OIL RECOVERY BY ARTIFICIAL

LIFT METHODS (ALMs)

Key words
Artificial Lift Methods
Oil recovery
Selection criteria
Bottom hole pressure(BHP)
Drawdown
Production rate
Flowing well Pressure (FWP)
 INTRODUCTION
• Production of oil requires energy to lift the fluids
from the reservoir to the surface.
• Normally reservoir pressure and formation gas
provides enough energy for the naturally flowing
well to flow the reservoir fluids to the surface
• But as production continues, the natural
reservoir pressure declines, as such, additional
pressure is needed for more oil recovery which
can be provided by Artificial Lift Methods.
 ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHODS
• The commonly used ALMs include the following:
• Sucker rod pumping/beam pumping
• Gas lift(GL)
• Electrical submersible pumping(ESP)
• Hydraulic piston pumping(HPP)
• Plunger lift(PL)
• Progressing cavity pumping(PCP)
 SUCKER ROD PUMP
• Sucker rod pump is a positive displacement
pump which operates by transporting fluids from
a suction chamber to a discharge unit.
• It uses a mechanical force in form of pistons,
gears, bladders, diaphragms or plungers to
discharge liquid through the pump and out of it
• Rod pumping systems can be used to reduce BHP
such that a high pressure differential capable of
increasing production rates leading to improve oil
recovery is created in the wellbore
ADVANTAGES OF ROD PUMP SYSTEM

• High system efficiency

• Optimization controls available
• Economical to repair and service
• Positive displacement/strong drawdown
• Upgraded materials can reduce corrosion
concerns
• Flexibility and adjustable production through
stroke length and speed
 DISADVANTAGES OF ROD PUMP
SYSTEM
• Heavy equipment for offshore use
• Limited to relatively low production volumes,
less than 1,000 barrels per day.
• Friction in crooked/holes
• Pump wear with solids production (sand, wax,
etc)
• Obstructive in urban areas
• Down-hole corrosion inhibition difficult
 GAS LIFT SYSTEM
• Gas lift is the process by which gas at high
pressure is injected in between the tubing and
casing (annulus) using different subsurface
valves down to the depth of interest in order
to reduce the density of the produced fluid
column thereby lowering the BHP to pave way
for reservoir fluids to flow easily, leading to
increased flow rates and increased oil
recovery.
 PRINCIPLES OF GAS LIFT SYSTEM
• Expansion of the injection gas so that it pushes
liquid ahead and consequently reduces the
weight of fluid column thereby creating pressure
differential (drawdown) between the reservoir
and the wellbore which then lifts the oil to the
surface.
• Reduction of the fluid gradient so that the
pressure differential between reservoir and
wellbore will be enough to lift the fluid.
• Displacement of liquid slugs by large bubbles of
gas acting as pistons.
 TYPES OF GAS LIFT SYSTEM
• Continuous gas lift: This type of gas lift is a
steady-state system where gas is injected at a
constant rate of flow in order to lower the
density of the fluid column and the
hydrostatic component of the flowing BHP
thereby enabling the produced fluid (oil or
gas) to easily flow to the surface, especially for
wells with high BHP and high productivity
index (PI).
 TYPES OF GAS LIFT SYSTEM
• Intermittent gas lift: Here fluid is allowed to
accumulate and build up in the tubing at the
bottom of the well. High pressure gas is
injected into the liquid column on a cyclic or
intermittent basis generating a gas bubble
which expands pushing the liquid above it to
the surface in a slug. This method of gas lift is
suitable for low BHP and PI wells.
ADVANTAGES OF GAS LIFT SYSTEM

• Solids tolerant
• Large volumes in high productivity index(PI) wells
• Simple maintenance
• Remote power source
• Tolerant high well deviation/doglegs
• Tolerant high Gas Oil Ratio (GOR) reservoir fluids
DISADVANTAGES OF GAS LIFT SYSTEM
• Lift gas may not be available
• Casing must withstand lift gas pressure
• Not suitable for viscous crude oil or emulsions
• Susceptible to gas freezing/hydrates at low
temperatures
 ELECTRICAL SUBMERSIBLE PUMP
(ESP)
• ESPs are dynamic displacement and centrifugal
pumps which operates by transporting fluids
from inlet to outlet under the momentum
created by it. In principle, it generates energy
kinetic which is converted into pressure and then
transferred to fluids. ESP systems can be used in
high-angle and horizontal wells if placed in
straight or vertical sections of the well, and as the
name implies it is submerged into the reservoir
fluids and moves the fluid to the surface.
 ADVANTAGES OF ESP SYSTEM
• High volume and depth capacity
• High efficiency over 1,000 BPD
• Low maintenance
• Minimal surface equipment requirements
• High resistance to corrosive down-hole
environments
• Use in deviated wells and vertical wells with
doglegs
 DISADVANTAGES OF ESP SYSTEM
• Not suitable for shallow, low volume wells
• Full work over required to change pump
• Gas and solids intolerant
• Increased production casing size often required
• Cable deteriorates at high temperatures
• Cable susceptible to damage during installation
with tubing
• Poor ability to pump sand
 HYDRAULIC PISTON PUMP(HPP)
• Hydraulic piston pump is a positive displacement
pump which makes use of a set of pistons parallel
to the input shaft for injecting fluids placed into a
cylindrical block.
• Well fluids are used in the system as the power
fluid instead of hydraulic oil. The rotation of the
shaft causes the piston and the cylindrical block
to move round the shaft in a reciprocating
manner thereby causing the piston to pump and
transport formation fluids to the surface
 ADVANTAGES OF HPP SYSTEM
• Free" or wire-line retrievable
• Positive displacement-strong drawdown
• Double-acting high-volumetric efficiency
• Good depth/volume capability (+15,000 ft.)
 DISADVANTAGES OF HPP SYSTEM
• Abandonment pressure may not be reached
• High surface pressures
• Power oil systems hazardous
• Free gas reduces pump efficiency
• Sensitive to change in surface flow-line
pressure
• High minimum flowing BHP
 PLUNGER LIFT(PL)
• The basic operation of PL as an artificial lift method is
that when the flow rate is very high, the plunger rests
at the top of the well but as the production declines
liquids tends to gather at the bottom of the tubing
making the well to start loading which causes the valve
to close as the reservoir pressure decreases, then the
plunger falls through the tubing. Pressure build-up
occurs within the annulus while the well is shut in,
after sometime; the valve opens and transports the
plunger along with the fluids to the surface, making the
well to flow freely as additional oil recovery occurs,
usually less than 200BPD
 ADVANTAGES OF PL SYSTEM
• Efficiently removes accumulated liquids
•Can extend production to economic depletion
•Increases BHP drawdown to increase production
•Utilizes well’s own energy; no power source
needed
•Controls solid and hydrate buildup
•Performs well in deviations
•Low capital and operating costs
 DISADVANTAGES OF PL SYSTEM
• May cause surface damage if it moves with a
very high velocity
• Limited fluid removal volume
• May not take well to depletion
 PROGRESSING CARVITY PUMP(PCP)
• The progressive cavity pump is a positive
displacement pump which employs a helical,
metal rotor which rotates inside an elastomeric,
double helical stator powered by subsurface
electric motor or by rotating rods.
• Progressive cavity pumping systems can be used
for lifting heavy oils at various flow rates, coal
bed methane, and handles large volume of water.
Solids and free gas production present can be
easily handled. PCP is applicable in deviated and
horizontal wells respectively
 ADVANTAGES OF PCP SYSTEM
• Low surface profile for visual and height sensitive
• Low capital investment
• High system efficiency
• Low power consumption
• Pumps oils and waters with solids
• Pumps heavy oils
• No internal valves to clog or gas lock
• Quiet operation
 DISADVANTAGES OF PCP SYSTEM
• Gas dissolves in the elastomers, at high BHP
• Pump off control difficult
• Limited lift capabilities (approximately 7,000
ft. maximum)
• Problems with rotating rods( windup and after
spin) increases with depth
• High starting torque