIFE For + 17 BPD
= Minimum Polished Rod Load (MPRL) + 6725 Cycles

*Ignores inertial forces and elasticity effects

M Ghareeb
Power 22
High Efficiency Reduces Equipment Operating Costs
• Operating the pumping unit, a portion of the time subjects the unit to less wear and tear.
• Reduced shock loading results in decreased rod buckling, pump wear, tubing wear, excessive rod
loading changes and pumping unit vibration.
• Reduction of shock loading reduces maintenance costs.
 Maintaining High Efficiency
in Sucker Rod Lift Operations Results in:
• Reduced Electrical Costs
• Reduced Mechanical Operating Expense.
• Increased in Oil and Gas Production.
• Longer Run Times Before Failure.
• Fatigue failures are progressive and begin as small stress cracks that grow under the action of cyclic
stresses. The stresses associated with this failure have a maximum value that is typically less than the
yield strength of the sucker rod

1. Uniform loading of pump and pumping unit

reduces maintenance.

M Ghareeb 25