Artificial Lift

Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs) remain one of the most widely deployed artificial lift technologies for maximizing production from Permian wells. Operating companies often find themselves installing ESPs between multiple producing zones or even below the perforated intervals for several reasons, including the goal of maximizing production by setting the pump as deep as possible and increasing...

Oil wells utilizing Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) systems require substantial electrical power for continuous operation leading to large operation electrical expenses and inefficiencies in traditional induction motor (IM) setups. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of integrating Permanent Magnet Motors (PMMs) into ESP configurations to achieve superior power densities and operational...

This paper presents the Gas Release System Bypass, the latest advancement in gas regulation and separation technologies for Electric Submersible Pump systems operating in high-GLR and gas-slugging environments. The GRSB enhances conventional gas-handling methods by integrating the principles of gas regulation, pressurization, centrifugal dispersion, and controlled gas venting through a dedicated...

The Oxy Texas Delaware North Business Unit (TXDN) experiences frequent premature failures from severe downhole corrosion due to reservoir conditions and chemical undertreatment in wells with 1yr operating life. Typical damage occurs on undertreated annular gas lift wells near cap-string clamps/bands. Turbulent flow occurs on these components from high velocity flowrates, stripping chemical...

As the global oil industry increasingly relies on unconventional and marginal assets, operators face a complex array of production challenges. These include high viscosity fluids, significant solid content, gas interference, and the need for deployment in deviated wellbores. Traditional lift methods, such as beam pumping and conventional rotary electric submersible pumps (ESPs), often reach their...

The Appalachian Basin, specifically the Marcellus and Utica shales, are known for their initial low water-to-gas ratios and appealing high gas rates.  This, however, leaves operators with establishing phase of life flow paths as the well declines.  Installing production tubing too early leaves the asset producing at a constrained rate due to frictional losses downhole.  These constraints have been...

Examine the structured development and implementation of the Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) Team at Oxy, emphasizing the team's strategic impact on reducing operational expenditures (OPEX). The QAQC team delivers targeted training in sucker rod maintenance and handling to more than 100 workover crews, conducts systematic audits of pump shops across Oxy's U.S. assets, and actively...

1. OBJECTIVES/SCOPE:  Horizontal drilling is an essential technology for exploiting unconventional resources. However, wellbores often include zones with high Dog Leg Severity (DLS), which can limit the installation of Electrical Submersible Pumping (ESP) systems at the deepest possible setting depth. Placing the ESP as deep as possible is critical to maximizing recovery and cash flow. This work...

In response to rising demands for operational efficiency, power challenges, environmental responsibility, and workplace safety, this paper presents a case study on the integration of high-efficiency Permanent Magnet Motors (PMMs) and Power Regenerative Variable Speed Drive systems on long-stroke and conventional pumping units. This initiative was the result of a strategic collaboration between...

Unconventional reservoirs have accelerated the need for artificial lift strategies that recognize the fundamentally multiphase nature of modern well production. Traditional classifications of wells as strictly “oil” or “gas” producers—and the corresponding artificial lift systems historically assigned to each—no longer reflect operational reality, particularly in liquids-rich plays where...