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Artificial lift optimization in marginal horizontal wells is often limited by gas interference and inefficient pump intake placement. Particularly in mature reservoirs producing below bubble point. As free gas evolves in the lateral, stratified flow conditions can reduce pump fillage and restrict drawdown in rod lift systems. This study presents a field case from a marginal horizontal well...

Produced-water (PW) management in the Permian Basin faces tightening injection constraints, induced seismicity concerns, and volatile saltwater-disposal (SWD) costs. At the same time, chemistry-rich PW contains dissolved constituents (e.g., Li, B, Sr) that may be valorized i SWD f recovery performance and market conditions support favorable techno-economics. Here, we develop an integrated decision...

Multiphase flow behavior in surface production flowlines significantly affects separator performance, flow assurance, and overall production stability. Among the intermittent flow regimes commonly encountered in oil and gas production systems, slug flow is particularly challenging because of large pressure oscillations, liquid holdup, and unstable operating conditions in surface facilities...

Sinker bars and sinker rods are both used as methods to help maintain tensile strength and minimize buckling of the rod string in rod pumped wells. They have different applications but primarily attempt to solve the same problem. This presentation will look to assess the advantages and disadvantages of using sinker rods vs sinker bars in horizontal rod pumped wells. 

Multiphase flow meters (MPFMs) are transforming well surveillance by enabling continuous, real-time measurement of oil, water, and gas flow without the need for large test separators. This work reviews the physics and field performance of dominant MPFM's, particularly the Venturi differential-pressure and dual-energy gamma densitometry combination, and compares their validated operating envelopes...

Modern unconventional wells increasingly rely on gas lift compression, representing ~30% of initial artificial lift systems in the Midland Basin and ~40% in the Delaware Basin by 2024. Permian produced gas is often liquid-rich, containing higher propane and butane concentrations and specific gravities typically ranging from 0.72–0.79 (and occasionally up to ~0.97), forcing compressors to operate...

This study investigates the feasibility of repurposing produced water as an electrochemically active medium for energy recovery, reframing it as a resource rather than a waste product. An electrochemical “mud battery” system was developed using a semi-solid mixture of produced water and clay-rich soil. The clay matrix provides structural stability while maintaining ionic conductivity, enabling...

With an estimated 46,000 producing horizontal wells in the Permian Basin currently yielding less than 200 BOPD, operators are facing a growing inventory of declining wells. This base production decline must be continually offset by new well additions—an increasingly costly and resource-intensive strategy. As a result, the industry is experiencing a resurgence of acidizing treatments in horizontal...

While the west Texas natural gas industry has been on life support since 2008 with low prices and inadequate takeaway capacity it is on the verge of a major revival in order to meet upcoming major LNG and data center demand increases.   These plants and data centers will require 18-24 BCFD of incremental supply over current levels in the US by 2030.  Based on EIA projections it is expected that...

For decades, VRUs have been deployed as compliance equipment and treated as commodity hardware – sized on rough estimates, lightly engineered, and minimally monitored. The results have been predictable: inconsistent runtime, chronic loading instability, ever-increasing maintenance costs, and a long-standing belief that VRUs simply “don’t work.” This paper examines why that legacy persists and...

Leveraging advancements in material science, a comprehensive pilot study of the effectiveness of vibrational-energy tools to inhibit asphaltene and paraffin was conducted involving over 40 wells throughout the Permian Basin, encompassing both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. This technical paper provides an in-depth analysis of the tool, which operates on the interaction of specially...

Electrical Resistance (ER) probes offer a continuous, high-resolution method for measuring corrosion rates in oilfield systems. This study demonstrates how ER data can be used to establish baseline corrosion, evaluate corrosion inhibitor performance, and guide product selection under varying produced-water and multiphase conditions. Results show that ER data can quickly distinguish between...

Objectives/Scope: Fracture-driven interactions (FDIs), commonly known as frac hits, are becoming an increasing concern as hydraulic fracturing operations intensify in mature basins. These interactions can introduce foreign solids, crosslinked gels, and formation fines into existing wellbores, significantly impairing well productivity. Traditional mechanical clean-outs, while effective, are costly...

Production operations have traditionally relied on routine well checks and daily to weekly trips to verify well performance and status. While this ensures coverage, it consumes significant field time, fuel, and labor on wells that are already performing as expected. With the vision to transition from a schedule-based to exception-based well management and with the goal to empower operators to...

Objective/Scope Optimizing production across unconventional assets requires rapid identification of well performance anomalies, efficient artificial lift optimization, and scalable evaluation of intervention opportunities such as acid jobs and lift-system transitions. Traditional surveillance workflows struggle to keep pace with high well counts, changing lift designs, and evolving reservoir...

Oil and gas operators face growing expectations to improve operational performance, manage risk, and demonstrate responsible emissions management. Finalized New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) rules for OOOOa and OOOOb sites enable a more efficient, data-driven approach to Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) compliance. Under these regulations, operators can use traditional Optical Gas Imaging...

More than 200,000 horizontal multifractured wells are currently active across multiple unconventional basins in continental United States. The first completion designs relied on completion practices that had been utilized in conventional reservoirs, and the early wells completed with low proppant/fluid intensity and in many cases cluster/fracture spacing greater than 100 ft. Chlorine Dioxide (ClO₂...

1. OBJECTIVES/SCOPE Modern wellhead inspection systems depend largely on operators interpreting electromagnetic signal graphs displayed on their laptops. Because this task demands both extensive training and unwavering focus, results can vary or be inconsistent due to the subjective nature of human judgment. This work seeks to present an approach based on intelligent algorithms to reduce such...

Beneath the Surface: Data-Driven Analysis Illuminates Well Performance Artificial lift decisions directly influence production sustainability and operating costs across thousands of unconventional wells. Yet despite the volume of data surrounding rod-lift systems, the information that should guide performance improvement often remains scattered across departments and disconnected from the...

The efficient management of gas lift systems is pivotal in minimizing operational costs and maximizing production for a large majority of unconventional wells. By leveraging automated workflows to efficiently build and tune physics based nodal analysis models, operators can optimize well performance and gas injection rates thus reducing operational expenses. A cornerstone of effective gas lift...

The Resin-in-Cement (RIC) system is a hybrid technology that merges thermosetting epoxy resin emulsions with traditional Portland cement systems, creating a stable emulsion for superior wellbore sealing and bond-adhesion in oil and gas wells. It solves key integrity issues like micro-annuli , and debonding in harsh downhole conditions. Conventional resin-cement mixes often fail due to density...

Traditional metal-to-metal seal rings have long struggled with down hole sealing issues due to a functional lack of interchangeability among manufacturers, particulate contamination on the seal face, and a possible designed-in lack of precise control of the sealing angle on mating parts. These issues drive costly interventions and decrease pump performance. The hybrid seal introduces a solution by...

Development of AI controllers has allowed abnormal pumping conditions to be accurately identified remotely. Due to the geometry of most rod lifting systems corrective actions need to be undertaken manually at the well location. This paper introduces an automated approach to implementing corrective actions with the use of a non-fixed stroke length rod pumping system. The focus includes case studies...

Mechanical components used in artificial lift face significant environmental and functional challenges, primarily caused by factors such as corrosion, abrasion, erosion, and stress corrosion cracking in downhole conditions. To ensure a component remains operational, the material not only needs to meet mechanical requirements but also needs surface properties capable of withstanding the corrosive...

Sucker rod pumping for horizontal wells has advanced considerably over the past few years. Advancements in sucker rod pump technologies and bottomhole assembly (BHA) components/configurations have allowed for more efficient downhole gas separation and greater production drawdowns. The unintended consequence has been an escalation of solids in the produced fluids with increased failure frequencies...