Oil and Gas Wells Production operation and

Well Testing

Dr: Abozied Ahmed

Dr: Mohamed Ghareeb
Name: Hisham Mohamed Zaki Alsppagh
• When the production processes continue from the wells
for the production of oil and gas, we notice that with time
changes occur in the characteristics and productivity of
the well for petroleum materials, as with the passage of
time it decreases and the production of the well is
affected, and we note that the oil production decreases
and the percentage of production of each of (gases or
water) increases Or the occurrence of a drought in the
reservoir or the production of wells has become
uneconomical and unprofitable) all of these are problems
facing the wells during oil production operations
 :

• Some of the most important problems facing production

wells:

• Scale problems
• Paraffins and Asphaltene Problems
• Emulsions Problems
• Hydrates Problems
• Corrosion Problems
• Sand Production Problem
• Well Plugging
 Scale problems
• It is a collection of excess salts due to the increase in the
salinity of the water produced with the oil, which leads to
the creation of very strong deposits of salts, which are
similar in strength to concrete and are deposited on the
wall of the inner tube and work to close the line with the
passage of time
 Scale problems
• Natural water contains minerals such as calcium,
potassium, and magnesium that float in it. Some water
sources contain high levels of the minerals present. These
minerals are the main reason for the formation of crusts in
wells, and if the crust is not removed, it will form in large
numbers and cause the entire reservoir to become
clogged. Scale problem affecting well productivity.
 Solve the problem
• The method used to remove scale depends on how advanced the buildup
is. Rinsing the tube can remove minor deposits. However, at some point,
excessive water pressure will not do the trick.

• Water soluble (NaCl NaCl): Inject fresh water into wells or production
facilities to dissolve water soluble scale

• When the scale is removed mechanically. We insert the pig's head down
into the tube and scrape the scale away. Leave the sides of the tube free of
scale. A water or oil rinse helps remove scale debris.

• Acid soluble (CaCo3): Inject acid into wells or production facilities to

dissolve soluble acid scale.

• When you're experiencing slow flow issues, call our team of pipe repair
professionals to have a look. A quick scan with the camera can determine
the cause of the slowdown and determine the best solution to fix it.
Paraffins and Asphaltene Problems
• Paraffins are high molecular weight (C20+) alkanes that
can accumulate as deposits in the well bore, in feedlines
and crude paraffin deposits are mixtures of these alkanes
and consist of very small crystals that usually agglomerate
to form granular particles and are deposited mainly on
pipes, surface facilities and inside the bore well, leading
to a gradual decrease in production over time as the
sediment thickens.
Paraffins and Asphaltene Problems
• Removing paraffin deposits:

Paraffin buildup is removed in ways that can

broadly be categorized into three categories:

• Mechanical removal of paraffin deposits

• Use solvents to remove paraffin deposits
• Use heat to melt and remove wax
 Paraffins and Asphaltene Problems
• Mechanical methods such as scrapers, knives, and other tools
are commonly used to remove paraffin deposits in a wellbore.
It can be very effective and relatively inexpensive.

• The most common solvent used to remove paraffin from tubing

and the area near the wellbore is crude oil.

• Hot oiling is the least expensive method, commonly used in

removing paraffin deposits from wells. The crude oil taken from
the bottoms of the tanks is heated to a temperature of 300
degrees Fahrenheit or more. This heated oil is then injected or
gravity introduced into the tube or (more commonly) annulus.
The high temperature causes the paraffin deposits to melt into
the injected crude oil, which is then produced back to the
surface.
 Asphaltenes Problems

• Asphaltenes are defined as the heaviest components of

petroleum fluids that are insoluble in light nalkanes such
as n-pentane (nC5) or n-heptane (NC7) but soluble in
aromatics such as toluene and benzene.

• Asphaltene precipitation or deposition can occur in

wellbores, pipelines, and surface facilities and is
undesirable because it reduces well productivity and limits
fluid flow.
 Hydrates Problems
• It is formed due to the presence of molecules of water
with natural gas that is transported in transmission lines.
The presence of water with gas leads to mixing of the
molecules of the two materials and changing the degree
of gas change.
 Hydrates Problems
•

• Injecting chemicals into the line that change and separate the water
from the gas and change the freezing point of the gas

• Controlling the (temperature) and (pressure) of the gas to prevent the

formation of hydrates, which is sometimes difficult to implement.

• Installing a (scraper) to remove water particles entering with the gas,

and that is sometimes the best solution is to install a (Knock Out)
device to separate hydrates and liquids from the gas
 Hydrates Problems

• Depressurization: Decreasing pressure equally on both

sides below the hydrate point and allowing time for the
hydrate to dissolve.

• Melting a plug with heat: Heat can be applied by

spraying steam on the line or electrical resistance heating.

• Pigging: Inserting the pigging tool is sufficient to remove

the hydrate from the pipeline.
 Corrosion Problems

• Metal corrodes when it reacts with another substance

such as oxygen, hydrogen, an electrical current or even
dirt and bacteria. Corrosion can also happen when
metals like steel are placed under too much stress causing
the material to crack
 Types of Corrosion :

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or Sweet Corrosion

• Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) or Sour Corrosion
• oxygen Corrosion
• Differential Aeration Cell
• Erosion Corrosion
• Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC)
• Corrosion Fatigue
 Corrosion Control

 Corrosion Control :-

• With a protective layer

• Electrical insulation
• We separate different minerals
• Cathodic protection
• Environmental factors
 Bacteria problem
• Bacterial Slime / cellular remnants etc. will physically plug
the formation pores if injected into the well.

• Iron Bacteria are aerobic bacterial, which can establish

themselves under an iron deposit that they form
themselves.

• Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) are anaerobic bacteria,

which are capable of producing large quantities of
hydrogen sulphide (H2S) when both the sulphate anion
(usually from sea water) and carbon source (crud oil) are
present in the absence of oxygen.
 Sand Production Problem
• The breakdown of the formation or the production of
sand can result in the following:

1. Casing damage due to formation slumping.

2. Plugging and erosion of down hole and surface
equipment.
3. Sand disposal problems.

• Appropriate measures should be taken either to handle or

avoid sand production.
 Sand Production Problem

• In most petroleum fields, sand production appears to be

continuous and the tolerable sand concentration
depends on operating limitations regarding separator
capacity, artificial lift, erosion, well location, and sand
dumping. In the case of oil wells, the permissible sand
cutting levels range from 6 g/m3 to 600 g/m3 and in the
case of gas wells this level is 16 kg/106 m3, but these
numbers can vary from case to case.
 Sand Production Problem
• Inside the wellbore, part of the resulting continuous sand
settles due to the increase in the depth of capture and
the closing of the production interval. To restore normal
production, a temporary cleaning procedure is adopted.
The volume of sand deposited in the wellbore can be up
to several cubic meters and depends on the wellbore
design.
 Sand Production Control

• Use of screens or slotted lines

• Gravel packing
• Pre-coated screens
• Resin coated gravel
• Resin/plastic consideration
• Sand traps