Artificial Lift

Intermittent gas wells frequently suffer production losses due to liquid loading and the limitations of manual or SCADA-driven cycling. This work introduces an edge-native autonomous control system that optimizes liquid unloading and flowback behavior using a hybrid physics-based and machine-learning (ML) framework. Deployed directly at the wellsite on rugged IIoT gateways, the system continuously...

"Cyclic air-steam injection (CASI) is emerging as a promising method for producing hydrogen directly from heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs, offering a potentially low-cost and low-emission alternative to conventional hydrogen production technologies. In this study, a Lloydminster heavy oil reservoir model was developed in CMG STARS to simulate in-situ hydrogen production using CASI. The process...

Study of corrosion fatigue and its effects on sucker rods. Study of the effects and applications of corrosion inhibitors.   

Using permanent magnet motors to power electrical submersible pumps provides a more enhanced performance in terms of electrical consumption, efficiency and the type of challenging and unconventional wells that it can operate in. Therefore, industry professionals, through laboratory testing, find PMMs to be a superior alternative for induction motors due to their practical and economical benefits. ...

This project focuses on the impact that VFD can have on sucker rod pumps regarding fluid production, power consumption, rod loads, among other possible effects.   

S curve wells and high kickoff wells pose great challenges to artificial lift, specifically, wells drilled with gas lift in mind and needing to be changed to ESP or rod lift in the future. This poster examines operational constraints of these wells, including complications in installation, pump performance, and bottom hole pressure.  

Determining BHP is key when optimizing production in oil wells. Inclusion of intermittent gas lift or plunger lift causes a change in BHP at specified intervals, typically at a set pressure. In turn, these artificial lift systems create an additional factor when determining BHP and must be accounted for accordingly. This project will explore one of these topics.   

As an operator, success rests in trying to maximize safety and production while minimizing your cost and downtime. Most operators choose ESP as a first form of lift and will later transition to gas lift, rod pumps, jet lift, etc. Other operators choose to use gas lift or rod lift as a first form of lift.

Each of these forms of lift presents its own rewards and drawbacks.  For example, overtime...

Current models for design and analysis of rod pumped wells are based on data from vertical wells. The assumption that these models work is only theoretical. Such models have never been validated with actual measurements from deviated or horizontal wells.  The result has been rod string designs which are either too conservative or overly optimistic. This can result in excess rod string weight which...

This paper explores the application of boron-carbide (B4C) treated rod pump parts in sucker rod pump (SRP) wells, as a solution to the challenges posed by modern-day drilling and completions practices. These practices often result in sandy, corrosive, and highly deviated wellbores, leading to increased wear, frequent interventions, and downtime in rod lift systems. The paper highlights the...