Artificial Lift

To deal with gas and sand problems in their conversion and rod pump wells an operator company in south Texas started introducing a combined technology of two-stages filtration with a modified poor boy gas separator obtaining excellent results. This paper explains the technology used and shares the information used to design the tools and the results achieved in the first wells completed. The...

Rod pumping horizontal wells is more complicated and challenging than for vertical wells. For system reliability reasons, it is common for horizontal wells to have a rod pump placed in the vertical section above the wellbore’s curve, which limits drawdown. This means the pump is placed a vertical distance above the producing zone and a pressure gradient of fluid between the pump and the producing...

Rod pumping has been challenged by solids contained in produced fluids, as they reduce pump run-life. For horizontal wells solids risks have dramatically escalated, as hydraulic fracturing has exponentially increased in terms of number of stages and the amount of proppant pumped. EOR schemes can also escalate solids in produced fluids. To combat solids in the produced fluids reaching a pump...

The effect of traditional chemical treatments at the pump intake can be minimized due to the fluid level, high GLR, and production packers, among other reasons. Using a slow-release polymer matrix is an effective chemical treatment that was installed in several wells in the Delaware basin with Conoco Phillips. The chemicals were encapsulated in the matrix ensuring maximum absorption and then slow...

Slow strokes per minute, open pump clearances in a deep well have impacted the shape of the pump card and frequently results in the question: "Is my tubing unanchored?".  The Coefficient of Tubing Stretch, Kt, and the downhole pump dynamometer card can be used to help identify unanchored tubing.  The Unanchored Kt and Anchored Kt lines plotted on the left side of the pump card shape are the first...

OBJECTIVES/SCOPE: As gas lift utilization increases as a form of artificial lift for many assets in the Permian Basin, optimization through gas allocation remains a challenging problem. Operators are often limited on the amount of gas that can be injected downhole due to infrastructure capabilities and added operational cost. In addition to how these constraints impact production, wells may have a...

Design and analysis of sucker rod systems in deviated wells has challenged industry practitioners. Historical adaptations of the wave equation solution struggle with 3-dimensional wellbore trajectories and other system complexities. A unique finite element model, embodied in an easy-to-use software, simulates rod-dynamics in 3 dimensions. The model can predict or analyze motion of the rod string...

Inaccurate rod string spacing on rod pumped wells may result in significant maintenance costs and well productivity issues. To avoid unnecessary pump damage and optimize pump performance, precise placement of the rod string is key. This session will explore how a dual purpose well spacing tool /rod rotator addresses the need to adjust the rod string while harnessing benefits of a rod rotator. 

This paper explains the configuration, design, and mechanisms of an advanced gas regulator system installed underneath the ESP sensor to decrease downtime and stabilize the operational parameters of the pump. The gas regulation principle is based on the changes in the flow regimes found in unconventional wells where typically, gas slugging and high GLR frequently cause shutdowns and motor...

Gas and solid separation continue to be a significant challenge for operators. Gas interference causes unnecessary shutdowns in rod pumped wells, leading to difficult pumping conditions and lost production. Additionally, damage from solid abrasions leads to mechanically-incurred erosion failures. 

With a well-designed Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA), downtime as well as gas and solids passing through...