Artificial Lift

Artificial lift is the process by which oil

wells are assisted to flow, when the
reservoir pressure is not sufficient to lift the
wells naturally.

i.e. a well is lifted artificially
Objectives
You should be able to:

Describe what artificial lift is.
Describe alternative artificial lift techniques
and how they work
List the advantages & disadvantages of each
system
Selection of Artificial Lift
Main considerations include:
Reservoir parameters (pressure, PI, water cut,
sand, GOR)
Well parameters (deviation, completion design)
Location (onshore/offshore)
Cost
Reliability
Local experience, availability of resources,
workover possibilities, standardization
Questions to Ask
Is a source of gas available?
Is power available?
How deep?
Is the well deviated?
What are the target production rates?
Is water a problem?
Is scale present?
Main types of Artificial Lift
Beam Pump or Sucker Rod
Hydraulic Pumping,
Electric Submersible Pump
Progressive Cavity Pump
Continuous Flow Gas Lift

Major Forms of Artificial Lift
Rod Pump
Tubing
Anchor
Rod Pump
Hydraulic
Pump
Submersible
Electric
Pump
Progressive-
Cavity Pump
Pump
Armored
Cable
Pump
Electric
Motor
Lubricator
Electronic
Controller
Control
Equipment
Gas-Lift
Valve
Packer
Standing
Valve
(Optional)
Plunger
Bumper
Spring
Tubing
Stop
Floater/
Stator
Sucker
Rod
Catcher
w/ Arrival
Sensor
Drive
Head
Plunger Lift
Gas Lift
Gas lift
Process by which gas is injected into the
tubing, to reduce the hydrostatic head and
thus reduce the bottom hole following
pressure.
Gas lift can be continuous (most common)
or intermittent
Gas is injected through gas lift valves, set in
side pocket mandrels
Gas Lifted
Well
Kick-off (Continuous)
Gas Lift
Advantages
No volume constraints
No solids problems
Low life cycle cost
No deviation constraints
No GOR limits
Disadvantages
Requires high pressure gas
Inefficient at low rates
Limited drawdown
capability
Requires integral casing
Safety aspects of high
pressure gas
Beam Pumping
Also known as rod pumping or sucker-rod
pumping and recognized by nodding donkeys
As motor turns at surface, the horse head moves
up and down, reciprocating down hole pump
On upstroke, traveling valve closes, standing valve
opens - oil enters well and is lifted to surface
On down stroke, traveling valve opens, standing
valve closes - oil is driven above the traveling
valve in the tubing
Beam Pumping
Advantages
Simple system
Reliable
Very low pressures
achievable
Flexible
Cheap
Easy pump
replacement
Disadvantages
Deviation limited
Cannot handle high
amounts of solids or high
GOR
Depth limit (2000m)
Cannot be used offshore
Obtrusive
Cannot handle high rates
Electrical Submersible Pumps
Rotating impeller pumps submerged in the
well and driven by an electric motor
Each pump can be designed specifically for
rates and pressures in a specific well
Once in place, rate can be varied by
adjusting power to motor
ESP with
Y-Tool
Electrical Submersible Pumps
Advantages
Can handle high
volumes
Unobtrusive
Simple to operate
No deviation problem
Cheap
Rapid hook-up
Disadvantages
Requires source of
electricity
Impractical in shallow,
low rate wells
Electric cable unreliable
Cannot handle high
amounts of solids or high
GOR
Inflexible
Minimum rate 25m
3
/d
Hydraulic Pumping
Pump a hydraulic fluid (dead oil) down hole to an
engine, which drives a pump and both fluids
return to surface
Pump is run on tubing or can be set in tubing
Similar system called the Jet pump has no
moving parts and converts pressure into kinetic
energy through a nozzle (Bernoulli Principle)
Hydraulic Pumping
Jet Pump Hydraulic Pumps
Hydraulic Pumping
System
Hydraulic Pumping
Advantages
No depth limit
No deviation problem
Unobtrusive
Flexible
Easy pump change out
Low pressures
achievable
Disadvantages
Requires power fluid
Cannot handle high
amounts of solids or
high GOR
Relative Advantages of Artificial-Lift Systems (1 of 2)
Rod Pumping Hydraulic Electric Gas Lift Hydraulic Plunger Progressive-
Piston Submersible Jet Pump Lift Cavity Pumps
Pumping Pumping


Relatively simple Not so depth limited- Can lift extremely Can withstand Retrievable Retrievable Some types are
system design. can lift large volumes high volumes. large volume of without pulling without pulling retrievable with
from great depths. 20,000 bbl/d solids with minor tubing. tubing. rods.
Units easily
changed to other
wells with minimal
cost.

Efficient, simple
and easy for field
people to operate.

Applicable to
slim holes
and multiple
completions.

Can pump a well
down to very low
pressure (depth and
rate dependent).

System usually is
naturally vented for
gas separation and
fluid level soundings.

Flexible-can match
displacement rate
to well capability as
well declines.

Analyzable.
500 bbl/d (79.49 m
3
/d)
from 15,000 ft (4572 m)
have been installed
to 18,000 ft (5,486.4 m).

Crooked holes present
minimal problems

Unobtrusive in urban
locations.

Power source can be
remotely located.

Analyzable.

Flexible-can usually
match displacement
to well's capability as
well declines.

Can use gas or
electricity as power
source.

Downhole pumps can
be circulated out in
free systems.
Currently lifting +
120,000 bbl/d
(19,068m
3
/d) from
water supply wells
in Middle East with
600-hp (448-kW)
units; 720-hp
(537-kW). Available;
1000-hp (746-kW)
under development.

Unobtrusive in
urban locations.

Simple to operate.

Easy to install
downhole pressure
sensor for
telemetering
pressure to surface
by cable.

Crooked holes
present no problem.

Applicable offshore.
Handles large
volume in high-PI
wells (continous
lift). 50,000 bbl/d
(7949.37 m
3
/d)

Fairly flexible-
convertible from
continuous to
intermittent to
chamber or plunger
lift as well declines.

Unobtrusive in
urban locations.

Power source can
be remotely located.

Easy to obtain
downhole pressures
and gradients.

Lifting gassy wells
is no problem.

Sometimes
serviceable with
wireline unit.
No moving parts.

No problems in
deviated or
crooked holes.

Unobtrusive in
urban locations.

Applicable
offshore.

Can use water as
a power source.

Power fluid does
not have to be as
clean as for
hydraulic piston
pumping.

Corrosion scale
emulsion
treatment easy to
perform.
Very
inexpensive
installation.

Automatically
keeps tubing
clean of
paraffin,
scale.

Applicable for
high gas-oil
ratio wells.

Can be used
in conjunction
with intermittent
gas lift.

Can be used
to unload liquid
from gas wells.
Moderate cost.

Low profile.

Can use
downhole
electric motors
that can withstand
sand and viscous
fluid.

High electrical
efficiency.
Relative Advantages of Artificial-Lift Systems (2 of 2)
Rod Pumping Hydraulic Electric Gas Lift Hydraulic Plunger Progressive-
Piston Submersible Jet Pump Lift Cavity Pumps
Pumping Pumping

Can lift high-
temperature
and viscous oils

Can use gas or
electricity as power
source.

Corrosion and scale
treatments easy to
perform.

Applicable to
pump-off control
if electrified.

Availability of
different sizes.

Hollow sucker rods
are available for
slimhole
completions and
ease of inhibitor
treatment.

Have pumps with
double valving that
pump on both
upstroke and
downstroke.


Can pump a well
down to fairly low
pressure.

Applicable to multiple
completions.

Applicable offshore.

Closed system will
combat corrosion.

Easy to pump in
cycles by time clock.

Adjustable gear box
for triplex offers more
flexibility.

Mixing power fluid
with waxy or viscous
crudes can reduce
viscosity.
Corrosion and
scale treatment
easy to
perform.

Availability in
different size.

Lifting cost for
high volumes
generally
very low.
Crooked holes
present no
problem.

Corrosion is not
usually as
adverse.

Applicable
offshore.
Power source
can be remotely
located and can
pump high
volumes to
30,000 bbl/d
(4769.623 m
3
/d).
Relative Disadvantages of Artificial-Lift Systems 1 of 2
Rod Pumping Hydraulic Electric Gas Lift Hydraulic Plunger Progressive
Piston Submersible Jet Pump Lift Cavity Pumps
Pumping Pumping

Crooked holes
present a friction
problem.

High solids
production is
troublesome.

Gassy wells
usually lower
volumetric
efficiency.

Depth is limited,
primarily based
on rod capability.

Obtrusive in
urban locations.

Heavy and bulky
in offshore
operations.

Susceptible to
paraffin
problems.

Tubing cannot
be internally
coated for
corrosion.
Power oil systems
are a fire hazard.


Large oil inventory
required in power
oil system, which
detracts from
profitability.

High solids
production is
troublesome.

Operating costs are
sometimes higher.

Usually susceptible
to gas interference-
usually not vented.

Vented installations
are more expensive
because of extra
tubing required.

Treating for scale
below packer is
difficult.

Not easy for field
personnel to
troubleshoot.
Not applicable to
multiple completions.

Only applicable with
electric power.

High voltages
(1000 V) are
necessary.

Impractical in shallow,
low-volume wells.

Expensive to change
equipment to match
declining well
capability.

Cable causes problems
with tubular handling.

Cables deteriorate in
high temperatures.

System is depth limited
to 10,000 ft (3048.0 m)
because of cable cost
and inability to install
enough power
downhole (depends
on casing size).
Lift gas is
not always
available.

Not efficient in
lifting small
fields or one-well
leases.

Difficult to lift
emulsions and
viscous crudes.

Not efficient for
small fields or
one-well leases
if compression
equipment is
required.

Gas freezing
and hydration
problems.

Problems with
dirty surface
lines.

Some difficulty
in analyzing
properly without
engineering
supervision.
May not take
well to depletion;
hence, eventually
requiring another
lift method.

Good for low-rate
wells only
normally less
than 299 bbl/d
(31.8 m/d).

Requires more
engineering
supervision to
adjust properly.

Plunger may
reach too high
a velocity and
cause surface
damage.

Communication
between tubing
and casing surface
required for good
operation unless
used in
conjunction with
gas lift.
Elastomers in
stator swell in
some well fluids.

POC is difficult.

Lose efficiency
with depth.

Rotating rods wear
tubing; windup and
afterspin of rods
increase with
depth.
Relatively
inefficient lift
method.

Requires at
least 20%
submergence to
approach best
lift efficiency.

Design of
system is
more complex.

Pump may
cavitate
under certain
conditions.

Very sensitive
to any change in
backpressure.

The producing
of free gas
through the
pump causes
reduction in
ability to pump
liquids.

Power oil
systems are a
fire hazard.
Relative Disadvantages of Artificial-Lift Systems( 2 of 2)
Rod Pumping Hydraulic Electric Gas Lift Hydraulic Plunger Progressive
Piston Submersible Jet Pump Lift Cavity Pumps
Pumping Pumping

H
2
S limits depth
at which a large-
volume pump
can be set.

Limitation of
down hole pump
design in small-
diameter casing.

Difficult to obtain
valid well tests in
low-volume wells

Requires two strings
of tubing for some
installations.

Problems in
treating power
water where used.

Safety problem for
high surface
pressure power oil.

Loss of power oil in
surface equipment
failure.

Gas and solids
production are
troublesome.

Not easily analyzable
unless good
engineering
experience is available.

Lack of production
rate flexibility.

Casing size limitation.

Cannot be set below
fluid entry without a
shroud to route fluid
by the motor. Shroud
also allows corrosion
inhibitor to protect
outside of motor.

More down-time
when problems are
encountered because
entire unit is down hole.
Cannot
effectively
produce deep
wells to
abandonment.

Requires makeup
gas in relative
systems.

Casing must
withstand lift
pressure.

Safety is a
problem with
high-pressure
gas.
High surface
power fluid
pressures are
required.

Summary

Defined what artificial lift is
Discussed the 4 main types used
Gas lift
Beam Pumps.
Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP)
Hydraulic Pumps
Listed the advantages & disadvantages of
each system